4 amazing beaches in Japan you should visit

Japan is an island country with Pacific Ocean on one side and Sea of Japan and East China Sea on the other, giving it a spectacular coastline with a number of beaches.

There is a lot more to Japan than its rich culture, Sushi and Cherry Blossoms, did you know Japan has the most amazing beaches as well?

Here are four of the most underrated and must visit beaches

Goshiki-hama Beach: A famous spot for a sunset view Goshikihama is a beach of colourful pebbles. The name Goshiki (meaning five colours) comes from the fact that the pebbles filling the beach shine in five different colours like gems when washed in water.

The place is known for its beautiful sunset view, with the splendid sight of the sun setting on the horizon.

The pebbles show even more delicate tones as the sky changes colour at dusk. The glittering sea reflecting the red sun rays are in harmony with the colourful pebbles.

The road along the beach is called Sunset Line. You can see the setting sun from anywhere on this road.

Yonaha-maehama Beach: This is a resort beach that represents an isolated island of Okinawa, Miyako Island, and is a place which a considerable number of tourists from Japan and abroad visit.

The landscape is overwhelmingly beautiful, and a combination of white sand beach and emerald green is described as the best scenery in the orient.

Marine sports such as snorkelling, yacht, boat, and jet-ski, are very popular here. In addition, there are stalls, restaurants, showers, and changing rooms. An environment for spending the entire day at the beach has been established. As Miyako Island is a tropical island, you can enjoy sea bathing all year. However, stay in April requires attention. An iron man race is held around that time every year, and over 1,000 athletes flood into this beach. So, make sure to set a travel schedule after checking on relevant information.

Chirihama Beach: Chirihama is a coast in the Hokuriku Region, facing the Sea of Japan. Because natural shellfish such as Japanese littleneck and common orient clams are produced here, small stalls selling hamayaki (grilled shellfish and fish caught in the sea) are set up along the coast from spring to summer. Casual stallholders luring customers, and the savoury fragrance of grilled seafood, are characteristic features of this place.

There is a road named ‘Chirihama Nagisa Driveway,’ which is famous as the only place in Japan where cars can be driven on the edge of the surf. You can drive about 8 kms along the beach and feel the sea breeze.

The sea is shallow until far offshore, and the beach is crowded with beachgoers in summer. Events of marine sports, including beach volleyball and jet skiing, are also held. The sea changes appearance season to season, e.g. it is blue in summer and grey in winter, and you can spend time there as you like regardless of the season of the year.

Hakuto Beach: Hakuto Coast is a beautiful beach of white sand. It is included as one of the 100 selected beaches in Japan, and is a popular spot for sea bathing in summer and surfing in winter. You can see the pretty pink Japanese rose flowers, for which this place is the southern limit for growing naturally.

ICDDR, B shows the way of detecting ‘missing’ TB cases in Bangladesh

As Bangladesh’s health system cannot detect and notify about a third of the total TB cases, the ICDDR, B has shown the way with its unique public-private mix or PPM approach to diagnosing undetected cases.

The Dhaka-based health research centre took an innovative approach and set up TB screening sites in 2013 with state-of-the-art facilities targeting possible cases for testing from the physicians working in the private sector.

Those doctors including the evening practitioners are unable to report tuberculosis cases they diagnose and treat, as there is no available notification tool in Bangladesh. The private sector also lacks quality assured and sensitive TB diagnostics.

TB remain undiagnosed or unreported means many will die or continue to be sick and transmit the disease or, if treated with improper drugs, contribute to the growing menace of drug resistance.

This year’s world TB day observed on Saturday was themed on “Wanted: Leaders for a TB-free world”.

The focus of the day was on building commitment to end TB, not only at the political level with heads of state and ministers of health but all levels from leaders to people affected with TB, civil society advocates, health workers, doctors or nurses, NGOs and other partners.

TB being a ‘notifiable’ disease, all private doctors, caregivers and clinics treating TB patients are supposed to report each case to the government through the nearest government health officers.

The aim is to ensure proper diagnosis, case management, transmission reduction, and fighting the emergence of drug resistance in Bangladesh, where an estimated 33 percent of the total cases remained missing in 2017.

Diagnosing and treating TB patients are expensive, and that’s why it is government and donor-supported initiative to stop the infectious disease transmission by 2030. The Bangladesh government also distributes expensive drugs free with the help of the Global Fund.

“Our focus was to how we can bring the private patients into the government programme. We took an innovative approach of how to ensure quality diagnosis for them and bring them under government reporting,” Sayera Banu, a senior scientist of ICDDR, B who oversees the TB programme of the research centre, told bdnews24.com.

She said they started with three screening centre in Dhaka in 2O13 and now the programme has been expanded with four more centres in Dhaka and two in Chittagong and one to be launched in April in Sylhet.

Sixty-year-old Akram Uddin was sitting at a wide, brightly lit waiting room of the Dhanmondi centre on Saturday. He told bdnews24.com that he came to test for TB with his daughter.

His daughter said a doctor at a private hospital referred her father to this centre to avail the free testing. “I know the government hospitals also test TB, but those are very crowded and not so clean as I find here,” she told bdnews24.com.

On arrival, a patient has to register and then wait for the call. First, they go to a room where a nurse takes their history. After that, they are shown a video of how to produce “effective” cough sample for testing. They cough into a container in a separate room. Then the X-ray image is taken. The whole process takes 2O minutes. The next day they come to take the report.

The centre is equipped with state-of-the-art digital X-ray systems and GeneXpert MTB/RIF systems which can diagnose both TB cases and drug resistance within a short time. There is the provision of voluntary diabetes testing.

Private providers remain engaged all the time. The government’s drug is also supplied to those who are confirmed TB. Those who test positive are counselled by health workers when they return to collect their results.

Since September 2013, more than 100,000 presumptive cases were tested with GeneXpert and nearly 60,000 with chest X-ray, identifying more than 13,000 TB cases.

“Following our success, the government has adopted this model in the National Strategic Plan of Bangladesh (2016-2020),” the senior scientist, Banu, said.

“Our centres have extended operational hour to till 10pm so that patients referred by the evening practitioners can test on the same day,” she said.

Dr Asif Mujtaba Mahmud, a consultant of respiratory medicine, at Asgar Ali Hospital in Gandaria, told bdnews24.com on Saturday that he also refers his patients to those centres.

“Just today I confirmed a patient TB, and I put him on drugs. He was delaying his treatment as he would not go to the government facility because he did not like the environment. When he came to me, I referred him to the ICDDR, B facility. It's totally free,” he said

“They [icddr,b] have advanced technology. The access is very easy and its all free of cost. And once a patient goes there, he or she is being notified in the government system”.

Dr Mahmud said for private practitioners like him, there is no mechanism to notify TB cases to the government. The ICDDR, B centres give them that chance.

“They can also diagnose multi-drug resistant TB early; who are then referred to the government’s chest hospital for treatment.”

“To combat TB, we need partners. Only government or private sector cannot do that. We need leadership. The success we have achieved in TB detection in Bangladesh was because of partnership.”

But the challenges remain. Last year when those ICDDR, B centres started receiving government’s funds, they had to offer everything free, changing their previous social enterprise model in which a nominal charge for X-ray was taken.

“After offering everything free, we don’t have a separate budget for buying x-ray films or paying to radiologists as there was no such allocation from the international donors. We used to manage that from the revenue we collected by the social enterprise model,” the senior scientist, Banu, said.  They are now finding options to address the challenge.

Sai Dhanshika all set for her Telugu debut with an action entertainer

Noted Tamil actress Sai Dhanshika is all set for her Tollywood debut with a Tamil-Telugu bilingual titled 'Mela.' The talented actress was last seen in the recently released movie, 'Kaathadi'. Reportedly, the actress will be performing stunts without an extra. 
As per latest reports, she will be seen in two looks in the much awaited flick. The movie marks the directorial debut of Kiran Sripuram too. Dhanshika received rave critical reviews for playing the character of Rajinikanth's daughter in the blockbuster, Kabali. Actor Surya Tej will be seen playing the male lead in the film, which is said to be a power packed entertainer. 
Sai Dhansika had forayed into movies with Peranmai in 2009. She had acted in a number of popular Tamil films such as Paradesi and Kabali. Some of her forthcoming projects are the multilingual Kitna and Valu Jada.

Independence Day celebrated

RONG TULITE MUKTIJUDDHO

Marking the 48th Independence Day, Channel i organised the 12th edition of ‘IFIC Bank Rong Tulite Muktijuddho’ (Liberation War through painting) at the Channel i premises yesterday.

Noted artist Hasem Khan received lifetime achievement award at the event. Channel i Managing Director Faridur Reza Sagor, its director Jahir Uddin Mahmud Mamun, IFIC Bank Managing Director Shah Alam Sarwar, singer Rezwana Choudhury Bannya, among others, attended the inaugural ceremony of the day-long event. They handed over the crest, certificate and uttorio to Hasem Khan.

Following the inauguration ceremony, artists of Surer Dhara and Rezwana Choudhury Bannya performed songs, while Habibullah Siraji and Rupa Chakrabarti recited poems.  

Besides, led by Major (retd) Kamrul Hasan Bhuiyan, a group of war-wounded freedom fighters took part in a discussion.

At the programme, artists Hashem Khan, Samarjit Roy Chowdhury, Monirul Islam, Iffat Ara Dewan, Sheikh Afzal, Moniruzzaman, Jahir Ahmed, Hamiduzzaman Khan, Syed Lutfal Haq, Syed Iqbal, Abdul Mannan, Bipasha Hayat, Ashok Karmakar, Rezaun Nabi, among others, took part in the painting reminiscing about the Liberation War.

Besides, child artists also participated in the painting exhibition.

 Anwarul Haque Chowdhury, Shah Alam Sarwar, and Sarwat Hossain purchased paintings from the venue. 

Argentina have a debt to settle at World Cup: Messi

Argentina captain Lionel Messi admitted Monday that his generation has a score to settle at the World Cup in Russia after a series of agonising near misses in major tournaments.

"The debt we owe is to ourselves, not to the people. We always give our all, we reached three finals. We haven't been far off," Messi s"(In Russia) it will be a good opportunity. Argentina is always a candidate for the title because of its image, its history. But this year, we are not favourites," Messi added. "Spain, Brazil, Germany and France are above us."

Argentina, who beat Italy 2-0 in Manchester last Friday, will play Iceland, Croatia and Nigeria in Group D at the World Cup.

The country last lifted the trophy in 1986 when Diego Maradona was named player of the tournament.

Messi fit to play against Spain

Coach Jorge Sampaoli informed that Argentina star Lionel Messi is set to return from a minor injury for Tuesday's international friendly against Spain.

The Barcelona forward sat out Friday's 2-0 defeat of Italy in Manchester with a thigh muscle problem but came through Monday's training session in Madrid and is expected to line up against the 2010 world champions.

"He trained as normal with the group so he's okay to play," Sampaoli told a news conference at Atletico Madrid's Wanda Metropolitano stadium.

Sampaoli insisted he was not gambling over his captain's fitness by fielding Messi against Spain.

"If there was the slightest risk, Leo would have said something. The eve of the match against Italy he indicated that he was not in a state to play.

"But here, he did a fitness test yesterday (Sunday), he did another one today and he's fine... I don't think there will be a problem tomorrow (Tuesday)."

Former Chile coach Sampaoli last week described the current Argentina team as "more Messi's side than mine".

"Football is about the players, what I meant was he has the power to create links and communicate out on the field," he explained.

"He can generate a lot of stuff... it's impossible to teach something to Messi."

"We are in a place where Leo is untouchable," added Sampaoli, before suggesting his team would be built around the advice he picked up from Messi.

"Leo, you have to listen to him, create situations that will be optimal for him and from there build a team in relation to that."

However, the two-time World Cup winners will be without Angel di Maria, who hurt his thigh against Italy, and Sergio Aguero, with the Manchester City striker recovering from a knee injury.

Spain boss Julen Lopetegui, unbeaten in the position since replacing Vicente del Bosque after Euro 2016, says whether Messi features or not will have little bearing on his team selection.

"When we're preparing for a game we're not thinking about what's in front of us," Lopetegui said. "We've just played the world champions (Germany) and now face the runners-up who have an incredible player, who collectively have improved with the arrival of Sampaoli.

"What I have ahead of me is a valuable game against Argentina, against the World Cup finalists, sure to be one of the best players in history, and this is motivating us to show what we can do and develop a good feeling as a team."

Spain and Argentina are seen as two leading contenders at the World Cup in Russia which runs from June 14 to July 15.

The last meeting between the countries came in a 2010 friendly in Buenos Aires where Messi scored in a 4-1 Argentina victory.

aid in an interview with Fox Sports.

Argentina lost the 2014 World Cup final to Germany 1-0 after extra time and then finished runners-up at successive Copa America tournaments, losing to Chile on penalties in both 2015 and 2016.

"We always take each World Cup as a big opportunity, and now more than ever because an important generation will move on, several players will change," Messi said, ahead of Tuesday's friendly against Spain in Madrid.

Vice-captain Javier Mascherano has already announced he will retire from international duty after the World Cup, while Sergio Aguero, Angel Di Maria and Gonzalo Higuain will all be 30 come the finals.

Messi will turn 31 during the competition. He has yet to make a decision on his Argentina future but would be 35 by the time of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Glyphosate levels linked to shortened pregnancy length: Research

Researchers have found that glyphosate levels — a broad-spectrum systemic herbicide and crop desiccant — are significantly correlated with shortened pregnancy lengths.

According to the researchers, this study is the first to examine glyphosate exposure in pregnant women in the US using urine specimens as a direct measure of exposure.

“Although our study cohort was small and regional and had limited racial or ethnic diversity, it provides direct evidence of maternal glyphosate exposure and a significant correlation with shortened pregnancy,” said lead author Shahid Parvez.

“There is growing evidence that even a slight reduction in gestational length can lead to lifelong adverse consequences,” said Parvez, an Assistant Professor at the IU Richard M. Fairbanks School of Public Health at the Institute of Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI).

For the study, published in the journal Environmental Health, researchers recruited 77 pregnant women between the ages of 18 to 40 years, from June 2015 to June 2016.

They found that 93 per cent of the women had detectable levels of glyphosate in their urine.

The researchers said that the public drinking water supply may not be the primary source of glyphosate exposure, as none of the tested drinking water samples showed glyphosate residues.

The dietary intake of genetically modified food items and caffeinated beverages is suspected to be the main source of glyphosate intake, the researcher said.

“We found higher urine glyphosate levels in women who lived in rural areas, and in those who consumed more caffeinated beverages,” Parvez said.

From catwalks to news, Pakistan's transgender community aims to shift attitudes

As the first transgender news anchor in Pakistan, Marvia Malik is proud to be at the forefront of changing attitudes in her country but she says there is a long way to go.

The news of her first appearance on local channel Kohenoor TV on Saturday went viral on social media and was just days after she became the first transgender model on the catwalk at the annual Pakistan Fashion Design Council fashion show.

Her catapult into the spotlight came after transgender activist Zara Changezi was named as star of a love film, the Senate passed a bill to protect transgender people, and a Pakistani province agreed to an X gender on driving licences.

Malik, 21, said she had lost count of the positive telephone calls and messages she had received for her new role which was a major contrast to previous years when she battled to survive.

"I got a lot of appreciation from those associated with the fashion industry when I did catwalk modelling two weeks back, and now this ... it's quite overwhelming," she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

"I was thrown out after (10th grade) after which I joined a beauty salon, earned just about enough to put myself through college, but it was not easy. My story is no different from that of a hijra on the street you see begging."

Many "hijras" - which includes transvestites, transsexuals and eunuchs - in Pakistan, as well as other South Asian nations such as India and Bangladesh, are attacked, murdered, raped or forced to work as sex workers, dancers, or beggars.

For although transgender people technically enjoy better rights in Pakistan than in many other nations, in practice they are marginalized and face discrimination in education and jobs.

However campaigners said there were signs of progress in the conservative South Asian nation where homosexuality is a crime.

The Supreme Court ruled in 2009 hijras could get national identity cards as a "third sex" and last year the government issued its first passport with a transgender category.

The transgender community was counted in the national census for the first time last year, recording 10,418 in a population of about 207 million although many said this was too low. Charity Trans Action Pakistan estimates there are at least half a million transgender people in the country.

X marks transgender

Earlier this month the Senate unanimously approved a bill to protect the rights of transgender people which, once passed by both houses, means transgender people will no longer have to appear before a medical board to confirm their gender.

Meanwhile the government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa - one of Pakistan's four provinces where there was a spate of attacks on transgender people in 2016 - issued driving licences to transgender people marked with an X in gender.

"Getting a driving permit will not only be a proof of identity but open another livelihood avenue, for instance, finding employment in cab companies," said Qamar Naseem of Peshawar-based Blue Veins that lobbies for transgender people.

Sana Yasir, an intersex educator and physician, said Pakistan was becoming more tolerant of transgender people but acceptance was not yet widespread with many people confusing gender identity with sexual orientation.

"(People) assume being trans means one has a certain orientation, and harness hate against homosexuals, which then shows in their transphobic behaviour," Yasir said.

While Malik is happy that the government is slowly bringing the community into the mainstream, she said the only way to get meaningful change if is "change begins at home".

"We have to tell parents not to be ashamed of their kids who cannot conform to the sex assigned at birth," she said, adding that transgender people were often thrown out by their families.

"We are left with no option but to turn to begging, dancing and selling our bodies.