5 best beach cities in the World

These five destinations let you have the best of both worlds: beaches and urban pleasures. Lounge about on the beach all day and hit swanky nightclubs by night.

Cape Town, South Africa
With yachts cruising in the sea and white sands carpeting the shores, the set of four beautiful beaches that form the Clifton Beaches might remind visitors of the French Riviera. Each beach has a distinctive character: the first is popular with locals, the third is considered to be the liveliest, while the fourth is the most family-friendly.

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
The iconic Brazilian city is known for its vibrant party scene. Lounge by the seashore along the famous Copacabana neighbourhood, or head to the more upscale Ipanema beach for spectacular views of the twin mountains (locally known as Two Brothers) and the city skyline. There's plenty of action on the waterfront as well. Pick from volleyball, soccer and several water sports, or just sit back and watch the world go by.

Miami, Florida, USA
The Miami Beach is a 14km-long stretch of sand overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. For a dash of glamour and fun, head to the South Beach, popularly known as SoBe, where you might find yourself rubbing shoulders with the city's glitterati. You can also check out the Miami Art Deco District nearby, which has the largest number of historic Art Deco buildings in the world.

Barcelona, Spain
The three-kilometre-long Barceloneta Beach is the city's largest and most popular strip of sand. Its palm trees share space with several quirky public artworks, including a giant goldfish sculpture by American architect Frank Gehry and a tower of steel boxes by German artist Rebecca Horn. It is also dotted with numerous outdoor cafes, where you can order sangria, tapas and some seafood paella. You can also rent a beach umbrella, chairs or a cycle from the Beach Centre.

Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
Bordered by the extinct volcano Diamond Head, the Waikiki beach makes for dramatic pictures. Swim in the warm, turquoise waters, surf on the gentle waves, or simply bask in the sun. There are also plenty of luxury beachfront resorts for those who want to stay longer, including the Royal Hawaiian Hotel and the Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Resort & Spa.

Secret to longer life could be in this new pill

WASHINGTON: A new pill that prevents ageing and keeps people healthier for longer may be a step closer, scientists say. 

Activating a protein called sirtuin 1 extends lifespan, delays the onset of age-related metabolic diseases, and improves general health in mice, a new study has found. 

The findings point to a potentially promising strategy for improving health and longevity. 

Sirtuin 1, or SIRT1, is known to play an important role in maintaining metabolic balance in multiple tissues, and studies in various organisms have shown that activating the protein can lead to many health benefits. 

Also, drugs that increase SIRT1 activity have been found to slow the onset of ageing and delay age-associated diseases in several animal models. 

Researchers led by Dr Rafael de Cabo of the National Institute on Ageing at the National Institutes of Health tested the effects of a small molecule that activates SIRT1, called SIRT1720, on the health and lifespan of mice. 

The animals were fed a standard diet supplemented with 100 mg/kg SRT1720 beginning at 6 months of age for the remainder of their lives. 

Researchers found that SRT1720 significantly extended the average lifespan of mice by 8.8 per cent. Supplementation also reduced body weight and fat percentage, and it improved muscle function and motor coordination throughout the animals' lives. 

In additional studies focused on the effects of SRT1720 on various metabolic variables, researchers found that SRT1720 supplementation led to decreases in total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol levels, which might help protect against heart disease, and improvements in insulin sensitivity, which could help prevent diabetes, researchers said. 

Supplementation also had anti-inflammatory effects in various tissues, an important finding because low-grade chronic inflammation is thought to contribute to ageing and age-related diseases, they said. 

"Here, we show for the first time that a synthetic SIRT1 activator extends lifespan and improves healthspan of mice fed a standard diet," said de Cabo. 

"It illustrates that we can develop molecules that ameliorate the burden of metabolic and chronic diseases associated with ageing," said de Cab. 

The study appears in the journal Cell Reports.