The Bower Tower

The stunning azure waters of the Band-e Amir lakes are once again attracting Afghan tourists, who brave bumpy roads to experience the so-called 'Grand Canyon' of Afghanistan.

While the rest of the world literally looks up to the Dutch, the tallest people in the tallest country on earth insist it's not easy being so big. So an official study by the Dutch national statistics office CBS finding that they appear to be shrinking might be construed as good news -- even if it could threaten the Netherlands' number one spot as the world's loftiest nation.

The French prosecutor says the captain of the Cornelis Gert Jan faces a possible €75,000 fine for "non-authorized fishing in French waters" by a non-EU boat. The scallop dredger was seized Thursday off Le Havre.

It is the first time India has opened its borders to foreign travelers since imposing a strict lockdown in March 2020 to curb the spread of COVID.

Captain Sunil Kumar Nandeshwar admitted he had been drinking alcohol as cargo ship Wakashio ran aground in July 2020, spilling more than 1,000 tons of fuel into the Indian Ocean.

New Zealand has opened its borders to tourists for the first time in over two years. Meanwhile, Germany recorded no COVID deaths in a day for the first time since September 2020. DW has the latest.

Recent visitors to France will no doubt have noticed the return of foreign tourists. Two years of Covid-19 took a heavy toll on what is otherwise a booming business and an important part of the French economy. Now things appear to be looking up again for the tourist industry. For decades, France has been the number one tourism destination in the world, ahead of Spain and the US. So what explains this lasting success? We take a closer look in this edition of French Connections.

Japan was one of the last countries in the world to keep its borders shut to foreign tourists because of the Covid-19 pandemic, but that is slowly changing. The government is cautiously taking steps to revive tourism. But in a crucial election year and with the border restrictions popular among voters, it's a tricky balancing act for Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. We speak to Professor Seijiro Takeshita from the University of Shizuoka.

Find these stories and much more when you grab a copy of The Guardian on Wednesday.

Captain Zuhuur Fathi Muktar is the first woman to join the Somaliland Coast Guard. In just a few years, she’s risen through the ranks, safeguarding waters while also taking on gender based stereotypes. Thus forging a path for other young women.

Sauerbrunn says the players are "horrified and heartbroken and frustrated" following the release of the Sally Yates report.

Village of Books attracts tourists. Literature fans are drawn to Urueña, a small Spanish village with a multitude of bookshops.