
Californians hit beaches, travel ahead of virus rules easing
India Today
California prepares to relax social distancing and masking rules in two weeks as long as coronavirus cases remain low.
Californians headed to campgrounds, beaches and restaurants over the long holiday weekend as the state prepared to shed some of its coronavirus rules. Southern California beaches were busy with families barbecuing and children playing in the sand and surf. Business owners said they were scrambling to hire workers to keep up with the stream of customers eager to get out since virus cases have fallen and vaccinations have risen. “It feels very, very close to normal,” Bob Alfera, a resident of seaside Santa Monica, told KCBS-TV.
Legal immigration to the US in 2025 has seen one of its sharpest declines since the pandemic. About 2,50,000 fewer visas in total were issued compared to 2024, reported The Washington Post. The drop has been global, but India stands out as one of the worst affected, alongside China. Visa approvals for the two countries fell by a combined 84,000.

Oil and gas refineries and hubs are up in flames not just in the Middle East, but also in Russia and the US. Crude oil prices have surged over $100 a barrel. With the energy infrastructure in the Middle East likely to take years to be rebuilt, the world could be set for the biggest oil disruption in history.











