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After more than a year of banning non-essential travel from most countries to help curb the spread of the coronavirus, the European Union is now looking to reverse that and allow fully vaccinated American tourists to visit this summer, the New York Times reports.

The United States' pace of vaccination and progress in talks over the use of vaccine certificates as proof is enabling the European Commission to recommend opening travel back up, restoring trans-Atlantic leisure travel.

"This will enable free movement and the travel to the European Union," said Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, in an interview with the Times. “Because one thing is clear: All 27 member states will accept, unconditionally, all those who are vaccinated with vaccines that are approved by [the European Medicines Agency]."

While there is no exact timeline on when this policy will switch, "her comments are a top-level statement that the current travel restrictions are set to change on the basis of vaccination certificates," the news outlet writes.

As India grapples with the overwhelming spread of COVID-19, the U.S. will deploy "desperately needed" vaccine supplies and experts to help, USA Today reports.

Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told ABC's "This Week" that the U.S. will also consider shipping millions of surplus AstraZeneca vaccines to India, which has not yet been approved for emergency use in the U.S. Additionally, the U.S. will provide materials to help India manufacture supplies, such as rapid diagnostic test kits and personal protective equipment.

"Just as India sent assistance to the United States as our hospitals were strained early in the pandemic, the United States is determined to help India in its time of need," said National Security Council spokesperson Emily Horne in a statement.

Britain has pledged to ship ventilators, and the European Union will send oxygen and other supplies.

As the number of vaccinations against COVID-19 continues to ramp up across the United Kingdom, it's suggested that London's hotels now arrange packages aimed at domestic leisure guests in partnership with local attractions, reports HNN's Terence Baker.

Oliver Dowden, the U.K. government’s secretary of state for digital, culture, media and sport, a department that includes hospitality and tourism, and also member of Parliament for the constituency of Hertsmere, which borders London, said he plans to reopen hotels and other hospitality businesses by May 17, with a full return to normal life on June 21.

Extended Stay America and its paired-share real estate investment trust, ESH Hospitality, filed Monday a definitive joint proxy statement for its March announcement that the company would be purchased by a 50/50 joint venture between Blackstone Real Estate Partners and Starwood Capital Group for $6 billion.

Extended Stay's special meetings of shareholders will take place on June 8, and the company will begin mailing the joint proxy statement to its shareholders today, urging them to vote in favor of the transaction.

"Our recommendation reflects careful consideration of all of the alternatives available to the company to maximize shareholder value, including continuing to pursue our strategic plan and the boards’ thorough efforts reviewing strategic alternatives over the years," the release states. "Moreover, as our proxy statement more thoroughly describes, the boards have extensively explored ways to enhance value for shareholders, both organically and inorganically, over our life as a public company."

The Federal Reserve has committed to help restore the U.S. economy to "maximum employment." However, early evidence indicates the push to reach that goal could be a more drawn-out process, Reuters reports. Labor market shifts and some workers ceasing to seek jobs all together are contributing factors to this slowed process.

Some employers have not been able to find enough workers, "though that problem is expected to ease as schools and childcare facilities reopen, allowing workers to return to their jobs, and the hard-hit hospitality and retail sectors start bulking up their workforces," the news outlet writes.

Gregory Daco, chief U.S. economist at Oxford Economics, expects the economy to add jobs at a quick pace this year, but hiring could slow as the occupational mix shifts and older Americans use the pandemic as a reason to retire.