Category Archives: Caribbean

Director reports that more than 300,000 children have missed routine immunization. PAHO works to help regional countries find new strategies for delivering vital services and care.

WASHINGTON, D.C., July 28, 2021 (PAHO) --The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted essential health services in most countries and territories in Latin America and the Caribbean, threatening immunization of children and care of expectant mothers and people with chronic conditions, Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Director Carissa F. Etienne warned.

We therefore urge countries to ensure their COVID-19 responses do not leave other essential health services, like routine immunizations, behind, Dr. Etienne said at her weekly press briefing. These services are not optional, she said, adding that PAHO is helping countries adjust and rethink how essential care is delivered at the first level.

She said that more than 300,000 children, mostly in Mexico and Brazil, have missed routine immunizations, leaving them vulnerable to deadly yet preventable infections.

Coverage of the first dose of measles vaccines dropped by 10% in eight countries in the Americas, including Venezuela, Panama, and Brazil, and dropped as much as 20% in Suriname, she continued. If we do not reverse these trends, we risk an avalanche of worsening health issues.

She added that in a recent survey of health services in the region, 97% of participating countries and territories reported disrupted health services while 45% reported disruptions in at least half of their health services.

Soon, COVID-19 will not be the only health crisis demanding countries attention, Dr. Etienne said.

PAHO is supporting countries in finding alternatives for delivering health services. Many health systems, including in Chile and Peru, have embraced telemedicine, while others have launched community outreach programs so patients can get medical care while theyre in their homes.

The PAHO Director advised countries to hire and train additional staff so that all health workers have the tools and resources to safely provide care. Asserting that health workers must be fairly compensated for their extraordinary efforts, she said Chile recently approved a pay increase to providers who have been critical to the COVID-19 response.

We know that the economic blowback of this pandemic is forcing countries to make difficult choices on where to prioritize spending, but we cannot afford to cut corners on health, she said.

That is why investing in the first level of care now is a smart choice so we can reverse trends more efficiently and equitably than if we wait for health crises to surface, she said. As the adage goes: an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Turning to the pandemics continued devastating toll in our region, she said that Argentina, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, and Paraguay are among countries reporting the world's highest weekly death rates.

The Mexican states of Baja California Sur, Quintana Roo and Yucatan are reporting a rise in new infections. In Central America, cases are reportedly accelerating in Guatemala and remain high in Panama. Cuba is experiencing higher COVID-19 infection and death rates than at any point in the pandemic, and all age groups are affected.

Cases are decreasing among several South American countries, although hotspots have been reported in Argentinian provinces bordering Bolivia and Chile, and in Colombias Amazon region.

In total, over 1.26 million COVID-19 cases and nearly 29,000 deaths were reported in the Americas in the past week, Dr. Etienne said.

While infections mount, our region has yet to access the vaccines it needs to keep our populations safe, she said. So far, just 16.6% of the population of Latin America and the Caribbean has been fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

She also called attention to World Hepatitis Day, celebrated July 28. The survey reporting broad disruption of essential health services also reported that diagnosis and treatment of hepatitis B and C have been interrupted by the COVID-19 response.

Daniel EpsteinNancy NusserSebastin OlielAshley BaldwinNadia Peimbert-Rappaportmediateam@paho.org

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Latin America and Caribbean face an avalanche of worsening health issues if COVID-19 disruption of health services continues, PAHO warns - Pan...

Luxury real estate in the Caribbean is booming and has been for the last year following the onset of the pandemic. According to EdwarddeMalletMorgan, a partner at Knight Frank, a global real estate consultancy based in London, the market is flourishing like never before.

Sales have gone up significantly in the Caribbean in the upscale sector, he says. People have a new flexibility to be away from their primary homes and keep working remotely, so theyre looking to buy in vacation destinations.

Case in point: DeMalletMorgan says that Knight Franks sales of single-family homes in Barbados have gone up more than 50% in the last year, and there have been record-breaking numbers in Mustique.

High-end amenity-laden developments throughout the Caribbean are also attracting interest, including the nine were highlighting that are among the toniest in the region.

From New Providence in the Bahamas to a tropical rainforest setting in the Dominican Republic, here is our list:

One of the chic new developments in Albany.

Albany, New Providence, Bahamas

Starting price of residences: $5 million

With investors like actor and musician Justin Timberlake and golf legends Ernie Els and Tiger Woods, Albany has been a coveted residential development ever since it opened in 2010. The 600-acre community includes nine marina-front condominium buildings, each with a distinct architectural style. One, for example, resembles a cube and was designed by the renowned architect Bjarke Ingels. There are also custom home lots and villas that range from 3,400 to 6,400 square feet.

Ernie Els is behind the golf course, and Albany also features tennis and equestrian centers, several swimming pools, a 15,000-square-foot fitness center with yoga and Pilates studios, multiple dining options, a movie theater, water sports center, and childrens clubhouse. And we cant leave out the music studio and stores that include an outpost of Rolex.

One of the private residences at Bakers Bay Golf & Ocean Club.

Link:

9 Striking New Developments Across the Caribbean - Architectural Digest

Pirates of the Caribbean is considered to be a classic attraction at the Disney Parks, including at both Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort. But did you know that the reason this Disney ride includes a drop (or two, depending on the Park!) is due to interference with another popular Disney Parks attraction?

Disney Imagineers actually had to add a drop on Pirates of the Caribbean due to the previously installed train tracks from the Walt Disney World Railroad and Disneyland Railroad!

Since both the Walt Disney World Railroad and the Disneyland Railroad were opening day attractions at the theme parks, the train tracks were already in place when construction began on Pirates of the Caribbean. The boat ride attraction officially opened in 1967 at Disneyland and 1973 at Magic Kingdom.

At one point, Imagineers realized that the tracks would go over where they were building the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction. In order to accommodate for both the Railroad and the boat ride, Imagineers decided to implement a drop in the attraction that brings Guests under the Railroad. In fact, the main part of the ride takes place in a larger show building, which is located behind the train tracks (The Disney World version can be seen in the image below)!

So even though the drop coincides with the storyline of Pirates of the Caribbean, the real reason that this was included is because of interference with the Walt Disney World Railroad and Disneyland Railroad.

Fun fact: Pirates of the Caribbean at Disney World has one drop, but the ride at Disneyland has two!

In case you have never had the chance to ride it, theofficial Disney World websitedescribes this classic attraction as:

Board a weathered barge for a treacherous voyage to the 17th century, when rowdy rogues and ruthless rapscallions ransacked Caribbean seaport towns. Sing along as pirates serenade you with their anthem, Yo Ho, Yo Ho (A Pirates Life for Me).

Sail past haunted Dead Mans Cove. Navigate cannon fire between a Caribbean fort and a striking 12-gun galleon. Behold boisterous buccaneers drunk on the spoils of plunderin as flames engulf a seaside town.

Be sure to keep a spry eye out for Captain Jack Sparrow, fromThe Pirates of the Caribbeanmovies. Ye beware, mateys: Dead men tell no tales!

And the Disneyland version of Pirates of the Caribbean is described as:

Strike yer colors! Your adventure begins in a shadowy bayou, where youll board a weathered barge. Plunge down a waterfall in the dark and float through the spectral world of Pirates Grotto. Dead men tell no talesbut they guard their treasure for all eternity.

Navigate cannon fire between a fort and a 12-gun galleon. Glide into port and behold brazen buccaneers drunk on pillaged plunder. Skulk past the well-armed lass who commands a colorful auction of villagers goods.

Sing along as sea roving scalawags serenade you with their classic shanty, Yo Ho (A Pirates Life for Me). Witness flames engulf the town and pass prisoners trapped in their jail cell, doggedly trying to escape.

Keep a spry eye out for sly Captain Jack Sparrow from the Pirates of the Caribbean film series, as he schemes to get his hands on the spoils.

If ye be seekin adventure, ayyouve come to the proper place!

Did you know that the Railroad is the reason why you drop while riding Pirates of the Caribbean? Let us know in the comments below.

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The REAL Reason Why Pirates of the Caribbean Has a Drop (or Two!) Inside the Magic - Inside the Magic

About the Event

As the United States Near Abroad, the Caribbean has always held a central, but unheralded place in American Foreign Policy. Now, with Cuba experiencing its largest protests in decades and with a new government forming in Haiti following the assassination of President Jovenel Mose, FPRI has brought together a panel of experts to discuss these situations in the context of American foreign policy. FPRIs Barbara Fick will be joined in conversation by Dr. Alyssa Goldstein Sepinwall of California State University San Marcos and Dr. Michael Bustamante of Florida International University to discuss the history of U.S. involvement in the Caribbean, whats really going on in Cuba and Haiti beneath the headlines, and more.

Michael J. Bustamante - Michael J. Bustamante, Ph.D.,is Assistant Professor of Latin American History at Florida International University.

Dr. Alyssa Goldstein Sepinwall - Prof. Alyssa Goldstein Sepinwall is a professor of history at California State University San Marcos and the author ofSlave Revolt on Screen: The Haitian Revolution in Film and Video Games,which was publishedin June 2021 by the University Press of Mississippi.

Barbara Fick - Dr. Barbara Fick is a Senior Fellow in the Foreign Policy Research Institute's Eurasia Program and a U.S. Army Colonel, serving as Director of the Americas Program and Faculty Instructor at the Department of National Security at the U.S. Army War College.

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Haiti, Cuba, and the History of US Involvement in the Caribbean - FPRI Events - Foreign Policy Research Institute

PARMA, Ohio -- Its been roughly a year since Chef Jose Melendez opened Ohio Citys Twisted Taino, which offers a modern take on traditional flavors from the Caribbean and Latin America.

Now, the Parma resident cant wait to do the same in his hometown. Parmas Twisted Taino, located at 5629 Pearl Road, is set to open Sunday (Aug. 1).

Twisted Taino is located at 5629 Pearl Road in Parma. (John Benson/cleveland.com)

It took a lot longer to open than expected, said Melendez, who has been working on the Twisted Taino concept for the better part of a decade. Unfortunately, we came across a lot of unexpected things with the building -- a new roof and (air conditioning).

Something else unexpected was his decision to close the Ohio City location.

It was very tough, because I actually wanted to have both locations -- Ohio City and Parma -- open at the same time; however, due to the staffing shortage, that wont be happening, Melendez said.

Over the last year, we learned what works, what doesnt in regards to the kitchen and staffing. So moving into this new location, definitely we feel were experienced.

Formerly Hobart Health Foods and Gaelic Imports, the 5,300-square-foot Twisted Taino will be divided between its kitchen providing carryout and curbside service and a sit-down restaurant offering all-you-can-eat lunch buffets and dinner dishes within a casual, upscale environment.

Twisted Taino is located at 5629 Pearl Road in Parma. (John Benson/cleveland.com)

Melendez is hopeful the latter will be open by the end of the year.

The side were opening now is set up to be carryout only; however, theres a little outside seating available for those who want to stick around, said Melendez, who co-owns Twisted Taino with his brother, Omar.

Eventually, well be building out the other side. Once thats completed, well be able to fit about 80 to 100 guests.

The chef described Twisted Taino as a Caribbean restaurant with a Latin-infused concept. While his roots are Puerto Rican, Melendez said the Twisted cuisine includes dishes from Colombia, Jamaica and Cuba.

Twisted Tainos menu includes bandeja criolla (chicken and pork chicharron, plantain chips and yuca fries), arroz mamposteao (Puerto Rican fried rice) and Twisted Doritos (similar to walking tacos). Also available will be hand-crafted artisan frappes in a variety of candy bar and fruit flavors.

Other new menu additions include a skirt steak and shrimp hoagie sandwich, as well as a pepper cheese sauce.

On social media, our neighbors are ready to have something new in the neighborhood, Melendez said. Were super excited. Also, a lot of our clientele in Ohio City was from Parma and surrounding areas. Theyve expressed how excited they are to not have to travel that far.

Still, Twisted Taino apparently offers quite the draw for some out-of-town folks. Melendez said hes had customers coming from all over Ohio, as well as Michigan and New York, to experience the cuisine.

Its very rewarding to know that people actually see what youre doing and will drive hours just to taste your food, Melendez said.

Read more news from the Parma Sun Post.

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Twisted Taino bringing Caribbean and Latin America flavors to Parma - cleveland.com

MIGHT TRY TO SUBPOENA THE FORMER PRESIDENT. SHELN:DO A PROMISING SIGN FOR THE CRUISE INDUSTRY IN CENTRAL OR. THE ALLURE OF THE SEA TSE SAIL YESTERDAY ON A SIMULATED CRUISE. ON BOA,RD VOLUNTEERS ALONG WITH CDC OFFICIALS THEY ARE TRYING OUT SOME OF THE NEW CHANGES MADE TO HANDLE COVID. THE MANAGING EDITOR IS ALSO RIDING ALONG. SHOWING SOME MEASURES IN PLACE INCLUDING AREAS SET ASIDE FOR VACCINATED GUESTS. >> THERE SOME NEW PROTOCOLS ON THE SHIPS, ITS STJU NICE TO SEE EVERYTHING BACK. >> THE BRAND-NEW SHIPIL WL SET SAIL FOR THE FIRST TIME ON SATURDAY. RTPO CANAVERALS CEO SAYING ITS BEEN A LONG AND DIFFICULT 18 MONTHS FOR REPORT. WE WORK HARD WITH CRUISE PARTNERS. WE ARE REA

Royal Caribbean's first test cruise out of Port Canaveral, Allure of the Seas, is now out at sea

Updated: 11:54 AM EDT Jul 28, 2021

It's a promising sign for the cruise industry in Central Florida.Royal Caribbean's first test cruise out of Port Canaveral is now out at sea. The Allure of the Seas set sail on Tuesday on a simulated cruise.Onboard are volunteers, many of them travel agents, along with CDC officials, who are trying out the changes made to deal with COVID-19.Related: Disney Dream will kick off return to cruising in August with cruises from Port CanaveralChris Gray Faust, the managing editor of CruiseCritic.com, is also riding along.She took pictures showing some of the measures in place on the ship, including areas set aside for vaccinated guests.Carnivals Mardi Gras, a brand new ship docked at Port Canaveral, will set out for the first time on Saturday.Port Canaveral's CEO released a statement on Tuesday, saying: "It's been a long and difficult eighteen months for our Port. We've worked very hard with all of our cruise partners, and now it's time to get our cruise business back and running. Port Canaveral is ready to help our partners provide a safe, healthy and fun guest experience."

It's a promising sign for the cruise industry in Central Florida.

Royal Caribbean's first test cruise out of Port Canaveral is now out at sea. The Allure of the Seas set sail on Tuesday on a simulated cruise.

Onboard are volunteers, many of them travel agents, along with CDC officials, who are trying out the changes made to deal with COVID-19.

Related: Disney Dream will kick off return to cruising in August with cruises from Port Canaveral

Chris Gray Faust, the managing editor of CruiseCritic.com, is also riding along.

She took pictures showing some of the measures in place on the ship, including areas set aside for vaccinated guests.

Carnivals Mardi Gras, a brand new ship docked at Port Canaveral, will set out for the first time on Saturday.

Port Canaveral's CEO released a statement on Tuesday, saying:

"It's been a long and difficult eighteen months for our Port. We've worked very hard with all of our cruise partners, and now it's time to get our cruise business back and running. Port Canaveral is ready to help our partners provide a safe, healthy and fun guest experience."

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Royal Caribbean's first test cruise out of Port Canaveral, Allure of the Seas, is now out at sea - WESH 2 Orlando

For years, tourists flying into the off- the-beaten track to the tiny Caribbean nation of Dominica have been relying on island-hopping from neighboring islands using planes or boats to arrive at their destination.

While Dominica, known as the nature island of the Caribbean, has always had international flights from neighboring islands, the small nation couldnt offer direct flights to and from Europe and Mainland U.S. until now.

The buildout of a new international airport, set to be completed in 2025, will be a game changer for the small country that has been relatively difficult to access, opening up a world of opportunities for tourism and economic growth.

Join Us at the Skift Destination and Sustainability Summit on July 21

And in a hyper-competitive market like the Caribbean, a new airport that can transport tourists directly from lucrative source markets like Europe can change the status of a destination like that.

The international airport development has been a longtime goal and dream of our government, because we know the importance to significantly grow the tourism industry, and improve the ease of doing business in Dominica, said Denise Charles, Dominicas minister of tourism, in an interview with Skift.

A rendering of the future Dominica international airport.

Samuel Johnson, CEO of the Dominica international airport development company, agreed it will all come down to air access.

You can have the best attractions, the best hotels. and the best brands, but if its difficult to get to the island, it adds that much more friction to the journey of a visitor. And were an island in a chain of islands, so they could as easily land in any of our sister islands which are easier instead of ours, said Johnson. So we definitely think its going to improve several aspects of the country.

There is no price tag yet for the project as the bidding is ongoing but some press reports pegged it at north of $220 million.

The airport which has been in the planning stages for several years is being designed by a boutique American company Landrum and Brown, specializing in airports and aviation planning. The new international airport will meet world-class standards and will be located nearby to Douglas Charles airport, which it may eventually replace, Johnson said.

Dominica expects that once the airport project officially starts with the groundbreaking, it will stimulate the overall economy in a major way.

This has already started because we expect to see a boost in the construction industry. And in the actual construction phase, we will see an increase in direct jobs associated with the construction of the airport and also indirect jobs, Charles said.

Indirect jobs include people that provide accommodations services, restaurant owners, and transportation services contributing to jobs in the economy and overall improving the business climate once Dominica has an international airport.

Hotels will also add jobs to the economy and plans are already underway to prepare the infrastructure for the influx of tourists a new airport will bring.

Unlike the rest of the Caribbean region, Dominicas coronavirus story is one of success.

The Caribbean island currently sits at Level one low risk on the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions list of Covid-19 travel recommendations by destination and is on the coveted UK Green List. Thats because Dominica has managed to contain Covid-19, without community spread and zero deaths.

Its good news for an island that pre-pandemic, had been pursuing developments of hotels on the island, including a combination of major chains and luxury boutique hotels such as Marriott, Hilton, Secret Bay, and the currently open Jungle Bay and Cabrit Resort and Spa Kempinski.

In addition to increasing tourism, the international airport will help Dominica with the transportation of goods and trading.

Charles said Dominica has a lot of agricultural, locally made organic, and manufacturing products to offer including flora, a variety of crops such as bananas and dasheen some of which are traded in the region.

One of our challenges has been getting it on international markets because of the time and it has to get there fresh and crisp for the markets. So that will definitely open up a lot of avenues for us in terms of trade, not only into the U.S. market but also into the UK market, Charles said.

Its too early to put a dollar figure to how much revenue the new airport will generate for Dominica, Charles said, but she believes it will be tremendous revenue. Based on the expansion the island is seeing with hotel plans, trade, jobs, and the opportunity for further investment into the country, Charles believes the possibilities are endless.

Its definitely going to transform our economy and increase our GDP (gross domestic product) significantly, said Charles.

Building an airport is paying off with increased tourism to the Caribbeans St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Loop news reported. Opening a new airport also changed things for the better in St. Lucia, a neighboring island of Dominica.

St. Lucia is often looked at as a sister island of ours with many similarities including the same French connection culture wise and the French Creole common language in addition to English, but Dominica is a little bit more rugged and not as densely packed which leaves a lot of room for expansion, Johnson said.

To avoid a cold start once the new airport is completed, Johnson is working feverishly to start international flights from Mainland U.S. to Dominica as soon as possible including making upgrades to its current airport to facilitate this. He has reached out to Delta, JetBlue, Caribbean airlines and is in active talks with American, Johnson said.

We have the view that we might not be able to accommodate the larger aircraft, but theres new changes in technology where for example the Airbus A220, a smaller aircraft that is very effective at running long thin routes which Dominica initially would be, Johnson said. Because our long-term plan is to gradually increase our visitor arrivals during the buildout stage so that it transitions nicely into the international airport.

Dominica is also actively working on active route development for the current and future airports, he added.

American crewmembers join Dominica airport and government officials on the tarmac at Douglas Charles airport after completing a proving flight from Miami, Florida to Dominica in June. Photo Courtesy of Dominica International Airport Development Company.

In preparation, the island welcomed its first American Airlines flight when an American Eagle aircraft operated by Envoy completed a proving flight into Dominica from Miami, Florida in June, Charles said. Proving flights are one of the final hurdles airlines face before obtaining an air operator permit to a destination.

Dominica is going to be a changing environment in terms of consumption, restaurants, entertainment, luxury transportation, and clothing that will attract a significant amount of visitors from Europe and Asia, said Missi P. Henderson, permanent secretary in the office of the prime minister.

With its new airport, Dominica is looking to attract tourists from the U.S., U.K, Asia and in particular France, all markets that are big to the country. Additionally, its looking to South America, Latin America, and other areas that love nature and nature lovers who love adventure, water sports, and swimming with whales, Charles said.

Dominica is one of the top ten destinations for diving in the world and many people dont know that, said Charles.

Henderson said Dominicas central location in the Caribbean makes it an ideal hub even for regional travel and they believe its airport will become the regions new hub.

The airport will be built out in five phases, but because the request for bid proposals is currently ongoing the Prime Ministers office declined to disclose how much the airport project is costing at this time.

However, in terms of financing for the projects, Henderson said the country considered several options for loans or grants. And to minimize debt for the country and its citizens, Dominica decided as a country to use its Citizen by Investment program (CBI) under the management of the Montreal Management Consultants Est., specializing in immigration and CBI for several countries, she said.

This has proven to be an innovative financing model which weve used for a number of our projects from Tropical Storm Erika in 2015, Hurricane Maria in 2017, and of course during this pandemic, Henderson said. And so weve tested it in terms of our health centers, our housing, and the intention is at the end of the day when you have an airport, not to have any debt burden, and to have allocated revenues to run and operate the airport in a viable way, she said.

The way Dominicas CBI program works is very similar to the United States E-B5 Immigrant Investor Program fast-tracking citizenships for investors, where foreigners desiring to become citizens in Dominica through an approved foreign direct investment will then be given accelerated citizenship, said Johnson.

As tourism slowly recovers, Dominica is taking advantage of the remote work revolution around the world right now, by offering a Work in Nature program allowing visitors to stay up to a maximum of 18 months on the island, with a selection of apartments of participating resorts to rent with reliable internet service, Charles said.

Dominica is currently in the midst of a massive vaccination drive with 40 percent of its target population inoculated.

Fully vaccinated tourists with proof of vaccinations are no longer required to quarantine if they arrive with a negative PCR test taken within 72 hours and take an antigen test at the Dominica airport on arrival which takes about an hour to process, she said.

Light clearing of land is beginning this week and new homes are being built for families whove been relocated to make room for the new international airport, said Charles.

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Dominica Hoping New International Airport Will Elevate It to Major Caribbean Destination - Skift

Simply put, the PlateSmart AI-driven software and analytics are unlike any other in the industry.

"PlateSmart's flexibility, which allowed us to work together and customize the solution to suit the needs of our Caribbean clients, made them a natural fit for us," said Kayon Gibson, Vice President, Sales and Business Development, AV COM Jamaica. "Their ALPR solution is scalable, robust, and easy to integrate with the IP video surveillance infrastructure we sell and support."

PlateSmart CEO John Chigos said the company's solution has been well-received by law enforcement customers. "The software's analytics and accuracy has surpassed all expectations and has helped law enforcement apprehend criminals faster than before."

As an enterprise-grade solution, PlateSmart ARES 3.0 software has virtually no upper limit to the number of cameras it can read. This makes it ideal for even the largest surveillance applications. In the Caribbean, it can even be configured to monitor feeds among islands, which is ideal for nations and dependencies that are part of an island group or archipelago.

Even better, PlateSmart ARES 3.0 returns search results within seconds, no matter how many cameras it is monitoring. In the aftermath of a crime, those seconds make it possible for police to apprehend suspects before they can make their getaway.

PlateSmart CEO John Chigos said that the advanced analytics PlateSmart ARES offers can help law enforcement prevent crime in the first place.

"Many solutions help police investigate crimes after the fact," he said. "PlateSmart can also help stop crime by giving law enforcement the intelligence they need to see if a crime is being planned. This includes vehicle behavior like 'casing' a location in advance of a crime or attack. Our software's ability to examine vehicle behavior means keeping more people safe and putting more criminals out of business.

"Simply put, the PlateSmart AI-driven software and analytics are unlike any other in the industry. It is proactive and predictive. And as has always been our philosophy, the customer owns all their data. They determine who accesses it as well as where and for how long it is retained. We never touch it."

For more information or to schedule a demo, visit http://www.platesmart.com.

About PlateSmart

In 2004, Cyclops Technologies, under the PlateSmart Technologies brand, introduced the first software-only, camera-agnostic automatic license plate recognition (ALPR) engine powered by early AI-based object recognition technology and compatible with video management systems (VMS). Today, the brand's solutions have evolved into stand-alone vehicle recognition tools as well as those designed to integrate with almost any third-party software and hardware. They serve diverse applications, from law enforcement to wide-area surveillance to customer service enhancement, across a variety of markets in the U.S. and around the world.

The cutting-edge PlateSmart ARES 3.0 enterprise solution is designed for use with a virtually unlimited number of cameras. It can search those cameras within seconds across a number of vehicle attribute, location, and date/time parameters for up-to-the-moment actionable intelligence and complete situational awareness. ARES Analytics provides deep intelligence about a vehicle's travel behavior as well as mass traffic patterns, with a full suite of data visualizations and the ability to export data for additional analysis.

PlateSmart solutions have received multiple industry awards for excellence in security technology. Learn more at http://www.platesmart.com

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS: This press release may contain forward-looking statements and/or predictions. These statements are based on history, current knowledge, and current market conditions. They are subject to change without notice as conditions and knowledge change; therefore, undue reliance should not be placed on such statements.

Media Contacts

Kathleen Chigos | [emailprotected] | 813-749-0892

SOURCE PlateSmart Technologies

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Partnership of the Caribbean: Securing the West Indies - PRNewswire

Joint Force Command Norfolk is NATO's first operational command in North America.

NORFOLK, Va. It is being called the first change in NATO strategy in more than 50 years.

On Thursday, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization reached full operational capacity for a new organization called "Joint Force Command Norfolk."

The 72-year-old NATO is built upon the principle of collective defense: that, an attack against any ally is considered an attack against all allies.

Joint Force Command Norfolk is being established as the 30-nation alliance's only operational command in North America, in response to the rising Russian threat, following the collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War.

Its arrival coincides with the United States Navy re-establishing the 2nd Fleet, as the Department of Defense recalculated its strategy in this hemisphere because of Russia's increased activity in the North Atlantic.

"No one nation can face today's challenges alone," said Vice Admiral Andrew "Woody" Lewis, Jr, commander of US Second Fleet, during a ceremony aboard the USS Kearsarge at Naval Station Norfolk.

Lewis continued: "Standing up JFC Norfolk demonstrates the dedication of both sides of the Atlantic to the security and stability of the Euro-Atlantic area."

The command's mission: to increase security in the North Atlantic, from the Caribbean to the Arctic.

The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff offered a stern warning.

"NATO s still the most powerful alliance in the world," said General Mark Milley, the event's keynote speaker.

"And the United States is still the most powerful and capable military in the world," he continued. "We are ready now. Those who think we are not are mistaken. And any adversary that seeks to challenge the United States military's resolve will do well to respect this military and our alliance in NATO."

NATO is believed to have 3.5 million troops and civilian personnel.

NATO invoked the collective defense Article 5 provision for the first time in its history after the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the United States.

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NATO command is now fully operational to defend seas from Caribbean to Arctic - 13newsnow.com WVEC

KLM announced that during this boreal summer season it has resumed almost all of its destinations in Latin America and the Caribbean, reaching 17 cities, while already planning the winter programming, it will add Port of Spain (Trinidad and Tobago) and Bridgetown (Barbados).

The company is adapting its network based on the dynamics of restrictions imposed by different governments.

The most important changes compared to 2019

Pieter Elbers, President and CEO of KLM said: It is good news that our network in the Caribbean and South America is almost back to normal. We currently fly almost the entire global network, with 60% of capacity and 40% of passengers. We do this in a safe and responsible manner, which has been awarded with the APEX Diamond status for its health safety. The next steps are to expand capacity and of course as soon as the situation permits, welcome more passengers on board.

During July, KLM will offer about 57 thousand seats on 165 weekly flights between Amsterdam and Latin America / Caribbean, which represents a variation of just -0.6% compared to the same month in 2019.

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KLM recovers its network of flights to Latin America and the Caribbean - Aviacionline.com