Dateline Monday 19th February 2024

Good morning, a very warm welcome to a wonderful week of work, I hope all is well. Warm welcome for sure the weather was outstanding last week, dry, sunny, warm a taste of Spring perhaps.  

A much quieter week ahead, last week it was half term week, Chinese New Year, Pancake day and Valentine’s day, this week almost nada, nothing, rien, zilch except for one special day that’s sound like it could be great fun. 

I like America ,I love going there, but it is really nuts as well bonkers for sure. Former President Donald Trump must pay nearly $355m (£281m) to New York state for lying about the values of his properties. Judge Arthur Engoron has banned him from serving as a company director or taking out loans from banks in the state for three years. Mr Trump said he would appeal the ruling. "A crooked New York state judge just ruled I have to pay a fine for $355m for having built a perfect company," calling the ruling a political witch hunt. "It's a very sad day for - in my opinion - the country."

Judge Engoron referred to previous allegations of wrongdoing in justifying the large amounts he ordered the defendants to pay, writing that they "are likely to continue their fraudulent ways" unless he imposed a "significant" penalty. He made specific reference to the Trump Organization's conviction in a criminal tax fraud case in 2022, where a jury found it had enriched its top executives with off-the books benefits for more than a decade.

Japan’s space agency has successfully launched a second test model of its new flagship rocket H3, in a welcome boost to its space program after last year’s inaugural flight failed. The H3 had a “successful liftoff” at 9.22am Tokyo time on Saturday and was “on course” with its engines properly working. The launch further burnishes the country’s space credentials after the historic “pinpoint” moon landing of Japan’s Slim spacecraft last month. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and primary contractor Mitsubishi Heavy Industries have designed the H3 to replace the two-decade-old H-IIA Rocket. Japan’s ‘moon sniper’ probe made incredibly accurate landing but is now upside down oopps!

Today is 136th day Israeli babies, toddles, children, teens, women, men and seniors have been held hostage in the Hamas terror tunnels in Gaza, sadly as Hamas is hiding in Rafah the Israel Defence Force has been ordered into Rafah to root out the terrorists that are hiding amongst and behind the civilian population.

And finally, Manuel, Liliana and the team at THE EPIC GROUP DMC MEXICO have told us to “CELEBRATE GOOD TIMES COME ON” as Cool and the Gang said, because this Thursday, 22nd February is

National Margarita Day

The margarita — triple sec, tequila, and lime juice — was created in 1938 in Mexico and is widely considered the official drink of having fun. Works for me

And dear reader that is about it from a David point of view for this week at least.  

MM and Company news update

Frankfurt Germany

Eva and the team at Cornerstone Meetings DMC  have told us that Minor Hotels has rebadged the NH Collection Frankfurt City Centre as an Avani property, marking the brand's debut in Germany.

Located in the city’s central business district, Avani Frankfurt City Hotel has 256 guest rooms and suites spread across seven floors and five meeting rooms with a shared breakout space that together can accommodate up to 140 delegates. There’s also a buffet-style restaurant, a grab-and-go dining concept with snacks that converts to a cocktail bar in the evening, a gym with steam baths and a sauna, as well as the provision of yoga mats in each room. The hotel takes design cues from the city’s history as a techno music hub, with album covers and framed vinyl discs on display in the lobby.