Happening Today: Castro, JetBlue, Cyber Monday, Election Recount

What to Know

  • JetBlue's first commercial flight to Cuba was scheduled to depart JFK Airport on Monday morning
  • Tens of thousands will mourn late Cuban leader Fidel Castro in the Plaza de la Revolución in Havana on Monday
  • Donald Trump arrived back in New York City on Sunday as he continues meeting with potential cabinet appointees

Get the top headlines of the day in your morning briefing from NBC 4 New York, Monday through Friday. Sign up for our newsletter here.

Cuba Remembers Fidel Castro

A nine-story portrait of a young Fidel Castro has joined the towering images of fallen guerrillas overlooking Havana's Plaza of the Revolution, the massive square where Cuba on Monday begins bidding farewell to the man who ruled the island for nearly half a century. Ordinary people have largely been staying at home, off streets hushed by a prohibition on music and celebration during the nine days of official mourning for Castro. For some, particularly younger Cubans, Castro's death barely registered. Tens of thousands of others, though, were expected to return to the streets Monday morning, when imultaneous 21-gun salutes will sound in the capital and in the eastern city of Santiago, where Castro launched his revolution in 1953.

Airlines Begin Commercial Flights to Cuba

JetBlue's first commercial flight to Havana will take off from John F. Kennedy Airport on Monday morning — a milestone that comes as the island nation mourns Fidel Castro, who died on Friday. The regularly scheduled flight takes off at 8:58 a.m. and will land in the Cuban capital of Havana. Along with JetBlue, American Airlines is also running a short, one-hour commercial flight from Miami to Havana on Monday, and Delta Air Lines has scheduled regular flights to Cuba starting on Dec. 1.

Cyber Monday Dethroned?

The Monday after Thanksgiving is traditionally the busiest online shopping day of the year, but stores are releasing internet deals earlier, stretching them through the week, as well as making them available in stores. Shoppers looking for discounts spurred online sales on Black Friday to a new high. Consumers spent $3.34 billion shopping online on Friday, a 21.6 percent increase from the same day last year, according to Adobe Digital Insights. As retailers stretch the meaning of Cyber Monday, the day itself is losing some clout.

Trump Back in NYC as Recount Looms

With his return to New York City on Sunday, President-elect Donald Trump faces a pressing need to set more of the foundation blocks of his presidency in place by filling vacancies for secretary of state and other top posts. Trump had been at his estate in Florida for the Thanksgiving holiday. He has a series of meetings scheduled in New York City with prospective administration hires on Monday. The president-elect sparked controversy over the weekend when he took to Twitter and claimed “millions” of people had voted illegally in the election. Wisconsin election officials are expected to meet Monday to discuss a possible timeline for a recount of that state's presidential votes, a recount filed by Green Party presidential nominee, Jill Stein. Meanwhile, top Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway said that the president-elect's supporters would feel "betrayed" if he tapped former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney as secretary of state. Romney was a fierce critic of Trump during the election. Speaking on NBC's "Meet the Press," Conway also said that Trump talks "regularly" with President Barack Obama and "very much enjoys" their conversations.

Pickpocket at "Hamilton" Theater: NYPD

The NYPD is searching for a woman who they say stole items from several people who were waiting for performers from the Broadway hit "Hamilton" outside the theater. Authorities say she's been pickpocketing for months.

Rare Tornado Captured on Video

A powerful and rare, late-November tornado tore through south-central Nebraska on Sunday. The twister hopscotched across farmlands, knocking down power lines and causing damage to farming equipment and structures. Luckily, no one was injured and no homes were directly hit. Watch the video.

Contact Us