A airline passenger at JFK Airport swiped $5,600 in cash and yen from a fellow flier on a screening line, then tried to stash some of the money in a Cheerios box, police said Monday. Cops pulled Nadira Malilk, 61, a Bangladeshi national, off her Aim Emirates flight before it took off Sunday morning, accusing her of stealing the money from a security bin. The victim, a 60-year-old man from China, put the money — $4,300 in U.S. cash and $1,300 in yen, in a bin and walked through the screening checkpoint at 10:20 a.m., only to find the money missing, said Port Authority police spokesman Joseph Pentangelo.(nydailynews.com)…[+]

The Texas opera aficionado who dumped his beloved friend’s ashes during a weekend Metropolitan Opera performance is “beyond embarrassed” about the “mess” he created, his friend said. Roger Kaiser, 52, was not arrested for his scattering human remains over the Lincoln Center orchestra pit during Saturday’s “Guillaume Tell,” a stunt that sparked terror fears and forced the company to stop mid-way through the show. The 52-year-old Dallas man was just trying to honor his late pal and had no malicious intent, his friend Paul J. Williams told the Dallas Morning News. “He is beyond embarrassed,” Williams said. “He was doing it solely for his beloved friend.”(nydailynews.com)…[+]

HAVANA- Cuban Foreign Trade and Investment Minister Rodrigo Malmierca officially inaugurated the 34^th Havana International Trade Fair where the presence of 73 countries and over 3500 exhibitors set new records.

Minister Malmierca said these figures show the growing interest of entrepreneurs from all over the world on the potential the Cuban market has, and the Fair has become a reference point for those willing to do business in Cuba.

He added the growth comes as well from the new opportunities Cuba offers as well as the international rejection to the over 50 years long US blockade on Cuba. Malmierca pointed out that this event is part of Cuba´s strategy to diversify trade relations throughout the world, in order to avoid dependence on one single market.

Despite financial limitations, caused by growing prices in the international markets and difficulties some of the Cuban largest trade partners are facing, the Caribbean nation intend to honor its commitments, he said. The Cuban Minister said Spain remains the country with the biggest representation, followed by Venezuela, China and Russia, with a significant increase on the amount of exhibitors from France, Italy and Japan. The Fair will run through November 5^th and will include bilateral meetings, forums, signing of agreements and several activities, all aiming at boosting Cuban development.  (ACN )…[+]