bay also san francisco and the tri valley. maybe a chance of rain next tuesday. brian williams reports next from havana cuba. >> see you back here at 6:00. live from cuba, the turning point here in havana. a new era begins as the highest level u.s. delegation in four decades has arrived. we are along for the trip on a history-making day that could forever change u.s.-cuba relations. growing scandal involving the number one sport in our nation. and new developments in the investigation thathreatens to tarnish the super bowl. questions about cheating and the new england patriots and the nfl investigation into those footballs. and hitting home. the news tonight that affects every person who owns a home or is thinking about buying one. what experts are recommending that you should do now that could save you a lot of money. also tonight, the secret millions of americans are keeping from their spouses. "nightly news" from havana begins now.

this is "nbc nightly news" with brian williams reporting from havana. good evening. earlier today, just 14 hours after the president spoke about his opening in the state of the union, we arrived here with the first senior american official to visit this nation in decades. we flew here along with secretary of state roberta jacobson. when she set foot on cuban soil, you it changed in its own way a lot of history in just a day. and with the likes of havana harbor in the backdrop for us tonight, it's where we begin with our chief foreign affairs correspondent andrea mitchell covering it all for us.

andrea good evening. >> reporter: good evening, brian. the cuban people clearly want this to work. but for the president's new opening to become reality, both sides have to overcome decades of mistrust. she is the highest ranking u.s. diplomat to go to cuba in 38 years, leaving miami for havana this morning. assistant secretary of state roberta jacobson. set to begin negotiations tomorrow to normalize relations with cuba. her counterpart, a powerful cuban diplomat josefina vidal. >> that meeting took place in a constructive and respectful atmosphere. >> reporter: prompted by the opening president obama celebrated last night made possible in part by the freeing of american aide worker alan gross. revolution, the bay of pigs bizarre cia attempts to

assassinate fidel castro. the u.s. economic blockade. the emotional tug-of-war in both countries about who would get custody of a ship wrecked boy, elian gonzalez. a retired banker and his wife have seen it all and hope the talks will produce change. >> it will be for the first time -- and perhaps we will have really a new deal. we'll see. >> reporter: good neighbors and a new deal. >> we need to move on. and the united states needs to move on. >> the major thing we got to fix is the economy. everything comes out of the economy. >> reporter: tomorrow the two countries will first talk about opening embassies in havana and washington. negotiating regular commercial flights will take longer, perhaps even a year. then banking, credit, financial ties. most challenging for the cuban government say observers universal access to the internet, exposing more people to a wider world.

the hope is that tomorrow's talks will pave the way for secretary of state kerry to come in a few months and finally a meeting in april, the first between cuba's president raul castro and president obama. brian? >> andrea, i have to say given the flight we both took here today, given the sense of moment about this, it didn't feel like a big moment to be on it. i realized the assistant secretary went down the air stairs first and her assistant and that left me the third american walking down the stairs part of no delegation i didn't have time to reach for my phone. that i know of there's no photo of them setting foot and arriving, which is odd. >> reporter: we asked to take pictures and they did not want pictures. they want a low-key approach. they truly do not know how this is going to go and talks start tomorrow and they're optimistic. but they don't know what kind of reaction they're going to get from the other side. >> all i know is we witnessed something happen here when the president finished last night in washington. >> pretty cool. >> all day and all night. andrea, thanks. now to the story back home

that has millions of people talking tonight because it has to do with the most popular sport in our country. this past weekend, for example, 50 million of us watched football. the big story in football is the footballs themselves. they might have been tampered with by the new england patriots in their crushing of the colts. nbc's ron mott is following all of it for us in glendale, arizona. the super bowl will be played 11 days from now. >> reporter: good evening to you. eleven days before kickoff and the nfl is dealing with this growing controversy that is overshadowing the game tonight. and folks think this could linger long after a new champion is crowned. espn citing anonymous sources reports that the nfl found 11 of 12 game balls used by the new england patriots were under- inflated, which could make the balls easier to throw and catch

especially in the rain as was the case in sunday's victory. the controversy over deflate gate as it's called on social media, whether they tampered after they were inspected by the referee. >> i think it's possible the curtain has been pulled back here on a whole series of things that go on behind the scenes that no one was really aware of. >> reporter: according to league rules, two hours before the game 12 balls from each team are checked by officials, measured and weighed to meet league specs and marked with the ref's signature. ten minutes before the game given to ball runners on both sidelines where they remain. so how could it happen? in just a few seconds someone carrying a small pump needing like this can insert it into the ball and release pressure. enough to gain an edge even if it's barely noticeable. nfl rules do not govern access to footballs during games but stipulate if any individual alters the footballs, they face discipline including fines. >> i believe the loss of draft picks might be in play. i believe a suspension for the head coach might be in play just

depending on what kind of proof they have and even what kind of chain of custody they have on these stupid footballs. >> they've come this far. they've played good football. why would they want to jeopardize it? >> they're cheaters. they should be punished for it. >> reporter: the patriots and coach bill belichick were heavily fined for spy gate in 2007 videotaping an opponent's signals during the game. >> the patriots pushed the boundaries of the rules constantly. most of the time they are within the realm of what's acceptable. this time it appears they've gone outside it. >> reporter: while some colts players joke they would be happy to replace some players, dwaine allen said he could have played with soap and beat us. >> the coach says the team is cooperating and a league official tells me they will release an update as soon as possible. and as you can see and hear the preparations are being made for the pro bowl game set to be here on sunday night.

>> ron mott, thanks. now back to politics and things geopolitical. fresh off his state of the union address, as we mentioned a few moments ago, president obama is hitting the road to sell the ideas he outlined last night with what some called a swagger that prompted sharp reports from republicans angling for his job, some of them. our report tonight from our senior white house correspondent chris jansing. >> reporter: it's not where you'd expect to find president obama on the day after his state of the union address. his first visit to idaho as president, a deeply conservative state where he got just a third of the vote in 2012. a banner reinforcing last night's message to the middle class. >> i'm happy to start a conversation. tell me how we're going to do the things that need to be done. >> reporter: moorehead state university is the latest stop in what's been an expended road trip recently for an energized combative president whose cheeky quip created last night's most viral moment. >> i have no more campaigns to run.

[ applause ] >> my only agenda -- i know because i won both of them. >> reporter: headlines called it a zinger, a taunt, an epic putdown. eight unscripted words in a message. the details generally penned by republicans. one rare exception, paul ryan. >> i agree with every word he said in the speech with respect to trade and asia. >> reporter: but ryan isn't running for president. others who might be weren't so supportive. >> it is time to move on beyond president barack obama. >> some of the stuff, frankly, was difficult to listen to and keep a straight face. >> reporter: last night hillary clinton tweeted about an economy that works for all. and twice today the vice president hinted he might run against her. >> to be blunt with you, i think i could do a good job, yes. there's a chance. but i haven't made my mind up about that. >> reporter: the list of candidates and political battles

taking shape with 657 days still to go before the election. and a new political battle exploded today. house speaker john boehner invited israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu to address congress without telling the white house. that's an unprecedented breach in protocol and one that allows a foreign leader to stand in the house chambers and reject new sanctions for iran's nuclear program. brian? >> chris jansing back at the white house tonight. chris, thanks. notably absent from state of the union last night was the senate minority leader, the democratic leader, harry reid. his office today revealed that he will undergo surgery next week in hopes of fully restoring vision to his right eye. the senator injured his eye, fractured bones in his face along with a couple of ribs when a piece of exercise equipment broke while working out on new year's day. we have an update tonight on the measles outbreak and the trouble it's spreading out west. it has spread now to five states with oregon now reporting a

case. california, where this outbreak is believed to have started among visitors to disneyland at first, has 59 confirmed cases now. colorado, utah, washington and new mexico are also reporting cases. one major reason for concern at least a handful of those afflicted have been vaccinated for the virus. and from havana tonight we have a bit of a caution for all those americans who may think that in a year or two this will all be different, teaming with american tourists and big american brand names. i'd like you to hear part of a conversation i had today with a 26-year-old. her name is paola laura mendi. she has a biology degree but works as a freelance producer here which is how we met her. she chooses to stay in cuba, live in cuba, when most of her own family in fact has left for the united states.

and as you'll hear she loves her country while seeing its faults. how long will it take until cuba is ready for thousands and thousands -- >> it's going to take so long. it's going to be so hard because the first people we have to train is the people. educate to understand why -- what do we have to do to respond to that in a good way. >> other members of your family have left for the united states. why not you? is. >> i think -- i always knew what's happening now has to happen at some point. and i really wanted to stay for it because i know it's going to be so good, so rich. and i really love being in my country. i love my people. and i think i would feel empty if i left because i have so many friends that left and came back and when they came back they have so changed. >> how does america change people you know who've been to america? >> i think it's the lifestyle. it's so rush. it's so fast. it's so consuming.

it's more about my job is, i earn that much, i just bought a shirt that is $300. >> when americans are here and planes and hotels and the cars are 2015 cars and not 1958 cars, what happens to the revolution? >> cuba is not the revolution. when you talk about cuba, you don't have to talk about the revolution. revolution is the moment in your story. people have been dragging it for years and years, but revolution is something in the moment and then it's gone. do you understand that? >> uh-huh. >> now we're having new revolution. americans come to cuba and it's renewing the revolution for the country. we have been waiting for this. young people are born, we don't share this thinking of our fathers or our grandfathers. >> so that billboard i just passed on the way from the airport with young fidel castro saying the revolution lives on, that's what you mean we're living in it now. >> we're living in it now. >> the view of a young cuban who wants to be here to see what's going to happen next.

still ahead for us tonight, big financial news that affects every american with a mortgage and those who are even considering buying a home the change could save millions of families a lot of money. also a spectacular view very few americans have ever seen because they haven't been allowed to until now. the boom and the cranes that are on the move here in cuba.

as we said before the break,

there is financial news and it affects millions of american homeowners. the mortgage bankers association reports applications for new mortgages are suddenly surging up 63% from this time a year ago. driven they say, almost entirely by people taking advantage of lower interest rates. and the experts say there may be no better time to refinance than right now. we get our report tonight from nbc's tom costello. >> reporter: for many americans it's suddenly getting cheaper to make the payments on their biggest investment. a year ago a 30-year mortgage loan averaged 4.5%. today it's down to 3.81%, even lower for 15-year loans. california mortgage broker is swamped with re-fi applications. >> rates have dropped a half a percent in the last 60 days, and everybody's running to take advantage of it. >> reporter: the lower rates mean bill and jerry grimes should save enough to renovate a bathroom. they just refinanced in december, now they're re-fi-ing again.

>> it's just been amazing. i didn't expect this to happen at this time and this quickly. >> reporter: when should you refinance? experts say if interest rates are at least half a percentage point lower than rate you're currently paying. it may be smart to do the math. a family with a 30-year $300,000 mortgage at 4.5% pays about $1367 a month. but at 3.8% that monthly payment drops by $150. total savings over the life of the loan $22,575. and market analysts believe interest rates will stay low or could go even lower over the coming months. surprisingly, nearly half of consumers don't comparison shop for the best possible loan rate. >> you should shop. if you're shopping for shoes, you should definitely shop for something that's your single largest investment. >> reporter: advice from experts, it's better to re-fi

now than to hope rates will go lower. back in a moment, as promised, with a big secret a lot of partners have been keeping from each other.

those j.d. power awards, it's not a coveted title as travelers see it. but every year we learn which airport is named the busiest. and the title has mostly gone back and forth in recent years between hartsfield in atlanta and o'hare in chicago. well, the results are out for 2014 and when passenger and cargo traffic are combined, congratulations are in order again for chicago. o'hare back on top for the first time in a decade. more than 881,000 arrivals and departures last year. thousands of people can't drink the water in the town of glendive in northeastern montana. in the water supply, officials have found benzine which can cause cancer at three times the level safe for consumption.

this is downstream from the site of a 50,000-gallon oil spill over the weekend. emergency responders have trucked in bottled water for the people there. and about the environment, thick ice is now slowing up the cleanup effort. this next item will no doubt cause a lot of hubbub in a lot of american households tonight. a new report is claiming one in five americans have spent $500 or more on something without telling their partner about it. and more than 7 million americans are apparently hiding bank or credit card accounts from their loved one. and men, according to this report, do that a lot more than women by a couple million americans. as we said, bound to cause hubbub. when we come back, there aren't many places left on the planet that most americans just have not seen yet, but one of them is a two-hour drive from here.

as we leave you here tonight and as we prepare to leave cuba, we want to show you something few americans have seen. it's a two-hour drive from here and it's one of the more spectacular beaches here because of the u.s. travel ban,

americans were until recently, prevented from going to the beach in cuba. so this is a place mostly canadians and europeans know about. it's the kind of place the u.s. tourism industry dreams about. the beaches are white, the water is clear, and that would be a golf course in castro's cuba. this is not the old havana with cars from the '50s and facades that haven't been touched since the turn of the century. this is varadero beach, the number one tourist destination in cuba, 90 miles to the east of havana. high-end hotel resort properties funded in part by big money from europe frequented by a lot of tourists from great britain, germany and canada and part of a booming construction business on this end of the island. >> the people are friendly. and, you know, it's fun to end all that, you know, the embargo. >> reporter: when our correspondent gabe gutierrez visited just yesterday, he

actually found an american tourist from boston in fact who used his swiss passport to get here. >> i think, yeah, it's good. for the country, for the people this place is sort of stuck in time. >> reporter: this life is out of reach from most of those who live in cuba. and cuba's critics say money like this will only keep the regime in power. the golf club is next to the estate once owned by the dupont family. and many who are here enjoying it all, taking it all in, get the distinct feeling that by being here now, they are beating the rush. >> want to come back in 10 15 years and see how it has changed, how much has changed. a lot of people we've spoken to have good thoughts and bad thoughts. it will be nice to see how it actually works out. >> reporter: so much change here in the past few years. the history we witnessed on that arriving aircraft today may drive a lot more of that change

in the years to come. and that's our broadcast on this wednesday night. thank you for being with us. i'm brian williams reporting tonight from havana, cuba. we hope to see you back home in new york tomorrow evening. good night. right now at 6:00 an illegal casino offering in a neighborhood, and our sources say it's just one of many. good evening and thank you for joining us. i'm jessica aguirre. >> no need to travel. there may be a slot machine on your block. in that neighborhood with a story you will see only on nbc.

damian, police telling you it's not the only one across the bay. >> that's right. neighbors tell me they're shocked but at the same time not surprised at what was happening next door. these are pictures obtained by the nbc bay area of the alleged casino. they were taken inside this home on south capitol avenue a home that included surveillance cameras, locks and two pit bulls. >> i have no idea how they got away with it for so long. >> you had no idea? >> i had no idea. >> he owned the auto parts store next door. he wondered why there were so many people coming and going from the home some asking him for change. >> they came in and asked me to change money, and i said no i can't be doing changing. i kicked them out. >> the parking stalls meant for customers were always taken up by people going inside the alleged