weekend. >> all right. thank you, britney. for all of us at nbc 10 thanks for watching. i'm renee chenault-fatah. >> we'll see you at 11. on our broadcast tonight, full denial from patriots quarterback tom brady and from his coach as a football inflation scandal remains bigger than the upcoming super bowl as the question remains who or what was responsible. do not enter, the new warning tonight says certain visitors should stay away from disneyland as health officials scramble to get this measles outbreak under control. inferno, a ferocious fire still burning over a day after it started. hundreds of families lose everything. why this one has been so hard to fight. and sidekicks as we hit the streets to chronicle the trend that's arrived out of nowhere and includes taking one's best friend out for a ride. "nightly news" begins now. from nbc news world headquarters in new york this

is "nbc nightly news" with brian williams. good evening. a potential cheating scandal involving one of the great teams and great quarterbacks in the history of the game continues to consume a colossal amount of time and attention surrounding the industry of football that is the nfl. late today tom brady took questions from the press saying several times he had no knowledge of it or role in it. if baseball is our national pastime, football is something closer to an obsession. last year's super bowl was the most-watched television broadcast of any kind in television history. the game between the seahawks and the patriots will be played ten days from now. and today was consumed by allegations that the patriots had an edge in getting there. we begin with nbc's ron mott at the home of the patriots in fox foxborough mass. >> reporter: good eching. tom brady and bill belichick

answering dozens of questions about this so-called deflate-gate controversy. and they both said they don't have a clear explanation for what happened. quarterback tom brady is used to being in the spotlight. >> i felt like we won the game fair and square. >> reporter: though not on the hot seat especially on social media labeled a cheat. >> you have never knowingly played with a football that was under 12 and a half pounds of pressure? >> no. >> is tom brady a cheater? >> i don't believe so. i mean i feel like i've always played within the rules. i would never do anything to break the rules rt earlier patriots coach bill belichick said he was shocked to learn about the deflated ball controversy saying he's never concerned himself with the feel of a football in four decades of coaching. >> i'm trying to coach the team. that's what i want to do. tom's personal preferences on his ball -- footballs are something that he can talk about in much better detail.

and information than i could possibly -- than i could possibly proviet. >> reporter: with 2007's spy-gate and the half-million fine he paid for videotaping an opponent's signals during a game, belichick once again faced a barrage of questions. >> i've told you all i know. >> i've told you everything i know. i've told you all that i can tell you. i've told you everything i know. >> reporter: what remains unknown is who of the ball runners on the patriots sideline had access to the footballs after the referees certified them before the game. >> there's only one or two ball boys that are responsible for the balls before and during the game. >> reporter: and while in 2011 tom brady expressed his preference for a softer football former nfl quarterback joe -- says it's not necessarily a disadvantage. >> i never concerned myself with that. if i could hold it and throw it i was happy with it. >> reporter: during today's practice brady and his teammates prepared for the big game ahead while their leader tries to keep his eyes on football's biggest prize. >> i think this is something

we'll address but at the same time i think we're focusing on trying to go out and beat the seahawks. >> reporter: now, when asked whether anyone from the nfl has talked to him about deflate deflate-gate tom brady clearly said no which is only adding mystery to what the league says it's reviewing tonight, brian. >> that was the odd development from that press conference today. ron mott up in foxborough tonight. ron, thanks for starting us off. now we go fot west where we've been covering a very growing and worrisome measles outbreak. this one started with several visitors to disneyland and now parents of unvaccinated young children are tonight being warned to stay away. our report tonight from nbc's hallie jackson. >> reporter: when it comes to the spread of measles, it's a small world after all. the outbreak that began at disneyland has now expanded to arizona, along with colorado oregon utah washington and to

mexico. as california health officials issue a warning for those who aren't vaccinated and especially kids too young for the vaccine. >> i would recommend those children infants, are not taken to places -- >> we're vaccinated so no concerns. >> reporter: but some park employees are not. so disney's offering free shots and immunity tests to its workers. the park now monitoring about 100 colleagues of the five employees who came down with measles. an outbreak disney says could have happened anywhere unvaccinated people come into contact with a highly contagious virus. when parents come to you and say they don't want their children vaccinated how do you talk to them about vaccination? >> i try to let them know that the fears are misplaced. that multiple studies have shown the safety of vaccines how effective they are. >> everything else my kids bring home the last thing i need is measles. >> reporter: but susan lawson will not immunize her children against measles after she says her daughter had a severe and life changing reaction to the vaccine. >> does my child's life mean less than a vaccine child's

life? i don't think so. >> reporter: the conversation online heated. don't be an idiot. vaccinate your kids. measles can kill. practice responsible parenting. in orange county one high school banned two dozen unvaccinated students from attending class during finals week. experts say it's the best way to contain the spread of measles especially in areas where clusters of parents decide not to immunize their kids. >> it could cover an entire community within a matter of weeks. >> reporter: a disease doctors thought they wiped out 15 years ago now an outbreak growing bigger faster. hallie jackson, nbc news los angeles. late word from overseas tonight of the passing of a major figure in the middle east king an #abdullah of saudi arabia has died at the age of 90. our chief foreign correspondent richard engel is with us tonight. richard, good evening. talk about this and the impact. >> reporter: well the impact could be quite significant. state television in saudi arabia reported that he died he was 90 years old, he died of pneumonia.

he'd been ill for some time. he's supposed to be buried in saudi arabia in a state's funeral tomorrow afternoon and to be succeeded by his half-brother king salmon who himself is 80 years old. king abdullah will be remembered at home for reformer but mostly for maintaining stability in saudi arabia through the chaos of the arab spring and taking steps to lower oil prices. >> richard, other news in the middle east today is the government of yemen has officially fallen. this is news for us because the rebels in charge while not enemies of the united states per se are not friends either in a region that's been a mess for some time. >> reporter: right now we have two countries in the arabian peninsula where their future is very uncertain. in yemen the president resigned his house was surrounded by rebels and he effectively threw in the towel. he decided he didn't want to fight anymore.

the question is the current government the president that now just resigned was very cooperative with the united states in fighting against al qaeda. and al qaeda in yemen has been a very aggressive presence. it's not clear that the rebel group will be so cooperative. >> all right. richard engel on all things foreign tonight. richard, thanks. at this time last night we were in havana having traveled there with the most senior u.s. officials to visit there in decades and where today the so-called normalization talks got underway while the u.s. military base that is part of that island stole some of the attention. our chief foreign affairs correspondent andrea mitchell remain there is and has our report from havana tonight. >> reporter: cuba is a country ready for change. optimism is everywhere. hope and smiles on the faces of american and cuban diplomats today. but on the opposite end of the island the story making waves back home, at the u.s. naval base at guantanamo bay the base

commander fired, john nettleton relieved of command after an alleged affair with the woman on the base. he's being investigated by ncis about the death of her husband found floating in the bay. her husband itself an heir to cuban in 19d 98 when the u.s. took control. cuba has long demanded it back. just one more argument in more than a century of disputes. but now the angry billboards and protests outside the u.s. intersection the future american embassy are gone. anti-american slogans like this one replaced by billboards promoting tourism. complicated negotiations on trade, travel banking and internet access and the u.s. diplomat says human rights. >> we do have differences in that subject, profound differences with the cuban government. and it was part of the conversation today. >> reporter: her cuban counterpart. >> this process is about establishment of civilized relations between two countries

with profound differences. >> reporter: just a beginning today says former cuban diplomat carlos alzugara. what do you think is going to be the hardest bridge to cross? >> we have to abandon our mentality and try -- they are as they really are. and the u.s. has to abandon the idea that somehow cuba can be pushed around. >> reporter: well the u.s. diplomatic said to be having breakfast with cuban disdents tomorrow. >> andrea mitchell from our location in havana. thanks. a meeting of two potential heavyweights for the gop nomination for president, jeb bush landed in salt lake city today for a private sit-down with mitt romney. sources tell nbc news this was a previously scheduled and casual meeting planned well before both

men expressed interest in entering the race in 2016. last night people in new york city called 911 because they thought the west side of the city was somehow on fire. it turned out to be a colossal five-alarm fire across the hudson river in new jersey. it is still burning. firefighters are still at it tonight. it started yesterday afternoon at 4:30. hundreds of families have lost everything schools are closed. officials say it started by accident and spread incredibly quickly. nbc's anne thompson has our report. >> reporter: it was a monstrous inferno, flames ripping through the avalon edgewater apartment complex destroying 240 units forcing 1,000 people to flee their homes. 500 have nothing to go back to. this morning at a local hotel tamara and two of her three children tallied their losses. >> we have no ids. we didn't take jackets.

>> reporter: coal is applying for medicine. >> i'm worrying about my college books and resources and things like that. >> reporter: all consumed in a fire so massive you could see from manhattan last night and smell it this morning. >> i just got up thinking in the middle of the night i'm like what is that smell? >> reporter: so the complex was up to code. officials say the construction of the building allowed the fire to move quickly. roofs built with tresses that are inexpensive but pose dangerous challenges in fighting fire. >> it's very difficult because once it's in the walls and floors lightweight construction you're chasing it and that's what we have to do. we have to start ripping open things and fight it. >> reporter: this fire was destructive but not deadly. four people were hurt two firefighters and two civilians all suffered minor injuries. safe, but many like the talbots not secure. >> i feel like it will work out somehow. >> reporter: facing a future

they never imagined. ann thompson nbc news edgewater, new jersey. and still ahead tonight, a state of emergency in one of the most beautiful parts of our country. a pipeline burst spills thousands of gallons of cancer-causing agents into a water supply. a frozen river now making for a difficult cleanup mission. and later, it's just a great excuse to hold a charity event and look at some great faces along for the ride.

if you have high blood pressure like i do, many cold medicines may raise your blood pressure. that's why there's coricidin hbp it relieves cold symptoms without raising blood pressure. so look for powerful cold medicine with a heart. coricidin hbp. (woman) the constipation and belly pain feel tight like a vise. how can i ease this pain? (man) when i can't go, it's like rocks piling up. i wish i could find some relief. (announcer) ask your doctor about linzess-- a once-daily capsule for adults with ibs with constipation or chronic idiopathic constipation. linzess is thought to help calm pain-sensing nerves and accelerate bowel movements. it helps you proactively manage your symptoms. do not give linzess to children under 6, and it should not be given to children 6 to 17. it may harm them. don't take linzess if you have a bowel blockage. get immediate help if you develop unusual

or severe stomach pain especially with bloody or black stools. the most common side effect is diarrhea, sometimes severe. if it's severe stop taking linzess and call your doctor right away. other side effects include, gas, stomach-area pain and swelling. bottom line, ask your doctor about linzess today. difficult mission unfolding tonight on the yellow stone

river. a large oil spill that has dumped toxic chemicals into the water. people who live near it became alarmed when they could actually smell and taste oil in their drinking water. now responding crews are having a tough time figuring out how to clean it up under a frozen river surface. nbc's miguel almaguer has our report tonight from glendive in montana. >> reporter: at the family cafe in glendive it's bottled water only and limited refills. >> people are probably afraid to come out and eat. we tell them out front we'll sell them bottled water. >> reporter: the town draws water from the yellowstone river. locals say they could smell, even taste oil in their drinking water. >> our dogs won't even drink the water. they were outside eating snow. >> reporter: the epa is searching for what they can't see beneath this frozen sheet of ice, at least 40,000 gallons of crude oil. >> frankly, i don't expect we'll get much oil out of the river. >> reporter: the yellowstone river weaves across much of

montana, at least this section is polluted with oil. it's a state of emergency. the 12-inch pipe owned by bridger pipeline ruptured beneath the river. oil spewed until engineers shut it off, but it reached glendive's water treatment plant. sheens of oil have been spotted 40 miles downstream. with benzine, the cancer causing chemical detected in the water at three times greater than federal standards allow, bottled water is being trucked in. it's the region's second spill in just over three years. cleanups can take years and cost tens of millions of dollars. >> it's going to take us some time to figure out what caused this but we will find out what happened and do everything we can to make sure it doesn't happen again. >> reporter: tonight, the ruptured pipeline has been capped but the long-term effects to wildlife and the environment may not be known for years. miguel almaguer nbc news, glendive montana.

back in a moment with the surprise announcement today from an american champion. also the accident involving one of the great treasures of the planet and the botched repair job that followed, sadly. our eyes they have a 200-degree range of sight. which is good for me. hey! and bad for the barkley twins. your brain can send information to the rest of your body at 268 mph. three times the speed of a fastball. take care of your most important parts with centrum. multivitamins expertly designed with nutrients people don't get enough of from food alone. centrum. for the most important parts of you. take a closer look at your fidelity green line and you'll see just how much it has to offer, especially if you're thinking of moving an old 401(k) to a fidelity ira. it gives you a wide range of investment options... and the free help you need to make sure your investments fit your goals -- and what you're really investing

for. tap into the full power of your fidelity green line. call today and we'll make it easy to move that old 401(k) to a fidelity rollover ira. ♪ [announcer]when we make beyond natural dry dog and cat foods. we start with real meat as the first ingredient. we leave out corn,wheat and soy. and we own where our dry food is made-100 percent! can other brands say all that? for nutrition you can trust and your pet will enjoy... does your food go beyond? learn more at purinabeyond.com. the hoover floormate deluxe. washes. scrubs. dries. floormate deluxe. starting at one thirty nine. ugh... ...heartburn. did someone say burn? try alka seltzer reliefchews.

they work just as fast and taste better than tums smoothies assorted fruit. mmm... amazing. yeah, i get that a lot. alka seltzer heartburn reliefchews. enjoy the relief. thank you for being a sailor and my daddy. thank you mom, for protecting my future. thank you for being my hero and my dad. military families are thankful for many things. the legacy of usaa auto insurance could be one of them. our world-class service earned usaa the top spot in a study of the most recommended large companies in america. if you're current or former military, or their family, see if you're eligible to get an auto insurance quote. ♪

two deaths to report tonight, one of them a giant in the state of kentucky. wendell ford was both governor and a u.s. senator who over four terms rose to the number two post in the democratic leadership. seldom pictured without a cigarette, he was an unabashed champion of the tobacco and coal industries. he was 90 years old. and vince camudo has died, a hugely successful designer and marketer of women's wear. he was co-founder of nine west. he was 78 years old. jeff gordon one of the best-known names in nascar and at 43 years of age among the elder statesmen of the sport, has announced he's going to part the famous 24 car after this coming season. he is a four-time series

champion coming off a great year third all-time in victories. he has survived and prospered in a dangerous game. says he may still race part-time. to many of us kale will always be a great former nascar driver while bacon may be a national treasure, but the folks who write the zagat guides to restaurants and dieting say these two foods are over. their 2015 survey of dining trends considers bacon and kale are dead. most customers just over both of them. some interesting stats, 81% of diners say they've sent a dish back to the kitchen and equal number have eavesdropped to those sitting next to them. leave it to drug smugglers to come up with the next delivery system in keeping with the times they have turned to drones one of which recently crashed on the california side after being overloaded with meth. the dea says smugglers have been using this drone technology for

several years. and one of the great relics of the ages has suffered irreversible damage a crucial piece of the king tut burial mask broke off. it's the blue and gold elongated braided beard beneath the chin. either weakened or broke off during cleaning. it was hastily as you can see there reattached with apoxy and scratched up in the process. since the troubles in egypt, there has been great and growing concern over the continued safety of such treasures. when we come back here tonight, it's a thing now, it involves dogs and side cars and a camera to record it all. sunday dinners at my house... it's a full day for me, and i love it. but when i started having back pain my sister had to come help. i don't like asking for help. i took tylenol but i had to take six pills to get through the day. so my daughter brought over some aleve. it's just two pills, all day! and now, i'm back! aleve. two pills. all day strong, all day long.

and now introducing aleve pm for a better am. your eyes really are unique. in fact, they depend on a unique set of nutrients. that's why there's ocuvite to help protect your eye health. as you age your eyes can lose vital nutrients. ocuvite helps replenish key eye nutrients. ocuvite is a vitamin made just for your eyes from the eye care experts at bausch + lomb. ocuvite has a unique formula that's just not found in any leading multivitamin. your eyes are unique so help protect your eye health with ocuvite. i'm angela and i quit smoking with chantix. my children always wanted me to quit smoking but i resigned myself to the fact that it wasn't going to work. but chantix helped me do it. along with support, chantix (varenicline) is proven to help people quit smoking. it gave me the power to overcome the urge to smoke. some people had changes in behavior, thinking or mood hostility, agitation, depressed mood and suicidal thoughts or actions while taking or after stopping chantix. some people had seizures while taking chantix.

if you have any of these stop chantix and call your doctor right away. tell your doctor about any history of mental health problems, which could get worse while taking chantix or history of seizures. don't take chantix if you've had a serious allergic or skin reaction to it. if you develop these stop chantix and see your doctor right away as some can be life-threatening. tell your doctor if you have a history of heart or blood vessel problems or develop new or worse symptoms. get medical help right away if you have symptoms of a heart attack or stroke. decrease alcohol use while taking chantix. use caution when driving or operating machinery. common side effects include nausea trouble sleeping and unusual dreams. i'm a non-smoker. ask your doctor if chantix is right for you.

a new documentary is out that takes viewers along on a unique ride. it started as a noble idea. you'll see what it's become. it combines side cars a lot of pairs of goggles, road trips, traveling companions all on camera to record it all. we get the story tonight from nbc's jacob rascon. >> how do you have any stress when you got, you know that unconditional love. >> reporter: j.d. whitaker and his dog, hercules are on a mission to visit every service

memorial in america. but you know what they say, it's how you get there. and in this case it's whether you're wearing goggles. a documentary about side car dogs in america. >> i think there's two reasons to have dogs in the side car. one, because you don't want to go anywhere without the dog. and the second reason is because it's so cool. >> reporter: the film followed 18 riders and their dogs most of them rescues, exploring why they do this. or as they put it, why not. >> people love dogs and side cars. it's kind of a match made in heaven. >> if you're not a dog person you probably don't get it. it's hard to explain the intrinsic comfort and joy that you get from having your buddy along with you on a trip. >> hey, pup. go ahead and stand up. >> reporter: in the documentary

j.d. and hercules ride the tour of honor. we met them near their home in north carolina. >> if i started riding away without him, he'd chase me down the road. he would. i guarantee you. >> reporter: j.d. discovered side cars in egypt carting around radio equipment for the air force. >> i got hooked on side cars. came home and i built one to take my kids out. kids grow up. of course they want to bring their dog, so the kids are gone all you got left's the dog. >> reporter: the dog and the road. >> what really hit me was such a diverse group of people diverse group of dogs and we're all speaking with one voice. >> reporter: and one trusty companion. jacob rascon nbc news. that is our broadcast on a thursday night. thank you for being here with us. i'm brian williams. we of course hope to see you right back here tomorrow evening. good night.

. jay leno goes off on bill cosby. >> >> now on "extra." >> new celebrity feud. leno versus cosby. >> i don't know why it's so hard to believe women. >> why jay is siding with

cosby's accusers and taking on his former friend. >> good to see you boss you look terrific. >> jen stan opening up about her complicated relationship with her mother. >> the real reason they didn't y didn't speak for years. >> and the secret condition you never knew she had. >> tom and jazzel lampooned on the coverk post. >> the new backlash today over deplate-gate. >> i think that is serious cheating and they should be disqualified. >> gwyneth paltrow and johnny depp's hollywood premier tonight. >> where is your fiancee. >> who is gwynnette's secret crush. >> i would love to make out with -- >> and more. plus j-lo's boy next door ryan guzman on their super sexy love scenes. >> i was sweating. i was shaking. >> now from universal studios