Announcer this is nbc nightly news with lester holt reporting tonight from havana. Good evening from a rainy havana. Behind me, the museum of the revolution. Just a few hours ago this communist nation welcomed president obama who is stepping onto cuban soil under falling rain became the First American president to visit here in 88 years. As part of his twoday trip, the president will meet with cuban leader raul castro and make an address to the cuban people hoping to further nudge open the doors of travel and commerce eight months after the two nations reestablished delictis. There are years of mistrust to unravel and an American Economic embargo still in place. Chief Foreign Affairs correspondent Andrea Mitchell joins me with more on today. Andrea. Good evening, lester. What a day it has been. President obama has been working towards this day for years. An historic president ial visit he hopes will make his opening to cuba a major part of his legacy. Reporter in driving rain, president obama touched down in havana, hoping to cement his highstakes cuba diplomacy with a rare personal touch. Bringing the entire first family. Michelle obama, the obama daughters, and his motherinlaw. He immediately tweeted in local slang, how is it going, cuba. Que bola, cuba. Just touched down here. Looking forward to hearing and meeting directly from the cuban people. Cuba has been painting, primping, repaving roads for weeks. Security is intense. Its been nearly 90 years since a u. S. President set food in cu cuba. It is wonderful to be here. This is an historic visit. And it is an historic opportunity to engage directly with the cuban people. Reporter on this palm sunday, the president is visiting the cathedral in old havana, thanking the countrys Cardinal Ortega with pope francis helped broker secret talks between president obama and cubas president raul castro. Also coming here, ceos to sign deals for hotels, banking, and internet service. To boost business, the president lifted restrictions so americans can travel here easily. Times are changing since a Young Fidel Castro launched his revolution and the u. S. Retaliated with an economic boycott. A weekly silent women protest against the regime was disrupted today by counterprotesters. Arrests on both sides. The u. S. And cuba still disagree over free elections and free speech. Some cubans have moved to canada but now see business opportunities. If i may ask, why did you leave cuba . It was more about the way the country works and the way the country is run. It was more about the limitations and the loss. Reporter without widespread internet, harold cardonez, a young blogger is hopeful. The individual fights between multiple countries, many of them are not relevant anymore. And my generation doesnt have to pay for old grudges. Reporter overshadowing this visit, cubas frustration with the u. S. Economic embargo which congress refuses to lift. And worry that if a republican is elected, all of president obamas changes will be reversed. Another reason the president will press cuba hard this week to speed up the pace of change. Lester. All right, andrea. Good to have you here. Thank you. Upon arrival here in cuba, i spoke with washingtons top diplomat in havana, jeffrey delaurentis, we met at the u. S. Embassy which for decades was known as the u. S. Intrasection which many saw as symbol of american resolve to undermine the communist government. I asked the ambassador what it stands for now. I would like to think it stands for the beacon of hope, a beacon of opportunity, the american way of life. It is about reconciliation, its about bringing people back together and looking to the future with a much more productive relationship, but also one where we can have frank discussion as about ideas and issues where we do not agree such has human rights. Do you have any disappointment in the cuban governments pace of change there is still a lot of issues in terms of private investment, private sector here . We would like to see them move faster. In a variety of different areas. But i think we have to be patient again where changing that relationship had gone in one direction for a long time. Then there is the issue of the dissidents which continue to be jailed. Many people think that having the president come here is almost a reward, an undeserved reward for the cuban government. How do you respond to that . Well, reestablishing diplomatic relations is not a reward. We feel strongly that advocating for and promoting u. S. Interests and values can be best achieved through engagement. As some one who has deep experience in this country, do you ever find yourself looking past the castros and what the future of this country might be . There will be a leadership change in february of 2018. President castro said he will step down. And so well see in the Upcoming PartyCongress Next month if there is any hint to what the transition might look like. But things are moving on. Are you optimistic . And we will have to see. Im optimistic that we can make this relationship a more productive one that benefits americans and benefits cubans alike. Ambassador jeffrey delaurentis. Chief of mission here in cuba. Despite improving relations some cubans are still trying to leave their country and some are dying in the process. The u. S. Coast guard says nine Cuban Migrants died at sea and 18 others were rescued by a cruise ship. They were found on a boat on friday 130 miles west of marco island in southwest florida. Many cubans are making the journey now out of fear that the u. S. Law that for years has given cubans special immigration status will change as relations with cuba improve. New concerns were raised this weekend about violence at Donald Trumps campaign events. Specifically how his campaign and security staff are responding to protesters. The latest incident came last night and today trump defended what took place. Our Gabe Gutierrez has our report. Reporter this weekend the anger boiled over. Are you pushing me . Reporter in tucson, a proster protester in a white hood escorted out by police. Another one behind him repeatedly punched and kicked by men in the crowd. That protester, brian sanders, spoke with nbcs jacob rascone. Because this Political Movement has gotten to the point where you may get beat to death inside of a rally. I just got my [ bleep ] kicked. Reporter it is this video raising even more questions. Trumps Campaign Manager, cory lewindowski, appears to grab the collar of another protester who is yanked away by a member of trumps private security. Today trump strongly defending him. Security at the arena, the police were a little bit lax. He had they had signs up in that area that were horrendous. I will give him credit. Reporter last week, a reporter from the conservative website, breitbart, filed a complaint accusing lewindowski of assault. He has not been charged. The long time gop operative once took a break from politics to work as a New Hampshire state police officer. It is very unusual. Unprecedented for a Campaign Manager to be out in the crowd being involved in security. Ted cruz campaigning in arizona. There is now only one campaign in a position to beat donald trump and win the republican nomination. Reporter polls show he trails trump there, but leads in utah getting some unlikely support from the socalled establishment. John kasich betting on a contested convention. Listen nobody is going to the convention with enough delegates. In the end, do you know why i will get picked . Because i can win in the fall. Reporter amid reports of a 100day stop Trump Campaign in the works here in florida, the frontrunner is set to speak to local gop leaders. Tomorrow, trump will leave here and head to washington to speak at the apac conference. Some of those attending planning to walk out. Because of trumps previous controversial comments about immigration and the Israeli Palestinian conflict. Lester. All right, Gabe Gutierrez, tonight. Thank you. Officials in belgium said today the newly captured suspect in the paris terrorist attacks may have been planning more violence. They hope to learn from him what happened in paris and the broader threat from isis inside of europe. Our keir simmons reports from brussels. Reporter Salah Abdeslam arrested amid gunfire and explosions may have been planning another attack. He was ready to restart something from brussels. It is maybe the reality. Because i said we have found a lot of weapons. Heavy weapons. Reporter its his knowledge of the paris massacre last november that may be crucial. Since Salah Abdeslam was discovered in this building in brussels he has been talking and there are many questions surrounding the attacks in paris that he could answer. The explosives used in the paris attacks, tatp, require an experienced bomb maker. Who was he . Where is he . According to the new york times, which says it has seen a police report, french investigators describe Salah Abdeslam as the logistics guy. So can he detail the original plan . While reports confirmed by nbc news reveal the suspected ringleader, adbelhamid abaaoud, hid in bushes three nights after the attacks had something gone wrong. Ultimately he died during a paris police raid, leaving abdeslam as the only known living member of the paris cell. How much does he know . The people extremely proficient at it. I dont see those people sharing old information. Reporter abdeslam relied on a Large Network of friends to stay hidden, the belgian prosecutor says. The continuing and most urgent question tonight how many more isis operatives are on the run in europe . Keir simmons, nbc news, brussels. Officials in indiana are investigating whether a distraction caused a woman to drive her car into a school bus carrying a High School Basketball team this weekend. The bus rolled over, but remarkably everyone survived. Steve patterson has details. Reporter a startling scene that seemed tragic. Oh, sweet jesus. Reporter a school bus on its back half crushed. On board, 27 passengers, members of the griffith High School Basketball team, heading to the big state tournament. Their hoop dreams sideswiped by a seemingly distracted driver. Police say in the next lane, a 23yearold driver lost the lid on her drink, spilling it losing control of her car, swerving it into the side of the bus. My buddies on the ground, cant move, cant walk. It really hurt. Reporter mark gatawaki, a surgeon from North Carolina who happened to be driving by stopped to help. Honestly, even as a Trained Health professional, you see upside down school bus its, every parents worst nightmare. And fear goes through you, horror. Reporter police are investigating the crash and no one has been charged. Remarkably no one suffered life threatening injuries. Today, a prar service in thanks instead of mourning. The prayers have been answered, obviously. Because we are all walking. We are all talking, which matters. Reporter not exactly the homecoming they were planning but one they will gladly accept. We are going to try to recuperate to bring a state ring possibly back here. Thats the main goal. Reporter with big dreams still to strive for. Steve patterson, nbc news. What an awful sight to see a crumpled school bus like that. Another close call on the road today. This one at 200 miles an hour. Spanish driver fernando alonzo, clipped the end of another car at the australian grand prix in melbourne. Alonzos car careened off the track, flipped twice, went airborne and broke apart before coming to a stop at a safety barrier. Alonzo was shaken up, but amazingly able to walk away from the crash. Incredible. On this first day of spring, we are watching a winter storm as it brings snow to parts of the northeast this evening and into tomorrow. Lets get the latest from our meteorologist. We have Winter Weather advisories and warnings across the northeast, especially across new england. Where we will see most of the higher snowfall totals. The storm will strengthen out over the water overnight. The midatlantic just getting brushed by the western side of the storm. As we go through the morning, southern new england will see heavy pockets of snow. Then it moves up into down east maine by early afternoon monday. The new york area, just about an inch on grassy surfaces. The farther east you go, though, the higher the snowfall totals will be. 6 to 10 inches, southeastern massachusetts. Up into down east maine. Washington, d. C. , new york, i dont see a lot of travel troubles early tomorrow morning. But you head up into new england, we could see troubles until about noontime. Then this whole storm system will race away by the time we go into sunday afternoon. Lester. All right. Suddenly this rain doesnt seem so bad around us. When nightly news continues on this sunday, they made it to italy. We will tell you why these migrants still feel dangerous close by. Later from here in havana, meet a woman who has already heard from president obama and is now hoping he will stop by for a visit and some coffee. Some Street Scenes here in havana earlier today before the rain moved in. Overseas, as the migrant crisis plays out in europe, some of those who have come in search of a better life and often to escape violence have found refuge and work in the fields of italy, working lands and it turns out have a notorious and violent connection of their own. We get more from sicily and bill nealy. Reporter in the dark heart of sicily near the mafia stronghold of corleone, new muscle works the land. Migrants have taken over vineyards confiscated from jailed mafia bosses. They fled violence and poverty at home to work in a place thats known for both. But here they are paid, fed, and clothed. Many though are afraid to be identified, afraid of mafia vengeance. From time to time you feel a bit scared . Some times i feel scared. You are looking over your shoulder . I am alone here, maybe, maybe sometimes we fear. Reporter many migrants already know mafia or at least the word. It is originally arabic, meaning a place of refuge which is what they have here. Safety in mafia country. For now. Hired from refugee camps, they now live in houses once owned by mafia leaders, like toto the beast rena, jailed for dozens of murders. Men who may one day want their land back. Corleone. I tried to protect the guys. I tried to protect myself. Reporter in corleone, they sell the wine from the migrants vineyard. But not everyone is buying. Mafia ties run deep here and sicilys war against the mob is far from won. The mayor of the capital compares the ma mafia to isis. He is heavily guarded, supports the migrants, loathes the mafia. I am the boss against the boss of the mafia. Reporter the mafia is not dead. Hundreds more migrants landed in sicily in recent days. Authorities want more of them in the mafias old killing fields. The godfathers behind bars can do little as the migrants work their land and watch their backs. Bill nealy, nbc news, sicily. Up next here tonight, theyre a family of four now. The newest arrival in t the eagles nest in washington. The scene at the National Arboretum in washington earlier this morning as a second baby bald eagle emerged from its shell. The moment captured on a live video stream. The parents known as the president and the first lady. One of them was seen feeding the new arrival that came after a first eagle hatched friday. Think about the sun. Now imagine a group of stars at least 100 times more massive. An International Team of Scientists Say they have identified a cluster of stars. Nine of them using nasas hubble space telescope. Needless to say the monster stars are very far away in a cluster known as r136. Nasa says theyre also far brighter than the sun. And two Emerald Green comets are expected to make relatively Close Encounters with our planet. The first will fly within 3. 3 million miles of earth tomorrow morning. The second will be just 2. 2 million miles away on tuesday. While that may seem still far off, we are told it will be the closest a comet has come to our world since 1770. Pope francis celebrated palm sunday mass today before tens of thousands of people in st. Peters square. He highlighted the plight of refugees flooding into europe. A picture of the pope carrying a woven palm branch appeared on his new instagram account. Since joining this weekend, the pope has become an instant instagram star with 1. 4 million followers. And when we come back here tonight, well visit it a woman here in havana who would just love to make the president a good cup of cuban coffee. Classic cars. Some of the moving Tourist Attractions here in havana. Finally tonight, president obamas visit to this island has deep meaning to many ordinary cubans who until now could only dream of an historic changes unfolding before them. They include a woman in havana who has exchanged letters with the president and is hoping to thank him personally. Reporter in the well used kitchen our her home, she honors cuban tradition by making a strong, rich cup of cafe cubano for visitors. A practice run perhaps in case her dream guest ever comes. How many letters have you written to him . Five. Reporter starting in 2008 when barack obama was first running for president. Iliana sat down at her computer to write. I just want to ask you to please lift the embargo. Reporter then on collection election night, 2008, a real rarity in cuba, iliana was able to watch results on television and report back to her family. I heard you opened a very expensive bottle of champagne . Is it true . It is. Reporter and she wrote more letters. Mr. President reporter in her last one a thank you for opening the diplomatic door to cuba and invitation to open her own. Please, please, to visit me. Give this 76 years old cuban lady the gift of meeting you personally. Reporter like the other letters she never expected president obama to read it. But he did. Oh, my god. I cant believe it. Reporter a response came, hand delivered. As an official White House Photo shows it was signed by the president himself. He wrote, i hope this note which will reach you by way of the first direct mail flight between the United States and cuba in over 50 years serves as a reminder of a bright new chapter in the relationship between our two nations. No mention though of ilianas other request. I insist that if you ever come to cuba please do come and have coffee. Reporter if he does come, hell find ilianas cafe cubano is like she is, delightful, sweet, and good. Oh, wow. Thats good coffee. Thats good coffee. Reporter by the way, she says he should bring his family. My heart is open. My heart is always very optimistic. Perhaps my brain is not, but the heart is. A cup sounds real good right about now. That is nbc nightly news for this sunday. Im lester holt. Reporting from cuba. I will be right back here tomorrow night. For all of us here at nbc news, thank you for watching, and have a good night. Nbc bay area news starts now. More rain in the bay area. Sprinkles in some parts, heavier stuff in others. Were tracking the showers so you know what to expect. Geek, everyone. Im terry mcsweeney. Im peggy bunker. Thank you for joining us. That rain hitting places including San Francisco and the north bay this afternoon. Take a look here, this is our live camera in downtown San Francisco. So as you can see, some heavy cloud cover there. A lot of rain drops on the lens. Weve been seeing rain on and off all day long. Taking a look here at conditions in mill valley. This is just a few hours earlier. Anthony slaughter joining us now. So, anthony, how much rain have we received. Receive seen over a