pope francis stepped into the heart of the refugee crisis in europe today. he brought a message of hope to thousands of hopeless migrants living in a detention camp on a greek island that has become a focal point in this humanitarian drama. then something else remarkable occurred. the pope brought three refugee families, all muslims who escaped from syria, back to rome with him aboard the papal plane. it made for an extraordinary day in the lives of the refugees and the man known as the people's pope. >> reporter: a short visit by pope francis to the front line of the migrant crisis that ended dramatically. 12 syrians from three families who had been bombed out of their homes flew back with him, all smiles, all muslims, six children. after the horror of war, this was the stuff of dreams. they came from the detention camp pope francis saw today. where he met some of the 3,500 migrants. they kissed his hand. a little girl falling at his feet in tears. like so many did. >> thank you, god. >> reporter: a christian from pakistan begging for his blessing and his h

shock waves as pope francis weighs into the race for president. why he said donald trump is not a christian. donald firing back. >>> it's getting ugly as rubio and cruz have accusations. >>> sudden impact. a terrifying chopper crash caught on tape near pearl harbor. breaking news from hawaii. >>> a hospital hacked. its computers frozen, forced to pay ransom to gain back control. and a warning it could happen to you. >>> and hidden risk. when even exercise won't lower the stubbornly high cholesterol. what doctors say you need to get rid of to bring it down. "nightly news" begins right now. >>> from nbc news world headquarters in new york, this is "nbc nightly news" with lester holt. >>> good evening. it's virtually unheard of, a pope admonishing a u.s. presidential candidate, in this case [ bleepdonald trump over his immigration plan. pope francis returning home took the reporter's question about trump's pledge to build a border wall. in his answer, implied that trump is not a christian. it was a high-level rebuke to say the least. but true to form

as he does on nearly every foreign trip, francis visited a prison. one of the inmate musicians overwhelmed. this evening's mass broadcast on both sides of the border. >> religion reaches over walls, over mountains. >> reporter: the joy on the pope's face marred only by a brief flafsh anger when an overzealous fan almost pulled him down on to a person in a wheelchair. don't be selfish, he said. the vatican says mass here on the border is not a political statement but a moral one by a pastor trying to unite a divided world. lester. >> anne thompson tonight in mexico can, thanks. >>> it's being called a landmark study that could affect millions of men who suffered from low testosterone. low-t as ads call it have been linked to everything from plos of energy, muscle mass and sexual function to increased vulnerability to illness and now as nbc's tom costello tells us new research sponsored by the national institute of health toys testosterone replacement therapy may have benefits. >> i figured low testosterone would decrease my sex drive. >> reporter: a $

the shrine, a must on francis' itinerary today. mexico is also a country bloodied by the violence of drug cart cartels. speaking to the local bishop, he said the drug trade devours like a spreading cancer, threatening society. more than 164,000 people murdered since 2007. including at least 36 priests killed in the last ten years. thousands more missing. 13 every day. this man's only son is one of 43 students kidnapped and believed dead. he says he wants to meet the pope because he believes francis can give the parents strength. such high expectations stretch from mexico city to chicago's immaculate conception parish where 95% are mexican origin. i hear, is the pope a ghost? he is not god. he is not going to change things immediately. over time. >> reporter: the nation of many problems and a deep faith. next week, the pope turns his attention to the issue of immigration traveling to the south where many central american immigrants enter this country and then to the north to say mass at the u.s. border. erica? >> anne, thank you. >>

today, she called pope francis an angel. all the refugees are muslim but they say this is not about religion, it's about humanity. >> the pope is a real human being, the people is very kind. he's not like the others. >> reporter: finally safe from the violence of their homeland, given new hope by the man they say is the father of peace. ann thompson, nbc news, london. >> incredible. that is "nbc nightly news" for this sunday night. if you haven't got and extension, tomorrow is the deadline to file your tax returns. best of luck if you haven't started yet. i'm kate snow reporting from new york. for all of us here at nbc news, have a great night. . welcome, everybody! i'm steve harvey, and this is "little big shots"! 1, 2, 3, 4! we have searched the entire planet for the next generation of superstars. come on, boy! all day! they're gonna show you what they do. after this, you're gonna push your leg out. boom! [ shouts ] [ chuckles ] got a problem. got a problem right here. [ chuckles ] ba-yah! this is not a competition. we're

. >>> a touching moment at the vatican when pope francis blessed the eyes of an american girl

this morning pope francis led a prayer in st. peter's square saying tomorrow we'll have the joy of seeing her proclaimed a saint. among the ticket holders to tomorrow's canonization mass, a group from chicago. >> we came for the canonization of mother teresa. >> reporter: just for that? >> just to honor mother teresa and her big day. >> reporter: the vatican requires what it considers proof of at least two miracles and they conduct an exhaustive investigation. in her case, two were healed after prayers from the none. some said she saw poverty and suffering as marks of virtue rather than as problems to be solved, but to her followers such criticism means little. >> i hear people complain about mother teresa that she didn't do enough care or do a good enough job. >> reporter: tomorrow nearly 19 years after her death, her sanctity will be beyond reproach. matt bradley, nbc news, vatican city. >> aside in the ceremony this week at the vatican, there was another blessing by pope francis today. the pope shook paws with a rescue dog nam

francis trying to put a less judgmental and more welcoming face on the church. anne thompson, nbc news, new york. >>> we're tracking another bitter blast as this frigid start to spring continues into the weekend across a big part of the country. 95 million people under freeze advisories tonight through sunday and, believe it or not, some light snow is in the forecast from the great lakes up through parts of the northeast. a rough start to the season after a pretty mild winter. >>> still ahead tonight, one big company paying its employees to sleep. we'll explain what that is about and disappointment for thousands of bruce springsteen fans w woman: it's been a journey to get where i am. and i didn't get here alone. there were people who listened along the way. people who gave me options. kept me on track. and through it all, my retirement never got left behind. so today, i'm prepared for anything we may want tomorrow to be. every someday needs a plan. let's talk about your old 401(k) today. ♪ to you, they're more than just a pet. so protect them with k9 advantix

president is visiting the cathedral in old havana, thanking the country's cardinal ortega with pope francis brokered secret talks bre tween president obama and raul cass troechlt also coming here, ceo's to sign deals for hotels, banking and internet service. to boost biz not the president lifted restrictions so americans can travel here easily. to reach millions of cuban tv fans he retaped a routine with cuba's biggest comedy star. >> this is president obama. >> reporter: times are changing since a young fidel castro launched his revolution. the u.s. retaliated with an economic boycott. more than a half century of suspicion dies slowly. a weekly silent women's protest against rat sheem was disrupted by counterprotesters. arrests on both sides. the u.s. and scuba still disagree over free elections and free speech. some cubans have moved to canada but now see business opportunities. i've 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, a youn

>>> from our delaware bureau, family and friends are coming together to remember amy joyner francis. a week ago she died following a bathroom brawl. we have for from outside of st. paul church where the community is offering condolences to the family. >> they are holding a visitation to allow family and friends to begin the process of saying good-bye. whether you knew the 16-year-old or not, so many people are grieving. in this community and beyond. the wrestling team gathered to go inside together. amy was the team's manager. a number of other students showed up to pay respects. on april 21st, the 16-year-old died after brutally beaten in a fight in the first floor bathroom in howard high school of technology. friends say it could have been over a boy. since that day, the incident has become a national story, sparking outrage. three girls believed to be involved in the fight have been suspended from school. on friday, police said they have thousands of pages of evidence to review before filing charges. >> we are all hurting. for your daughter not to come home or your son not to come

his mother, martha, while battling cancer returning to the homeland for the first time to see pope francis. >> we have been pitted against one another. >> on an eye where words are chosen carefully. today at the university of havana, silence spoke volume. for us -- it was like he's really immortal. >> for young people here, marking nine days of national mourning. castro is always a rev nutrition hero. others will remember him as a deck tater. >> dictator. >> the 31-year-old opposes the communist and wants reelection. >> he calls his death is a beginning of a new era and renewed hope. one year ago today his mother lost her cancer battle. >> it was an emotional experience, it was the peace she needed right before she passed. >> tonight, so many are searching for that peace. gabe gutierrez, nbc news, havana. >> that's nbc nightly news for this sunday night. up next, football night in america. kansas city chiefs, taking on the denver broncos. i am kate snow reporting from new york, i will see you tomorrow on msnbc at 3:00 eastern, hafrom all of us from nbc news, have a great night. >>> nbc spo

. >>> a somber and moving scene today at auschwitz, pope francis making a mostly silent pilgrimage to the place where the german occupiers murdered people, most of them jews. his words were written in spanish, lord have pity on your people, lord forgive so much cruelty. >>> still ahead tonight, you probably know the feeling, getting driven to the brink by bad customer service calls. turns out some companies make it so frustrating on purpose. howfinely end the run around. >>> as we head i had that dream again -- that i was on the icelandic game show. and everyone knows me for discounts, like safe driver and paperless billing. but nobody knows the box behind the discounts. oh, it's like my father always told me -- "put that down. that's expensive." of course i save people an average of nearly $600, but who's gonna save me? [ voice breaking ] and that's when i realized... i'm allergic to wasabi. well, i feel better. it's been five minutes. talk about progress. [ chuckles ] okay. h. heartburn.alksorry ma'am.ess. no burning here. try new alka-seltzer heartburn relief gummies. they don't ta

now, also today, pope francis said the catholic church should apologize for the mistreatment in the past of gays and to any group where the church could have defended people but did not. kate? >> anne thompson here in new york, anne, thank you. >>> at a far different kind of rally, mayhem today in sacramento, california, outside the state capitol building a big fight broke out between members of white supremacist group and protesters. at least six people were stabbed. two are reported to be in critical condition. >>> the supreme court is expected to issue the final decisions of its term tomorrow. one of the most closely watched cases involves abortion and a restrictive texas law. 12 other states have adopted similar restrictions. more tonight from justice correspondent pete williams. >> reporter: valerie peterson of austin was devastated when her doctor told her the son she was carrying had developed severe problems and would live at most a few minutes after birth. >> i just knew that i wouldn't be able to emotionally handle carrying that baby, that i knew you wasn't going to survive. >>

now pope francis is on instagram. the pope's first post captioned, pray for me, in nine languages, racked up more than 120,000 likes in the first few hours online. it comes on the third anniversary of the pope's inauguration. >>> in case you missed it, confirmation that march madness is well under way. texas brings it down the court, ties it up. watch this. with less than three seconds to go, northern iowa with one final heave. there it went. northern iowa wins it in stunning fashion, 75-72. >>> week back in a moment with the sounds of cuba and dreams of change among artists here and there. huh. ♪ introducing centrum vitamints. a new multivitamin you enjoy like a mint... with a full spectrum of nutrients... new centrum vitamints. the wolf was huffing and puffing. like you do sometimes, grandpa? well, when you have copd, it can be hard to breathe. it can be hard to get air out, which can make it hard to get air in. so i talked to my doctor. she said... symbicort could help you breathe better, starting within 5 minute

. >>> turning overseas where pope francis is warning quote the world is at war, after a catholic preach was murdered at a church in france by two terrorists pledging allegiance to isis. while the pope refused to categorize this war as a religious one he said all ridge religions require peace. he did travel back home under strong security. >>> hikers trapped by days by a massive wildfire were finally found and evacuated and crews try to reduce the flames that has turned deadly. and now for those on the front lines. >> reporter: a tragic day on the firelines after a bulldozer driver was overtaken by flames. he was at the fire with a blaze that has destroyed 22 homes raging out of control near california's famed big sur forest. hours before the dozer operator was killed, other dozer crews rescued eight hikers who had been lost in the back roads. >> thank you, sir! >> reporter: for at least four days they wandered through smoke. >> they're really hungry. >> reporter: clearing these fires is critical near los angeles, nearly halfway contained and thousands of people and animals allowed back

pope francis announced today mother teresa will be made a saint at the roman catholic church on september 4th, the day before the 1th anniversary of the death of the nun who devoted her life to helping india's poor. >>> a big announcement today from hollywood. indiana jones is coming back. harrison ford set to don that famed fedora and crack the whip for the fifth time re-teaming with steven spielberg for "indiana jones 5." it already has a release date. it's july 19, 2019 and by then we'll already be in the thick of the next presidential election. i hope i didn't give you a headache. ford will be 77 when the movie is released and he's shoeg no signs of slowing down any time soon. >>> when we come back, the out of th (dog) mmmm. we've been together since 2012. dinner is absolutely our favorite time together. i do notice that sometimes i eat better than her. i get my healthy bowl of beneful, and she eats a cheese stick and a cracker. that's what she ate last night. cheese stick and a cracker. can you believe what some people put in their bodies? (vo) beneful originals is a healthy blend...

. >>> thousand flocked to see pope francis today at a stadium in mexico's poorest state. he met with families at the event which followed an enorm open-air mass that he presided over earlier. and a moving moment from his visit yesterday to a children's hospital when a teenage patient sang "ava maria" for him earning a kiss from the pope and bringing those around him to tears. >>> still ahead here tonight, another new warning about common heartburn medications. why the millions of americans who take them could be at risk of memory loss. >>> also, the dangerous mid-air incident that shook up one of the pilots aboard an guys, it's just the two of you. the setting is just right. there's something in the air. but here's the thing: about half of men over 40 have some degree of erectile dysfunction. well, viagra helps guys with ed get and keep an erection. ask your doctor if your heart is healthy enough for sex. do not take viagra if you take nitrates for chest pain or adempas® for pulmonary hypertension your blood pressure could drop to an unsafe level. to avoid long-term inju

. >> reporter: he left in 2004 when hurricanes francis and jean destroyed his neighborhood. this time he plans to watch news reports from his barcolounger until he loses electricity. >> i think hil be perfectly safe right here. >> evacuate, evacuate, evacuate. >> reporter: 1.5 million people are under mandatory evacuation orders. businesses boarded up, many families headed out. yet not everyone leaves. people ignoring orders and pleas. >> and i am not kidding. i cannot overstate the danger of this storm. >> reporter: les caruso is staying to protect his prize harley that he will wheel into his home a block from the beach. police have been going door to door taking names of those who still refuse to leave. >> and i'm asking you, i'm begging you, you probably need to evacuate, and you need to do it now. >> reporter: dave howler lives a three-minute bike ride from the beach. his family evacuated. he wants to stay behind to protect his home. >> worst case scenario you'll retreat to the pantry with concrete walls, but do you think it's selfish to stay behind? >> it may be a littl

. >>> a touching moment at the vatican when pope francis blessed the eyes of an american girl tragically going blind. 5-year-old lizzie meyers of ohio and her parents met the pope when they got special seats for his general audience. lizzie has a condition that could blind her in about seven years and rob her hearing. so her family is taking her on what they call a visual bucket list, and they crossed a pretty big one off today. >>> prints are pouring in tonight for one of country music's original outlaws. the legendry merle hagyard died on his birthday at 79 after battling pneumonia in recent months. our harry smith looks back at the struggles that made hagyard such an authentic icon. ♪ it's a big guy >> reporter: merle hagyard what is a monwhose soul was forged in hard times and prison yards. when he sang, you knew it was the truth. ♪ >> reporter: while serving time in san quintin hagyard saw johnny cash perform and said that's what i want to do. it's safe to say music saved hagyard's life. >> that's what i'm for and that's what i do. i people around me if they can't handle it, the

. >> reporter: tonight the massive manhunt in san francis san jose, california is growing desperate. >> the main jail is reporting an attempted escape. >> reporter: the jail break, like a plot out of hollywood. four inmates cutting their way through steel bars, squeezing through a small window, ra pelling two floors down using bed sheets and clothing to drop to freedom. two inmates caught by a sheriff's deputy, two others slipping into the night. >> the fact these bars were cut the way they were, it wasn't something that they just, you know, thought of in a minute. >> reporter: facing a laundry list of serious charges, chavez and campbell have been on the run for two days. they escaped from the oldest section of the santa clara county jail where there are no cameras. with tactical teams ready to deploy again tonight, the sheriff says the two fugitives are dangerous, desperate and could now also be armed. miguel almaguerre, nbc news. >> not much of a holiday break for the incoming trump administration which announced two more appointments today and was still considering other key role

. >>> a meeting at the vatican today between vice president biden and pope francis. the vice president was there to speak at a conference about the cancer moon shot plan he's leading in a search for a cure. the pope and vice president took a few moments to greet each other, as the people there looked on. >>> still ahead for you tonight, the new will ferrell movie about president reagan's battle with alzheimer alzheimer's, sparking a firestorm before the cameras even role. >>> the end to an era for one of the my mom loves giving me advice. she even gives me advice... ...about my toothpaste and mouthwash. but she's a dentist so...i kind of have to listen. she said "jen, go pro with crest pro-health advanced." advance to healthier gums... ...and stronger teeth from day one. using crest toothpaste and mouthwash makes my... ...whole mouth feel awesome. and my teeth are stronger too. crest-pro health advanced... ...is superior to colgate total... ...in these 5 areas dentists check. this check up? so good. go pro with crest pro-health advanced. mom's right...again! her long

. >>> pope francis turned 80 years old today. he celebrated a milestone by having breakfast with eight homeless people at the vatican before saturday mass. speaking to cardinals, he described old age as a frightening thought, but then recalled words from his first paypal greeting when he said old age is the thirst for knowledge. the pontiff asked the faithful for prayers for his health. later on he enjoyed a group birthday singing. >>> an unsolved myths i are that has been around for more than 70 years. who betrayed anne frank? a new study from the anne frank museum finds the famous dirist may not have been betrayed to the nazis after all. researchers now say the fateful raid on the building in amsterdam where frank was hidden may have been connected to the illegal trading of food rash shons and authorities stumbled upon frank's hiding place. >>> and dr. henry heimlich died. the inventor of the life-saving maneuver that saved countless choking victims over the years. this past may, he used the technique for the first time himself

today pope francis asked catholics to pray for refugees. he'll visit the greek island of lesbos next saturday, more than 170,000 have landed in europe already this year, more than 700 have died trying. kelly cobiella, nbc news, london. >>> in southern india, what was supposed to be a dazzling fireworks display went horribly wrong. more than 100 people are dead tonight, hundreds more injured, after sparks caused a series of explosions from fireworks stored at a hindu temple. an estimated 6,000 people had gathered near the temple to celebrate the start of the hindu new year. >>> and in this country, millions of people are looking forward to the return of spring, after some downright winter-like conditions in recent days. lots of snow and bitter cold in the midwest and the northeast. meteorologist dylan dreyer is following it all tonight. dylan? >> good evening, kate. what a weekend it was with the arctic air settled in across the great lakes through the northeast. we ended up receiving 6 to 12 inches of snow through parts of michigan, 5 to 10

. >> as pope francis has stated, man is not in charge today. money is in charge. money rules. >> reporter: while sanders is abroad railing about money and politics, clinton was leaving new york for two nights of high dollar fund-raisers with hollywood power couple george and amal clooney in california. to sit with clinton and the clooneys at dinnerer tonight in san francisco, $353,000 a couple. saturday's l.a. dinner, $100,000 a couple for the best seats. after a brawl of a debate over wall street money, guns, the minimum wage -- >> wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute. >> that is not accurate. >> i have stood on the debate stage with senator sanders eight prior times. >> excuse me. >> reporter: a far cry from their first much friendlier debate in october. >> the american people are sick and tired of hearing about your damn e-mails. >> reporter: what's changed, though far behind in delegates sanders has raised so much money and attracted such huge crowds he's in it for the long haul. the question is if he loses in new york on tuesday, will this race continu

. >>> history in cuba today as pope francis arrived on the island ahead of a trip to mexico. there he met with the head of the russian orthodox church, kissing each other on the cheeks and embracing at the havana airport, a major step towards bridging a schism that's divided christianity for a thousand years. >>> it's one of the most dangerous surfing events in the world and this year's titans of mavericks competition in northern california is living up to its reputation with 50-foot waves supercharged by el nino, barreling in at 40 miles per hour just 15 seconds apart. 24 of the world's elite surfers are competing for a $120,000 prize and bragging rights. >>> when we come back, why this whole kindergarten class is already college bound. kindergarten class is already college bound. a they represent blood cells. and if you have afib-an irregular heartbeat that may put you at five times greater risk of stroke they can pool together in the heart, forming a clot that can break free and travel upstream to the brain, where it can block blood flow and cause a stroke. but if you have