From Army Colonel to movie star

After serving in Kuwait, Bosnia, Afghanistan and Iraq, Col. Greg Gadson is starting a new chapter – as an action star. The army veteran can now be seen in the movie "Battleship," a big-budget film based on the classic board game. Mara Schiavocampo reports in collaboration with The Grio, NBC’s African American news community. (Nightly News)

‘Come on, Facebook!’

This morning, as Facebook went public, investors packed into Dan’s Super Subs in Los Angeles to watch the market, eat subs and talk shop. (Nightly News)

Man donates Kmart items worth $20k

Rankin Paynter, a Kentucky businessman, bought just under $20,000 at a close-out sale at his local Kmart and generously donated the goods to a local charity. NBC’s Kevin Tibbles reports. (Nightly News)

Olympic flame arrives in Britain for 2012 torch relay

The Olympic torch is on British soil for the first time since 1948. It was flown from Athens on a specially chartered, golden plane. The flame now begins its eight thousand mile journey around the U.K. - ending at the Olympic Stadium. ITN’s Emily Morgan reports. (Nightly News)

George Zimmerman: aggressive or defensive?

The newly released evidence includes pictures of a bloodied George Zimmerman, but no witnesses actually saw what – or who—initiated the fight between him and Florida teen Trayvon Martin. NBC’s Kerry Sanders reports. (Nightly News)

Baby boomers need Hepatitis C testing, CDC says

More than three million Americans already have the liver disease Hepatitis C, and according to the Centers for Disease Control, one in 30 baby boomers have it – and most do not know it. NBC’s Robert Bazell reports. (Nightly News)

Edwards jury to resume talks Monday

After 17 days of testimony, much of it focusing on Edwards’ secret affair with Rielle Hunter, jurors made requests for specific evidence and deliberated for about five hours on Friday. NBC’s Lester Holt reports. (Nightly News)

Facebook trades below expectations

As the world watched Facebook’s highly anticipated debut on the Nasdaq, the company barely managed to meet its initial public offering price Friday, ending a tumultuous day for the much-hyped company. CNBC’s Maria Bartiromo reports. (Nightly News)

NATO summit: Chicago on high-alert

The city of Chicago will be on a virtual lock-down this weekend as world leaders gather for the NATO summit. Thousands of protestors have already descended on the business district, and even more are expected this weekend. NBC’s Katie Tur reports. (Nightly News)

Restocking the International Space Station

For the first time in history a private company, Space Exploration Technologies, will fly on a NASA mission to deliver much-needed supplies to the International Space Station. NBC’s Tom Costello reports. (Nightly News)

Bono: ‘Hunger is ridiculous and we know what to do to fix it’

At the Global Food Summit in Washington, NBC's Andrea Mitchell interviewed U2 front man Bono about efforts to curb hunger in Africa. (Nightly News)

Controversy at queen’s Jubilee lunch

The Queen's Diamond Jubilee lunch at Windsor should have been a rare moment of pageantry as monarchs from around the world met to celebrate the 60-year milestone. Instead it was plunged into controversy when the Queen shook the hand of the King of Bahrain, whose regime is accused of human rights abuses. ITN Tim Ewart reports. (Nightly News)

Facebook IPO ‘like a celebrity sighting’

Mark Zuckerberg’s rock star status has been driving much of the excitement and hype around the Facebook IPO, will the stock rock Wall Street? NBC’s Mike Taibbi reports.   (Nightly News)

An African oasis breaks cycle of drought

NBC’s Rohit Kachroo visited an irrigation project in Turkana, Kenya, where famine has taken the lives of thousands, and witnessed how it changed the lives of many. Meanwhile, President Barack Obama has announced a plan to boost farm productivity in Africa and alleviate hunger worldwide. (Nightly News)

First Read Minute

NBC's Mark Murray and Domenico Montanaro discuss the first general election ads from the Romney campaign that have hit the airwaves in Iowa, Ohio, North Carolina and Virginia. (Nightly News)

Donna Summer, Queen of Disco, dead at 63

Singer Donna Summer has died after fighting a long battle with cancer. The five-time Grammy winner rose to the top of the charts during the 70s and arguably did more than anyone to make disco cool. NBC’s Rehema Ellis reports. (Nightly News)

Uncertainty breeds fear in Greece

A new election is scheduled for June 17, as debate continues over the country’s place in the euro zone. NBC’s Stephanie Gosk reports. (Nightly News)

Arizona wildfires intensify

The fires in Arizona have grown even bigger, headed toward the mining town of Crown King where residents have been evacuated. NBC’s Brian Williams reports. (Nightly News)

Antibiotic Z-Pak may pose risk of sudden death

A commonly prescribed five-day course of azithromycin antibiotics, often referred to as Z-Pak, may increase the risk of sudden cardiac death in patients with heart disease and severe diabetes. Dr. Nancy Snyderman reports. (Nightly News)

Young minorities become the majority

For the first time, Census numbers indicate minorities make up the majority of the population under the age of one, a shift that will impact politics, the economy and the education system. NBC’s Anne Thompson reports. (Nightly News)

Royal row over Queen's Diamond Jubilee lunch

A diplomatic row over the U.K.’s century old sovereignty of the Rock of Gibraltar has meant one fewer guest at the Queen’s diamond jubilee lunch.  As Queen Sophia of Spain cancels, one guest who will be attending, the King of Bahrain, is causing controversy over his country’s human rights record. ITV’s Tim Ewart reports. (Nightly News)

Defense: Edwards’ conduct ‘shameful but human’

During closing arguments for the John Edwards criminal trial, Edwards’ defense team asked jurors to distinguish between a sin and a felony, attempting to pick apart the government’s case against him. NBC’s Lisa Myers reports. (Nightly News)

New photo shows Zimmerman’s bloody nose

Prosecutors have released hundreds of pages of new evidence including witness interviews, crime scene photos, and the medical examiner’s report. NBC’s Kerry Sanders reports. (Nightly News)

Romney rejects super PAC ad attacking Obama

Presidential candidate Mitt Romney has tried to distance himself from an explosive $10 million ad campaign that refers to President Obama as the ‘metrosexual black Abe Lincoln.’ NBC’s Peter Alexander reports. (Nightly News)

‘This isn’t some spring chicken company’

CNBC’s technology correspondent Jon Fortt explains the first people who stand to profit from the Facebook IPO are the early investors who sell their shares Friday when the stock becomes available to the general public. (Nightly News)

Remembering Medal of Honor recipient Leslie Sabo, Jr.

Army Specialist Leslie Sabo, Jr., who died in Vietnam, was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously after lost paperwork resulted in a 42-year delay. (Nightly News)

Mladic trial postponed

The war crimes trial of Bosnian Serb ex-army chief Ratko Mladic has been postponed because prosecutors failed to disclose some evidence to the defense. ITV’s Bill Neely reports. (Nightly News)

Greece hands Olympic flame to Britain

The Olympic flame has been passed into British hands at the start of its 71 day journey to London 2012. ITV's Richard Pallot reports (Nightly News)

First Read Minute

NBC's Mark Murray and Domenico Montanaro discuss the day's top political news including the possibility that republicans may use President Obama's former pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, in ads attacking the president.  (Nightly News)

Bringing back the swallows

Thirty years ago, the Cliff Swallows stopped migrating to the Mission at San Juan Capistrano, Calif., after it underwent renovations. But now biologists are trying to lure the swallows home by playing the birds’ courtship song just beneath the mission’s bell tower. NBC’s Miguel Almaguer reports. (Nightly News)

Flesh-eating bacteria rare, but lethal

Two recent cases of necrotizing fasciitis are raising concerns about the bacteria that kill 25 percent of the patients who contract it. NBC’s Dr. Nancy Snyderman reports. (Nightly News)

Edwards’ defense lawyers ‘sweating it’

Now that the John Edwards trial is going to a jury, NBC’s Savannah Guthrie says anything can happen. (Nightly News)

John Edwards remains silent

The defense rested Wednesday without calling John Edwards, or his daughter Cate, to the stand. Analysts say not testifying carries risks. NBC’s Lisa Myers reports. (Nightly News)

Lung cancer drug eradicates rare lymphoma tumors

Doctors at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia used Xalkori to treat children with anaplastic lymphoma, a disease caused by gene mutation. NBC’s Robert Bazell reports. (Nightly News)

Mladic trial opens with cut throat gesture

Ratko Mladic , the Bosnian Serb general on trial in The Hague, is charged in the massacre of 8000 Muslims in Srebrenica and other wartime atrocities listened to the charges against him with contempt. ITN’s Bill Neely reports. (Nightly News)

Cable car may not be ready for Olympics

The transport link between two Olympic venues that might not be ready for the Games. It is the spectacular cable car running across the Thames. Construction began in July last year, with officials admitting that getting it ready for the Games was going to be extremely challenging ITN’s Simon Harris. (Nightly News)

Mary Kennedy, RFK Jr.’s estranged wife, has died

Robert Kennedy, Jr.’s wife, Mary Kennedy, was found dead at her Bedford, N.Y., home. She was 52 years old, and is survived by her four children. NBC’s Andrea Mitchell reports. (Nightly News)

New evidence in Trayvon Martin shooting

George Zimmerman’s lawyer has signaled that he may seek a dismissal of the second degree murder charges against his client under Florida’s Stand Your Ground Law. NBC’s Michael Isikoff reports. (Nightly News)

Candid cat camera

If you’ve wondered what your cat does when its roaming around the neighborhood? A small camera placed around pet cats necks un-masks their secrets. NBC’s Doug Richards reports. (Nightly News)

Swallows disappearance ‘symptomatic of a bigger problem’

Charles Brown discusses efforts to bring back the swallows using courtship songs and other bird calls. (Nightly News)

‘He’s living a full, happy life’

Zach Witt’s parents, John and Pam, describe Zach’s battle against lymphoma and his remarkable recovery. (Nightly News)

‘The swallows are intertwined with our story’

Mechelle Lawrence-Adams, executive director of the Mission San Juan Capistrano, talks about the rich history of the swallows and the importance of bringing them back. (Nightly News)

Greece sets date for new round of elections

In Greece, a senior judge is to be put in charge of a caretaker government to run the country until a new General Election on June 17. Questions are growing over whether the country's finances will last that long. Hundreds of millions of euros have been withdrawn from Greek banks in recent days over fears of a departure from the euro - and return to a devalued drachma. Jonathan Rugman, Channel ...

First Read Minute

Vice President Joe Biden and Mitt Romney campaign in battleground states, House Speaker John Boehner raises the possibility of a new debt ceiling showdown, the Obama campaign announces April’s fundraising numbers, and Crossroads GPS is running a new ad in battleground states.  NBC’s Mark Murray and Domenico Montanaro discuss. (Nightly News)

Teen’s video touches millions

A video uploaded to the internet by a terminally ill 17 year old  has been watched by more than a million people around the world. Australian Shaun Wilson-Miller’s film was originally intended to tell his friends he was dying, after his body rejected a second heart transplant, but a glitch uploaded the video to YouTube instead. ITN’s Damon Green reports.  (Nightly News)

Beckham takes center stage at the White House

President Obama was under no illusions that one of today’s guests at the White House, LA Galaxy’s David Beckham, was stealing the limelight. ITV’s Robert Moore reports from the White House. (Nightly News)

Defense: Edwards paid mistress after campaign ended

A former FBI agent and witness for John Edwards’ defense team testified that Edwards had paid his mistress, Rielle Hunter, well after his presidential campaign had ended. The defense aims to demonstrate that Edwards’ support for Hunter was based on a personal relationship, not his political fortune. NBC’s Lisa Myers reports. (Nightly News)

Technology that curbs texting while driving

Parents are using smartphone apps and in-car cameras to prevent their teenagers from engaging in risky behavior. NBC’s Kristen Dahlgren reports. (Nightly News)

The fascinating first ladies of France

The current First Lady of France, Valerie Trierweiler, and the former, Carla Bruni, captivated the world. NBC’s Jim Maceda reports. (Nightly News)

Facebook: a passing fad?

According to a new poll, nearly half of Americans believe Facebook will lose prominence as other platforms emerge. NBC’s Brian Williams reports. (Nightly News)

Panetta restricts F-22 flights

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has ordered all F-22 flights to remain near an airfield in case the pilot suffers from oxygen deprivation due to the aircraft’s oxygen system. NBC’s Brian Williams reports. (Nightly News)

Florida mom kills 4 kids, then herself

Tonya Thomas shot and killed her four children, ages 12-17, before turning the gun on herself. Authorities said three of the kids had sought help from a neighbor when Thomas called them back home and fired the fatal shots. NBC's Gabe Gutierrez reports. (Nightly News)

New plan to fight Alzheimer’s

The U.S. government has launched a new website and is pouring millions of dollars into two large studies examining whether or not a drug can slow the progression of Alzheimer’s among patients who are predisposed to the devastating disease. NBC’s Robert Bazell reports. (Nightly News)

On economy, Romney polls better

According to a new USA Today/Gallup poll, 55 percent of those surveyed believe the economy will get better under Mitt Romney, but only 46 percent said the same of President Barack Obama. NBC’s Chuck Todd reports. (Nightly News)

Inside the JPMorgan shareholders meeting

CNBC’s Mary Thompson attended the meeting as JPMorgan Chase Chairman and CEO Jamie Dimon apologized yet again. (Nightly News)

Roadside bomb hits UN observers in Syria

Opposition activists said the Syrian security forces have even opened fire on a funeral procession, killing at least 21 people. NBC’s Ayman Mohyeldin reports. (Nightly News)

There's an app for that

Chris Holbert, CEO of SecuraTrac, talks about the company's latest release, Securafone. It’s a smartphone application that disables the phone’s distracting features while the user is traveling faster than 5 mph. (Nightly News)

Donovan's story

Martha Tessmer tells the story of her son Donovan, who passed away during a distracted driving accident. She hopes to connect with teens and parents through her son’s story, raising awareness about the dangers of distracted driving. (Nightly News)

'It's a public health crisis'

Dr. Kelly Browning, Executive Director of Impact Teen Drivers, discusses distracted driving as a public health issue, while stressing the importance of parental involvement in solving the problem. Impact Teen Drivers hosted a clinic that featured a distracted driving course. Students attempted to navigate around orange cones while their peers distracted them from the back seat. (Nightly News)

'No end to this war'

Jorge Castaneda, former Mexican foreign minister and NBC News Latin America policy expert, talks about the latest developments in Mexico's drug war where this week 49 mutilated bodies were found near the U.S. border. (Nightly News)

AAA predicts increased travel for Memorial Day weekend

AAA expects that 500,000 more Americans will travel this Memorial Day weekend, but high gas prices could keep drivers closer to home. (Nightly News)

Hollande’s first day

Caption: France’s new president, Francois Hollande, was sworn in today just hours before traveling to Germany for a crucial meeting with Chancellor Angela Merkel. The trip took an unexpected turn as Hollande’s plane was forced to turn back after being struck by lightning en route to Berlin. ITV’s James Mates reports. (Nightly News)

Former CEO charged in phone hacking scandal

Former News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks and her husband, Charlie Brooks, have been charged with perverting the course of justice during the U.K. phone hacking scandal. ITV’s Keir Simmons reports. (Nightly News)

First Read Minute

As President Obama and Mitt Romney continue the general election campaign, NBC’s Mark Murray and Domenico Montanaro discuss Obama’s event with Ricky Martin, Romney’s new web video highlighting unemployed Iowans and the Senate race in Nebraska. (Nightly News)

Star witness testifies in Clemens trial

The government's star witness, strength and conditioning coach Brian McNamee told a jury today that he personally injected Roger Clemens with steroids. Clemens is charged with lying to Congress about whether he used the performance enhancing drug. NBC's Pete Williams reports. (Nightly News)

Dog wins ‘Britain’s Got Talent’

A mutt named Pudsey and his owner, teenager Ashleigh Butler, have been crowned winners of the newest reality show, with more than $800,000 in prize money. NBC’s Stephanie Gosk reports. (Nightly News)

Syria in crisis

The killing has not stopped, leaving many to wonder if the peace plan has failed. NBC’s Ayman Mohyeldin reports. (Nightly News)

When baby-proofing, don’t forget batteries

A new study in the journal Pediatrics found that in 2009 a child was taken to the emergency room every 90 minutes because of battery injuries, twice as many visits as 20 years ago. NBC’s Dr. Nancy Snyderman reports. (Nightly News)

Obama campaign targets Bain Capital

After the Obama campaign released a new ad attacking Romney’s experience at the venture capital firm, Romney’s campaign came out with an ad of its own touting Bain’s success under Romney’s leadership. NBC’s Chuck Todd reports. (Nightly News)

Top JPMorgan exec to retire

Chief Investment Officer Ina Drew, who oversaw the London office involved in the infamous trade, became the first person to announce she would leave JPMorgan Chase in the wake of the company’s $2 billion loss. NBC’s Anne Thompson reports. (Nightly News)

Gov. Jerry Brown proposes $8.3 billion in cuts

California has been living beyond its means, Brown said, and drastic cuts are needed now that the budget deficit has reached $15.7 billion. NBC’s Miguel Almaguer reports. (Nightly News)

Mutilated bodies found in Mexico near U.S. border

The victims, 43 men and six women, had their heads, hands and feet cut off and are believed to have been killed by members of Los Zetas, an extremely violence drug cartel. NBC’s Mark Potter reports. (Nightly News)

Fighting to end poverty in Africa

30 years ago, Bob Geldof and U2’s Bono helped draw the world’s attention to the famine in Africa. Now, back in Ethiopia, Geldof is still fighting to shed light on the suffering and claims that rich nations are not honoring their pledges to help. ITV’s Rohit Kachroo reports. (Nightly News)

Exit Euro?

Greece’s financial woes have wiped out billions of shares in Europe and highlighted the precarious future of the Eurozone. ITV’s Martin Geissler reports. (Nightly News)

First Read Minute

NBC’s Mark Murray and Domenico Montanaro discuss President Obama’s new campaign ad that goes after Mitt Romney’s business record.  Also, Obama and Romney try to win over women and Evangelical voters. (Nightly News)

'In the beginning, there were no role models'

Sharon Cohen, the founder of Figure Skating in Harlem, says the students in the program have come to realize anything is possible as they learn how to push through obstacles, get back up, and keep going with the guidance of supportive mentors. NBC's Dexter Mullins reports. (Nightly News)

Furthering education with figure skating

At Figure Skating in Harlem, the girls must keep at least a B average in order to stay on the ice. NBC's Dexter Mullins reports. (Nightly News)

USC honors Nisei alumni

At University of Southern California's commencement, second generation Japanese Americans are finally awarded their diplomas after 70 years. (Nightly News)

‘Hunger Games’ inspires new archery fans

What was once a little-known sport has become a trendy activity, with people lining up to visit archery ranges. NBC’s Kristen Dahlgren reports. (Nightly News)

Sen. Mark Kirk films his rehabilitation

The unusual glimpse into the politician's recovery may serve as an inspiration to others who have had to fight back from a devastating illness. NBC’s Kevin Tibbles reports. (Nightly News)

Obama fundraiser brings in $15 million

The Obama campaign pulled off the biggest fundraiser in presidential history, as Mitt Romney tried to bring the focus back to the economy. NBC’s Brian Williams reports. (Nightly News)

Georgia congressman Lewis angered by amendment

Rep. Paul Broun backed away from the Voting Rights Act amendment he proposed after civil rights hero Rep. John Lewis argued that such a suggestion was 'almost unbelievable' after so many people died for the right to vote. NBC's Brian Williams reports. (Nightly News)

After retirement, a new career

More and more people are opting to find new careers after they leave the job they’ve held for years. NBC’s Ron Mott reports. (Nightly News)

Carroll Shelby, sports car builder, has died

The race car driver whose crowning creation was the Shelby Cobra has died at the age of 89. NBC’s Brian Williams reports. (Nightly News)

‘Never too late to change your life’

Wife and mother Kay Morrison reinvented her life, trading in a stressful corporate career for entrepreneurship and family. (Nightly News)

‘The movies make it look so easy’

NBC's Kristen Dahlgren gives archery a try. (Nightly News)

‘Archery is bit of a geek sport’

U.S. Archery CEO Denise Parker says interest in the sport of archery has spiked since the release of "The Hunger Games." (Nightly News)

‘Archery is finally becoming a household word’

Interest in archery has surged since the release of "The Hunger Games." (Nightly News)

JPMorgan’s big blunder

JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon, long one of the most vocal critics of regulations aimed at curbing risky trading, announced a $2 billion loss after taking a risky bet that didn’t pay off. CNBC’s Andrew Ross Sorkin reports. (Nightly News)

Dimon: ‘We know we were sloppy’

NBC’s ‘Meet the Press’ moderator David Gregory asked Jamie Dimon if any laws had been broken. (Nightly News)

First Read Minute

NBC’s Domenico Montanaro discusses the political news that drove this week, including President Obama’s support of gay marriage and Mitt Romney’s problem defining himself as a candidate. (Nightly News)

‘Got Your Six’ campaign takes up veteran issues

With combat operations beginning to wind down, more than 1 million veterans will be returning to their communities, looking to reclaim their lives and livelihoods. A new campaign wants to help returning veterans and their families. NBC’s Brian Williams reports. (Nightly News)

Prince Charles’ new gig: TV weatherman

Prince Charles, the heir to Britain's throne, gave viewers of BBC Scotland the news that it would be "cold, wet and windy" across most of the country Thursday. NBC’s Stephanie Gosk reports. (Nightly News)

Syria suicide bombers kill dozens in Damascus

Fifty-five people were killed and 372 were wounded when two cars exploded in Damascus, Syria earlier on Thursday. NBC’s Richard Engel reports. (Nightly News)

Prosecution rests in Edwards trial

Prosecutors rested their case against John Edwards on Thursday without calling his mistress, Rielle Hunter, to testify. NBC’s Lisa Myers reports. (Nightly News)

DOJ sues sheriff

The federal government today sued Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio and the state's most populous county, accusing them of racial profiling directed at Latinos. Pete Williams reports. (Nightly News)

Bee deaths linked to pesticides

Honeybees may be victims of widely used insecticides coated on a variety of crop seeds. NBC’s Anne Thompson reports. (Nightly News)

Romney apologizes for high school pranks

Mitt Romney took to the airwaves Thursday morning to apologize for "dumb things" he did as a prep school student, after a Washington Post report revealed troubling alleged anecdotes of Romney pulling pranks and bullying other students in his youth. NBC’s Chuck Todd reports. (Nightly News)

Obama capitalizes on gay marriage endorsement

A day after his endorsement of same-sex marriage, President Obama was already expected to break a record at a fundraiser hosted by George Clooney. NBC’s Kristen Welker reports. (Nightly News)

First Lady honors military moms

First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden help military kids create Mother’s Day cards at White House event. (Nightly News)