we're going introduce you to an 81-year-old woman running the bay to breakers tomorrow. on this saturday night, an american city on high alert. tonight, protests and terror charges in chicago as the president holds a high stakes meeting with the world's most powerful leaders. coming to america. tonight, the blind activist who made that daring dash to freedom now safely out of china here in the u.s. line of fire. crews battling flames across seven states, and tonight a grim morning about what's to come this summer. >> travel and leisure. big changes at the airport. private suites, even yoga? new ways to ease the stress of flying. and all hail the queen. a spectacular salute at windsor castle to 60 years on the throne.

good evening, the stakes and security precautions were already high this weekend as president obama prepared to sit down with world leaders here in the u.s. at two important summits. and tonight as he wraps up one of those gatherings, a meeting of the g-8 at camp david, police in chicago say they've unravelled a violent plot tied to tomorrow's nato summit there. three men are under arrest, accused of planning a series of molotov cocktail attack against police stations an other targets. chicago hoob under virtual lockdown as the president and a host of world leaders prepare to discuss the war in afghanistan. but thousands of protesters have also descended on the windy city. and tonight, some of them are calling the arrest a not-s not-so-veiled warning. good evening. >> reporter: good evening.

tensions are high in chicago as world leaders start to arrive here. there will be heightened security in the city for the next 48 hours. authorities say these three men were in the process of making molotov cocktails to fargt president obama's chicago campaign headquarters, the residence of mayor rahm emanuel and chicago police officers ahead of this weekend's nato summit. the men all from out of town were arrested in a chicago area on wednesday. among the charges, conspiracy to commit terrorism and possession of explosives. >> the individuals that we have charged in this investigation are not peaceful protesters. they are domestic terrorists who came to chicago with an anarchist agenda. >> reporter: police trapped clients by bringing them the molotov cocktail. >> it's part of the intimidation campaign, part of the fear campaign to deter people from getting out to protest on the

streets and to deter people from supporting the protesters. >> reporter: authorities say the incident reinforces their need to be on heightened alert with thousands of police officers out in force as the president prepares to host 50 world leaders in this home city. earlier this week, mayor emanuel says he welcomes protesters but is urging everyone to stay peaceful. >> they are going very well. you know, we've had limited arrests. i think we're at 14. >> reporter: protesters were sparked throughout the city all week. today outside the home of the mayor, which drew an estimated kproud of 500. some held signs that said health care, not warfare. each group has its own reason for taking to the street, but they all share a common message -- they're all against wall street and the war. >> we're here to do peaceful action and not cause violence. >> reporter: the largest

organized protest will take place tomorrow. police say they are expecting as many as 10,000 people. as for those three men accused of macking molotov cocktails earlier today. a judge ruled that they be held on $1.5 million bond each. lester? is. >> kristen welker in chicago this evening. thank you. as the protesters continue there, the president and seven other world leaders are finishing up their work in camp david where they've been tackling the economic crisis in greece, tensions with iran and the price of oil. mike viqueira has our report. >> jobs growth and jobs must be our top priority. >> reporter: a reminder that economic downturns can change the political landscape. three new leaders from italy,

japan and france's francois hollande, in office for just a week, were greeted by the president. while the german leader, angela merkel, the leader of europe's biggest and strongest economy was somber. among them, the greek bailout deal, made in exchange for deep domestic spending cuts, now in doubt as greece voters ousted their leaders. today leaders insist that greece will not exit the euro zone. president obama has a new ally in hollande, but so far no concrete agreement. >> president obama has a huge stake in this. if europe blows up, it l a knock-on effect of the u.s. and election. >> reporter: there are fears of another oil price spike.

in an unusual move to calm worried markets, allies broadly hinted they will release strategic reserves if needed. >> they are ready to act. >> reporter: and lester, while the president was at camp david, meeting with g-8 leaders, first tlad dimichelle obama was back at the white house entertaining their spouses, leading them on a private tour of the white house and treating them to a lunch featuring vegetables from the white house kitchen garden. lester? is. >> thank you. the white house sd is welcoming a diplomatic solution to tension with china. the blind activist that we've been followed for several weeks was put on a plane from beijing to newark, new jersey, to begin a new life. we get the report now from michelle franzen. >> reporter: before chen guangcheng received final word that he and his family were

allowed to board a plane to the u.s., there was a delay. but freedom, now a reality. >> he and his wife and two children had been ordered back so house confinement by the chinese government. that will finally end and i think that is kind of a relief, i can tell. >> reporter: a relief after seven years for what he described as systematic abuse. chhen was jailed per accusing china of forcing women to have abortions as part of their one-child policy. he remained under house arrest until last month when he made a daring escape, scaling a wall and taking refuge at the u.s. embassy. the times was just as hillary clinton was headed to that to

talk about human rights abuses. under pressure from chinese pa if ishls, chen left the embassy and remained in a hospital until today. >> the relationship has matured and survived a very difficult month of negotiations coming at a pretty critical time. that is on the tale of the legal expert dialogue with the u.s. >> reporter: friends say the chinese legal activist looks forward to continuing his studies as a visiting scholar at a new york university. michelle franzen, nbc news, new york. tonight, there are ominous signs in the southwest that this could be one of the most active wildfire seasons on record. right now, crews are working to contain stubborn fires across seven states. and this week, scientists warn that dry, dangerous conditions are likely to get worse this summer. we get our report tonight from nbc's mike taibi.

>> when fs coming down and i saw the flames, i was like am i going to make it or not? >>. >> reporter: so far all have made it to safety, but this is the start of an active wildfire season. there are three especially dangerous, two in arizona and one in colorado near foert collins where firefighters are only halfway to containing the blaze. >> our trees are very dry and our relative humidities are low. so, you know, i knew that it was growing. >> reporter: there are similar frustrations for those in the path of arizona's gladiator fire. between thursday and friday night, it doubled in size to more than 14,000 acres. containment, just 10%. like much of the country, the west and southwest hardly had

any winter, little precipitation and the warmest average temperatures in more than a century. and more of the same in the noaa summer forecast. >> we're already in a drought in the southwestern united states, so when you have that combined with the persistent heat and the forecast, that can make a bad situation even worse. >> reporter: so there will be more scenes like these from the gladiator fire. >> i stayed as long as i could and now i just hope for the best. >> reporter: the best would be a season of soaking rains and cooler .tos which are not at present in the forecast. mike taibbi, nbc news, los angeles. the atlantic hurricane season doesn't officially begin for another couple weeks, but there's late word tonight that the first tropical storm in the atlantic has formed off the south carolina coast. alberto has maximum winds of 60 miles an hour. forecasters at the national hurricane center say it's possible they'll issue a tropical storm watch for parts of the carolina coast tonight.

alberto is not expected to reach hurricane status. overseas tonight, police are on the hunt for a bomber who set off a device outstied a high school in southern italy, killing one student and wounding at least seven others. the school is named after an assassinated anti-mafia prosecutor and his wife. though prosecutors say it does not appear to be the kind of attack that organize the skriem has carried out in that country. the bombing follows a rash of attacks against italian officials by a group of anarchists. now to a debt crisis at the front and center at this week's g-8 summit. the situation there is now so dire the country can no longer count on its once booming tourism industry. we get that story tonight from nbc's nstephanie goss.

>> reporter: the country's instability is taking a toll on its most important industry including greece's first capital and a base to explore a nearby ancient wonder. one hotel owner has to drop the price of his rooms by up to 20% to fill his four hotels. it has a very big effect, he says, because people are afraid to come. there is a lot of hope being placed on the next government. >> the results of the elections. >> reporter: four weeks from now, the country will have its second generation in as many months. political parties that don't agree with the bailout plan and the harsh cuts that come with it may be voted into power. without a bailout, greece could be forced out of the euro zone and back to its own currency, the drachma. it would likely be worth half

the euro. a return to the old currency, the drachma would be a double-edge sword. it would become a very cheap place for tourist, but a very expensive place for greeks. the country relies on imports and those prices would skyrocket. >> i would like to be out of euro, out of here. >> reporter: a friend disagrees. he believes greece has to take responsibility for its debt. >> we spend a lot of money. >> so glees has to spend less money? >> yes. now the bill is coming. >> reporter: the elections restore stability, greece hopes their treasures and a desire to see them will help the country start paying that bill. stephanie gosk, nbc news news. mary kennedy was found dead earlier this week of an apparent suicide at her home.

mourners included glempb close, susan sarandon and chevy chase. mary kennedy's sister-in-law and life-long friend carrie kennedy described her as brilliant and beautiful. she said mary kennedy suffered from from depression for many years. still ahead on "nightly news" relaxing at the airport. private suites, offices, even yoga rooms? big changes taking flight. and six decades as the queen celebrates her royal salute at windsor castle.

liftoff. >> talk about waiting till the wlast possible moment. even the voice of mission control didn't realize launch was scrubbed for the first rocket attempting a delivery mission to the international space station. a last-second engine pressure problem caused the failed lunch. they'll try again early tuesday if they can get the problem fixed. airports across the country are working hard to make the flying experience here on earth less stressful. from the security lines to jam packed planes and delays are

making flying more difficult. but you may be surprised at what you see in your next layover. >> reporter: getting from point a to point b by plane often means a lot of time at point c. long delays and late connections and weather delays. rick nelson spent a recent layover in a rented private c e cubicle right off the concourse. they're soundproof, they have a tv for entertainment, a desk for computers and a day bed for napping. how does this compare to that? >> 100% better, that's for sure. radio. >> reporter: right now they're in atlanta and philadelphia and plan to open later this year at dallas and minneapolis. more than half their clientele are business travels. a. >> they just want to decompress and be in a private setting. >> reporter: stressed road warriors are finding more options at airports.

in minneapolis st. paul, they put in a 1.4 hiking trail. passengers at san francisco can work out the kinks in a yoga room. >> have an opportunity to duck in and do 5 or 10 minutes has been nice. very nice. >> reporter: and a website trackings gyms near airports like this 24-hour fitness, a 15-minute cab rieb from dallas ft. worth. airlines are stepping up, too. they spending more money on amenities on the ground. most airport lounges offer full bars and workstations. one has a quiet room and showers. >> they're finding this as a place away from the terminal. we're back in a moment with

the most famous happy birthday of all. 50 years ago tonight. ♪

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it's boemeister and i'll ha another. can i have another get there? here it comes, down to the wire, it's i'll have another over bodemeister to win the preakness! >> he did it again. i'll have another won the second leg of horse racing's triple

crown and keeping the hopes alive for the first triple crown winner in 34 years. we'll find out if he can race his way to history in three weeks at the belmont stakes here on nbc. it was 50 years ago tonight here in new york quite possibly the most famous rendition of "happy birthday" ever sung. ♪ happy birthday mr. president ♪ >> that's marilyn monroe wishing happy birthday to president kennedy on may 19, 1962. the famous dress she wore that night went on to sell at auction for more than $1.2 million in 1999. and in england today, the start of an 8,000 mile journey. the olympic torch began its relay for the 2012 olympic games. it will travel around the country, end bing with the lighting of the olympic cauldron

finally tonight, a pageant fit for a queen. the scene outside of london today as the british military honored queen elizabeth, one of her celebrations that marks her 60 year reign. >> reporter: they came by the thousands from the army, air

force and navy. a tribute to their commander-in-chief. the queen's role might be ceremonial, but her support is real. >> we are very proud of the selfless service and sacrifices made by men and women and their families in recent years. >> reporter: the queen's length of service is now longer than the lives of those who serve her. szott new recruits, she's an inspiration. >> proud. stood there, chest out, head held high. loved it. >> reporter: the enthusiasm is widely shared. the royals are now more popular than anyone can remember. public approval at 80%. but respect matters more to the queen and among the military, it has never waivered. the queen and her family's relationship with the armed forces goes beyond pomp and pageantry. it's also personal. in world war ii, a young princess elizabeth joined the women's auxillary as a driver

and mechanic. her husband was a naval officer, and she would go on to worry like only a mother can when prince andrew flew helicopters in the faulk lands war. now it's the turn of her grandsons. prince harry is likely to return to afghanistan at the controls of an apache helicopter while prince william works as a rescue pilot. >> i think she's lovely. great woman, great family. and i'm glad that that's what we' got as our head of state. >> reporter: today's spectacular parade and fly-by are only part of the build-up for the jubilee weekend, celebrating her 60 years on the throne. a role she seems to be enjoying now more than ever. that's nbc nightly news" for this saturday. i'm lester holt reporting from new york. i'll see you tomorrow morn on "today" and right back here tomorrow evening. good night, everyone.

good evening, i'm diane dwyer. from a fire investigation to a dprug investigation. a three-alarm fire at a warehouse in downtown oakland led investigators to an illegal marijuana growing operation. and tonight, police are trying to find the culprit. nbc's bay