women really can have it all. and flying high -- at 90 years old, fulfilling a life-long dream of one last flight into the wild blue life-long dream of one last flight into the wild blue yonder. captions paid for by nbc-universal television good evening. there are mixed messages coming out of north korea tonight where it is already monday morning and the start of that country's most important holiday -- the anniversary of its founding, which is why western intelligence analysts have monday circled on their calendars as the most likely time for north korea to back up some of its recent inflammatory rhetoric with a test launch of its most powerful missile. tonight secretary of state john kerry remains in the region still working the diplomatic options, but vowing once again that the u.s. will protect its allies. nbc's chief foreign affairs

correspondent andrea mitchell is traveling with the secretary in japan and joins us now from tokyo. andrea? >> reporter: good evening, lester. john kerry has now opened the door to direct u.s. peace talks with north korea, appealing for a step back from the threat of war, even as though the north has flatly rejected south korea's offer of direct talks with them calling it a "cunning ploy." the contrast could not have been more dramatic. in pyongyang, runners from around the world celebrating tomorrow's birthday of kim jong-un's grandfather, the nation's founder. while in tokyo john kerry re-assured japan the u.s. will defend it from north korea, but says the obama administration would negotiate with pyongyang under the right circumstances. >> what we really ought to be talking about is the possibilities of peace and i think there are those possibilities, notwithstanding the rhetoric and the provocations. >> reporter: japan was under the

flight path of north korea's last missile test in february and is now protected by u.s.-provided patriot missile defenses. but kerry found strong support for luring pyongyang back to disarmament talks. >> the united states will do what is necessary to protect our e allies, japan, republic of korea, and the region against these provocations, but our choice is to negotiate. our choice is to move to the table and find a way for the region to have peace. >> reporter: but north korea immediately rejected an offer friday from south korea for talks. kim jong-un has shown he's more interested in flamboyant guests like dennis rodman than serious diplomacy. but his ferth negotiated with then-secretary of state madelyn albright in 2000 and released two american journalists to bill clinton in 2009. and his grandfather reached a nuclear agreement with former president jimmy carter for the clinton white house. critics warned today that north korea has broken every past promise to disarm. >> this has been going on for

decades. a cycle of confrontation, negotiation, aid and the false hope that somehow the north koreans would give up their efforts to acquire nuclear weapons and a means to deliver them. >> reporter: still, as kerry took a few moments to visit a 14th century buddhist temple in downtown tokyo and meet some local residents. ah! some experts believe there is a peaceful path out of this crisis. >> i think kim jong-un has basically run out of bluster. we're clearly in the end game now. maybe they'll end with a fireworks display. maybe just with a whimper but i think he's going back in his pocket. >> kim has not been seen publicly for two weeks. as kerry wraps up this six-nation tour, there is no sign that north korea is ready yet to stop nuclear testing or threatening its neighbors, two things it has to do before there could be direct talks with the u.s. lester? >> nbc's andrea mitchell in tokyo for us, thank you. back at home with the senate set to take up immigration and gun control this week, one of the lawmakers at the center of

both hot-button issues dominated tv screens for a time this morning, drawing some of the sharp lines that will guide the tough debates ahead. nbc's kristin welker is at the white house now to tell us more. kristin? >> reporter: appearing on seven news programs today, including two spanish networks, republican senator marco rubio aggressively pushed the bipartisan immigration reform plan. >> what we have in place today, the status quo is horrible for america. >> reporter: rubio is a part of the so-called gang of eight that's spent months working out the details. the legislation is expected to tighten border security while providing a path to citizenship for the roughly 11 million people who are here illegally. >> why isn't it tantamount to amnesty? >> first of all, amnesty is the forgiveness of something. in fact there will be consequences for having violated the law. >> reporter: still, opposition was swift with some conservatives saying they won't support legal status for anyone who is not documented. >> they have produced legislation, it appears, that

will give amnesty now with, legalize everyone that's here effectively today, and then there is a promise of enforcement in the future. >> reporter: the latest nbc news/"wall street journal" poll shows nearly two-thirds of americans favor granting zibt citizenship to those who are here illegally and now hold jobs. on gun control, rubio defended his opposition to the proposed bill which expands background checks. >> they're highly infectionive in terms of accomplishing the following goal, that is to protect the right of law abiding citizens to possess weapons and effectively keeping guns out of hands of dangerous criminals. >> reporter: today joe manchin who co-authored the compromise praised republican susan collins who told nbc news exclusively after meeting with newtown families she plans to vote for it. >> for her to take that courageous stand in the state of maine that has a tremendous amount of gun ownership like west virginia, i think it will make my other friends and colleagues both on the

democratic and republican side take a little pause. >> reporter: also today, a gun rights group, the citizen committee for the right to keep and bear arms, broke with the nra and announced its support of the manchin-toomey plan. meanwhi meanwhile, senator rubio's media blitz had everyone wondering if he's considering a presidential run in 2015. >> seriously, senator? >> i haven't. i really haven't. >> reporter: now the immigration plan is expected to be rolled out on tuesday. this as the senate begins debate on the gun bill. meanwhile, former congressman gabby giffords will be on the hill urging lawmakers to pass stiffer gun laws. lester? >> kristin welker tonight, thank you. a program note -- savannah guthrie will discuss gun control, immigration and other issues in an exclusive interview with president obama that you can watch tuesday on "today." the weather seems to be caught between two seasons tonight in much of the country with a big blast of winter in the northern

midwest and the threat of spring tornadoes in the south. weather channel's meteorologist janel klein is in fargo, north dakota. looks like december where you are. >> reporter: no doubt about that, lester. three weeks into spring there is a winter storm advisory for the entire state of north dakota with heavy snow and high winds blanketing much of the midwest. parts of the state have already gotten more than 16 inches of snow in cities in western north dakota are pulling plows off the road because visibility is almost impossible. this is all part after complex storm moving across the northern part of the country while the south is dealing with another severe weather system. together these two storms are hitting more than a dozen states and will last well into tomorrow. a tornado watch is in effect for the florida panhandle and southwestern georgia where heavy rains are already soaking cities like new orleans and pensacola. back here in fargo, this is not just a winter storm. it is also an arded thredded th what could be major spring

flooding next week. volunteers have made 1 million sandbags here hoping to hold back the water of the red river but they're also holding their breath hoping winter will finally say good-bye. >> janel klein in snowy fargo tonight, thanks. in washington state, bad weather today forced rescuero suspend their search for a snowshoer who became trapped in an avalanche. it happened in the cascade mountains yesterday. the avalanche carried three snowshoers down some 1,200 feet at speeds that reached more than 50 miles an hour. two of them were rescued in a second avalanche a snowshoer died from injuries she suffered. more fallout today from the shot heard around the golf world this weekend. that controversial play by tiger woods at the masters tournament in augusta, georgia. nbc's kerry sanders has the latest tonight from augusta. kerry? >> reporter: well, good evening, lester. the masters competition is still under way. it is highly unlikely that tiger woods will win but tiger woods is all anyone can talk about because of what went unnoticed

by course officials. the world's number one ranked golfer desperately trying to win his first masters tournament in eight years. fighting from behind after a controversial ruling that today has the golf world sharply divided. >> he's played golf long enough to know the rules. so i believe that he should be disqualified. >> he should have gotten the two-stroke penalty which he did but it was deserved for the mistake that he made. >> reporter: friday on the 15th hole, woods approach shot hit the flag and rolled into the water. he was forced to take a ball drop. it was a tv viewer who called the rules committee to say it was in the wrong spot. tiger then tried to explain his actions in an interview with espn. >> i looked over to the drop area. it wasn't very good. it was in the grain, tough shot. i went back to where i was and i actually took two yards further back and tried to hit my shot another two yards off of what i felt like i hit it.

>> reporter: the united states golf association reviewed the tape and ruled saturday that woods had broken the rules by dropping his replacement ball approximately two yards from his original shot. >> it was really a matter of understanding what was going through his mind and what his intent was in playing his shot to determine whether he was going to get a penalty at all. >> reporter: the rules committee then issued a two-stroke penalty to woods. >> golf fans take a keen interest in the rules of golf which are very conapplicanted and with the new technology, high-def, super slo-mo, can you pick up a lot of nuances for the game. tiger might have gotten a generous ruling by the committee because, let's face it, everybody wants to see tiger in contention on the final sunday. >> reporter: for those of you who are non-sports fans, golf may be the only sport where somebody at home watching on tv can call in to course officials,

complain about a perceived infraction that then leads to a change in the outcome. lester? >> kerry, thanks. a police officer has been fired from his job in port canaveral, florida after a questionable incident at a target range. ficials say the officer brought target posters depicting an image of trayvon martin, the 17-year-old who was shot to death by a neighborhood watch volunteer in florida last year. later sergeant ron king reportedly apologized to the martin family in a youtube video and said he created the posters as a way of getting officers to think before firing too quickly. overseas, the new outbreak of bird flu continues to grow. china said today that two more people have died from this new strain of the virus and that 60 cases have now been reported, including some in a central province that had not been affected until now. this is presidential election day. venezuela. five weeks after the death of hugo chavez.

the question being asked tonight is whether it will be business as usual for a government that had a long and hostile relationship with the u.s. nbc's mark cotter is in caracas tonight. >> reporter: long lines at the polls formed early in the morning and drew again in the afternoon. as this politically divided country cast its votes. the ten-day campaigns to replace the laying hugo chavez as president of venezuela have been passionate and loud. the incoming president hand-picked by chavez as his successor promises to extend chavez' socialist programs for the poor. the 50-year-old has led in most of the polls and insists he is visited by chavez's spirit in the form of a bird. he frequently lashes out against the united states which many believe will continue if he wins. >> it might even get stronger because nationalism is the one thing that he can rely on to make sure that he maintains his

popularity. >> reporter: his opponent is a 40-year-old governor popular with the young who scoffs at the claim that meduro is chavez's successor. he says he wants to reduce oil subsidies to cuba venezuela supplies 8% of crude oil imports but also buys gasoline and diesel from the united states. experts say u.s. gas prices are unlikely to be affected by whoever wins. >> it's really been one of the forces for stability within the relationship between the two countries. >> reporter: venezuela's new president will face serious domestic problems, including food shortages, one of the worst murder rates in the world, inflation and declining oil production which many blame on 14 years of chavez rule. now in many ways, this country is now at a crossroads being courted by two candidates with dramatically different visions for the future of venezuela. we expect the election results some time later tonight.

>> mark potter in caracas for us, thank you. when "nbc nightly news" continues on this sunday, can women really have it all? after so many years, it is still quite the debate. and later, a special journey back in time for a member of greatest generation. tra? trust your instincts to make the call. to treat my low testosterone, my doctor and i went with axiron, the only underarm low t treatment. axiron can restore t levels to normal in about 2 weeks in most men. axiron is not for use in women or anyone younger than 18 or men with prostate or breast cancer. women, especially those who are or who may become pregnant and children should avoid contact where axiron is applied as unexpected signs of puberty in children or changes in body hair or increased acne in women may occur. report these symptoms to your doctor. tell your doctor about all medical conditions and medications. serious side effects could include increased risk of prostate cancer; worsening prostate symptoms; decreased sperm count; ankle, feet or body swelling; enlarged or painful breasts; problems breathing while sleeping;

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♪ right. but the most important feature of all is... the capital one purchase eraser. i can redeem the double miles i earned with my venture card to erase recent travel purchases. and with a few clicks, this mission never happened. uh, what's this button do? [ electricity zaps ] ♪ you requested backup? yes. yes i did. what's in your wallet? for generations now, women have been taught that they can have a family and a career. it became known as "having it all." and many used it as a measure of their success, even if it came at a high price. but for some, the notion was, and is, a myth. nbc's michelle franzen takes a new look. >> reporter: you want to just keep christopher here? >> den knees jeffries runs a family business in queens, new

york. a daycare center that her mother linda started 30 years ago to make sure she was properly looked after. >> i just worried all the time that my child wasn't getting what she needed. >> reporter: now at 32, denise is facing the same challenge, balancing her work while she and her husband bring up two young children. >> this is number two. >> that's number three. >> reporter: life at home is a flurry of homework, cooking dinner, and bedtime stories. >> it's absolutely not easy. but nothing worth having is easy. >> reporter: one voice in a debate raging about the cost of success, fueled by books like "lean in" and "the atlantic monthly" story entitled "why women still can't have it all." and a new nbc news/"wall street journal" poll shows that almost two-thirds of men and women agree. when it comes to having a career and family, most women can't have it all without making a lot of sacrifices.

among women 55 and older, 68% said having it all comes at a price. among 18 to 34-year-old women, 60% agreed. >> i think my generation has created a misperception. >> reporter: deborah is the president of an all-women school in manhattan. she says that her students will need to redefine exactly what success means. >> if you just look over the past 50 years there was certain expectations around women in terms of being good mothers, good wives. we have added a set of expectations about being good athletes and being good career women but we didn't get rid of the older expectations. >> reporter: back at home, denise jeffries says she still believes she can have it all. >> purple cat. >> reporter: -- or enough to give her children all they need. michelle franzen, nbc news, new york. when we come back in a moment, a grandchild for a former president. i have never encountered such a burning sensation...

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for kobe bryant, it was a devastating injury and some are wondering if the lakers superstar will be able to come back. in friday night's game with golden state, he ruptured his achilles tendon. he underwent surgery yesterday and is expected to be out for six to nine months. now 34, bryant has been on the lakers since he was 18 and has been the team's driving force for most of that time. on his facebook page, he said maybe father time has defeated me. then again, maybe not! this may not have been the most relaxing weekend for millions of americans scrambling to meet tomorrow's april 15th

tax deadline. have you until midnight tomorrow night to send in your returns. if needed you can request a six-month extension for filing the paperwork, but not on any taxes owed. on a less stressful note, consider this -- after a cold start to spring the cherry blossoms are finally in full bloom in washington. this weekend marked the end of the city's two-week cherry blossom festival. trees were given to the u.s. by the people of japan. and some baby news tonight. it is a girl for jenna bush hager. a daughter of former president george w. bush and a correspondent for "today" here at nbc, margaret laura hager was born last night in new york. she's the first grandchild for the former president and his wife, laura. in a statement the bushes said their family is elated. up next -- how one man got to soar on a journey back in time. before copd... i took my son fishing every year. we had a great spot, not easy to find, but worth it.

but with copd making it hard to breathe, i thought those days might be over. so my doctor prescribed symbicort. it helps significantly improve my lung function starting within five minutes. symbicort doesn't replace a rescue inhaler for sudden symptoms. with symbicort, today i'm breathing better. and that means...fish on! symbicort is for copd including chronic bronchitis and emphysema. it should not be taken more than twice a day. symbicort may increase your risk of lung infections, osteoporosis, and some eye problems. tell your doctor if you have a heart condition or high blood pressure before taking it. with copd, i thought i'd miss our family tradition. now symbicort significantly improves my lung function, starting within 5 minutes. and that makes a difference in my breathing. today, we're ready for whatever swims our way. ask your doctor about symbicort. i got my first prescription free. call or click to learn more. [ male announcer ] if you can't afford your medication, astrazeneca may be able to help. if you're suffering from constipation, miralax or metamucil may take days to work. for faster relief, try dulcolax laxative tablets.

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stop taking cialis and get medical help right away. ask your doctor about cialis for daily use and a 30-tablet free trial. finally tonight, for one veteran of world war ii, it was a special journey into the past. reuniting with a trusted old friend and soaring once again as he did so many years ago. nbc's kristen dahlgren has our story tonight. >> reporter: just days before rudy's 90th birthday, a dream come true. >> it's been 69 years since i've been on a b-17. and it was beautiful. couldn't ask for anything better. >> reporter: known as the flying fortress, the b-17 is credited with helping to win world war ii

and helping to shape the greatest generation. >> our generation saved the world. >> reporter: an for a young sergeant from a small town in california, it was the aircraft that altered his life. >> it was the most special plane up in the air. >> reporter: he was a gunner, until a mission over germany took down the mighty plane. >> and as i was coming down in the parachute, i looked up and i saw the plane blow up. >> reporter: captured and held for almost a year by the germans -- >> this telegram here was sent to my parents when i got shot down. they didn't know for 48 days if i was alive or dead. so you can imagine what they went through. >> reporter: the pain is still fresh when he talks about buddies in the p.o.w. camp. >> it hurts. >> reporter: but even after all of that, he could never forget the thrill of flying.

>> i had no fear of flying, even in combat. >> reporter: and so, over the skies of fresno, decades after he last set foot on a bomber, he returned to his beloved b-17, flying on-board "the memphis belle," one of the few remaining. >> it was just magnificent. it was just tremendous. >> reporter: he calls it the best birthday present, ever. >> and i just wanted to be on a b-17 as the last thing in my life to do as a reminder of world war ii. >> reporter: after a life marked by sacrifice, a trip back in time that he hopes may just inspire the next generation. kristen dahlgren, nbc news, fresno, california. that's "nbc nightly news" for this sunday. brian williams will be here tomorrow. i'm lester holt reporting from new york. for all of us here at nbc news, goodnight. -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com

her: being a coach on "the voice" is to make an investment in people, and i'm hoping to make them as great as they can be. all right. let's show these boys how it's done. when i first started out, i wish there would have been a show like this one. the world is full of talented people, but not a lot of them have this enormous opportunity to showcase their talent. whoo! i was a working musician for many years now i get the opportunity to help somebody else with their career, and it started with me discovering how amazing your voice was