Good morning. Here are some of the stories we’re following today:
1. Passenger in police van with Gray recounts ride
Baltimore man Donte Allen has come forward to talk about his April 12 ride in a police van with Freddie Gray, who was also arrested that day and died after suffering a spinal injury while in police custody. How Gray was injured remains unclear. "All I heard was a little banging for like four seconds," Allen told NBC affiliate WBAL. Gray's death sparked citywide protests that devolved into rioting and looting Monday. Protests will continue nationwide Friday. Read more in NEWS.
2. DOJ unveils $20M program for body cams
A pilot program to extend the use of police body cameras for "transparency" was announced by the Department of Justice on Friday, amid nationwide protests over police treatment of suspects. A string of recent cases have prompted calls for greater transparency from authorities and more adoption of body cameras. Read more in NEWS.
3. Nepal offers aid to earthquake victims
The government is giving out the equivalent of $1,000 to families of each of those killed in Saturday's devastating quake and another $400 for funeral costs, according to state-run Radio Nepal. The burials come as the death toll in the magnitude-7.8 quake has reached at least 6,204 in Nepal alone, plus 61 elsewhere in the South Asia region. Nepal's army chief told NBC News on Thursday there could be up to 15,000 dead. Read more in NEWS.
4. ISIS-linked fighters tighten grip in Afghanistan
Foreign militants fighting under the black flag of ISIS are conquering territory in northern Afghanistan, terrorizing residents and outmatching the Taliban's brutality, villagers and local officials told NBC News. The development suggests ISIS is expanding its sphere of influence beyond the Middle East and North Africa, and are moving into areas previously controlled by the Afghan Taliban. But some Afghan officials are stopping short of saying openly that ISIS has taken root in their country. Read more in NEWS.
5. Is No. 1 NFL draft pick Jameis Winston marketable?
The Florida State University quarterback, who led his team to the 2014 National Championship, was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first pick of the NFL Draft on Thursday. But the question about Winston is this: Can he sell sports apparel or shoes or breakfast cereal? Winston's illustrious college career was often overshadowed by off-the-field problems, including sexual-assault allegations. Read more in BUSINESS.
6. Brain dead mom’s baby delivered in rare birth
A brain dead Nebraska woman was kept on life support for nearly eight weeks so the baby she was carrying could survive, medical officials said. Baby Angel — weighing just 2 pounds and 16 ounces — was delivered earlier this month, according to the Methodist Health System. Angel's delivery was the first of its kind in the U.S. since 1999, the hospital said. Read more in NEWS.
7. Graphic evidence presented at theater shooting trial
Prosecutors in the trial for admitted movie theater shooter James Holmes on Thursday gave jurors a graphic look at the carnage in the shooting spree's aftermath, displaying photos of the victims' bodies lying among spent ammunition, popcorn and clothing. One juror briefly turned his head after looking at one of the images shown on a courtroom video screen Thursday. Spectators in the gallery wept, and one woman left the courtroom sobbing. Read more in NEWS.
Nightly Spotlight
After years of flirting with a fight, boxing's two biggest draws — Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao — are set to do battle in a match that's expected to bring in well over $358 million.