on our broadcast tonight, big target, far bigger than first thought. one of the largest security breaches in american history and now target says more than 100 million people are at risk. and state of emergency, 300,000 people being told to avoid the water as a scramble is on to contain a chemical spill. behind the scenes, a furious back and forth as some of those closest to chris christie hatched a backup plan. tonight a ton of new documents have been released. and leading woman on the eve of the golden globes. a beloved and celebrated and nominated actress. our conversation tonight with julia louis-dreyfus. "nightly news" begins now.

good evening. it was right around christmas time when we learned about the massive data breach at target stores across this country. and the theft of a lot of credit and debit card data. it got worse today with word that it is potentially much larger, may not be limited to shoppers this year but may go back several years. and it is possible hackers have tapped into a data base that may include people who don't even shop at target. we could be talking upwards of 110 million people, and this comes as so many americans have already been forced to change their cards and accounts. nbc's katy tur has been covering this and starts us off tonight. >> reporter: if you thought the fraud over the holidays at target did not affect you, think again. last month it was credit cards and 40 million people compromised. today it's names, phone numbers, e-mails and home addresses for potentially 70 million more, making target's holiday hacking

one of the largest retail security breaches ever. allie white, a loyal target shopper found out she had a problem when she started getting calls from her credit card company. >> i got a call asking me if i booked a flight to qatar on qatar airways. i said qatar in the middle east? she said yes, and i said no, absolutely not. >> reporter: since then, white has had to change all of her credit cards. >> my life has been surprisingly miserable. i didn't think it would be as hard as it was. >> reporter: but with the credit cards stolen, the information is much worse. >> if somebody has my phone and e-mail address and much more information they can steal my identity, which becomes a much bigger issue. >> we call it full-blown identity theft. that's the real concern now. very likely people will get e-mails, they call them fishing e-mails that look like they're from target or look like they're from the fbi with very real-sounding information, because they know all this about you. >> reporter: on its website, target's ceo issued an apology

writing i know it is frustrating for our guests to know that this information was taken, and we are truly sorry they are having to endure this. target says it's offering free credit monitoring to all of its customers at u.s. stores. as for white, she says she still needs to shop. >> it has changed my mind-set. every time i swipe my card i think here we go again. >> reporter: target is still investigating the scope of the breach. and some experts have concerns that social security numbers could also be at risk, although target said at this point there is no indication that that has happened. as for what you can do to protect yourself if target offers you the free credit monitoring, take them up on it and check it as often as you can as identity theft can be a major problem that lasts for years. brian? >> some chilling information in there. katy tur starting us off. katy, thanks. tonight, 300,000 people

in west virginia are being told to stay away from their tap water, not to use it for anything, cooking, bathing, anything at all. a chemical spill in the elk river may have contaminated the drinking water. a federal investigation has been launched into how this happened. our chief environmental affairs correspondent anne thompson is in west virginia tonight. good evening. >> reporter: good evening, brian. tonight the state has ordered the company believed to be responsible for this chemical spill to cease and desist and to inspect all its tanks. meanwhile, fema is on its way here to charleston to help to deliver water to residents who can no longer turn on the tap. they brought every type of container they could find, jugs, bins and bottles to fill up as the people of charleston, west virginia learned just how precious clean water is. >> i understand boiling water, not to be able to drink it, but not even put it on your body. it's outrageous. >> never realized how much you need water until you don't have water. >> reporter: in this home, she puts socks on the faucets to remind her three children not to use the water.

everyone is drinking bottled water. even the dogs and pet mouse. but with no idea when the water will be usable again, taylor stocked the van with bottled water and hand sanitizer for the ride to her sister's, where the water is safe. the source of the problem that has closed restaurants and schools is 4 methyl cyclohexane methanol, a chemical that is used in coal processing. it is an oily substance that some say smells like licorice, it leaked from a 48,000 gallon tank from the storage facility. on the elk river. about a mile down river is the west virginia american water company which supplies nine counties and some 300,000 people whose health may now be at risk. >> if you get it on your skin, you'll get a skin rash. if you breathe it or drink it, but especially breathe it, it will irritate your nose, throat, upper respiratory tract. >> reporter: the frustrated head of the water company says news of the leak came from the state,

not freedom industries. >> they did not report this to us, and i have no idea if they reported it to anybody else. >> reporter: freedom industry says the first priorities were safety containment and cleanup. meanwhile, governor worked to head off any potential panic. >> it is important to emphasize that water and supplies are available and there is not a persistent shortage of bottled water. >> reporter: as folks here wait for word their water is safe again, surrounding counties are opening fire hydrants to help out their neighbors. now, tonight, officials continue to test the water as they try to determine the extent of the health risk and also how long the water ban will be in place. brian? >> anne thompson, charleston, west virginia, tonight. anne, thanks. tonight journalists from many news organizations, including this one, are pouring over hundreds of documents just released in new jersey having to do with the intentional traffic jam on the george washington bridge back in september. they are looking to see if

anything in the documents goes against what governor chris christie said in his marathon mea culpa press conference just yesterday, blaming his appointees and proclaiming his own innocence. we get the latest on this tonight from nbc's stephanie gosk. >> reporter: the busiest and most important bridge connecting new york city and new jersey backed up in ft. lee with no warning for four days. more than 900 pages of documents released today reveal that transportation officials appointed by governor christie shut down the lanes without telling the head of the agency that manages the bridge. when he found out, port authority chief patrick foye was angry, calling it abusive and a violation of everything this agency stands for. i pray that no life was lost. or a trip of a hospital-bound patient was delayed. he writes to colleagues, i believe this quick and ill-advised decision violates federal law and the law of the states.

bill baroni, appointed by governor christie replies i'm on my way to office to discuss. there can be no public discourse. baroni would go on to resign admitting it was a mistake to shut down traffic lanes without warning the public or public officials. also, david wildstein was told on day one that emergency responders were getting held up and did nothing, even ignoring a direct call for help from the ft. lee mayor. an e-mail with the subject line phone call mayor sokolich regarding urgent matter of public safety. wildstein's response? radio styles. the investigation into what is now being called bridgegate continues. state democrats say they will hold more hearings into what happen and why. governor christie vows he is conducting his own ongoing investigation. >> i'm not completed with those interviews yet. but when i am, if there is additional information that needs to be disclosed, i will do so. >> reporter: the governor's critics as well as supporters believe many questions remain unanswered.

>> he is in a period of testing right now. and he did a good job at that news conference yesterday but there are many more chapters of this story yet to be written and many challenges ahead for the governor. >> reporter: governor christie spent nearly two hours in that press conference maintaining he knew nothing about his agency's aides' involvement in the traffic nightmare. in the hundreds of pages of documents we have been able to review so far there is no smoking gun, brian, to prove otherwise. >> stephanie gosk on this continuing story from new jersey. stephanie, thanks. and there was disappointment in the new jobs numbers that came out today. employers hired the fewest workers in almost three years last month, just 74,000. the unusual cold weather may have been a factor in this. and while unemployment dropped to 6.7%, the lowest in more than five years, the decline mostly reflected people leaving the work force, a reminder over a third of the unemployed in this country have been out of a job for half a year or more.

it was a mixed day on wall street the dow was down slightly, while nasdaq and s&p both ended the week higher. tonight the u.s. state department issued a warning any american planning to travel to the olympics in russia. this is about the potential danger following terrorist threats, and the opening ceremony is exactly four weeks from tonight. our chief foreign correspondent richard engel is live for us in moscow tonight. richard, what brought this about today? >> reporter: good evening, brian. we understand that there is no specific threat, but security is the overwhelming concern that russia has in the lead-up to these games. and russia is imposing some very severe security restrictions, already banning all liquids on flights, not just large amounts of liquids but any liquids of any kind. also about 40,000 police and soldiers are imposing a so-called ring of steel around the venues at sochi. the fsb, which is the new kgb is

responsible for security overall. the main concern, obviously, is terrorists, specifically someone coming from the north caucuses. and over the new year there were two bombings that put this country on alert. the u.s. officials tell us they're not overwhelmingly concerned about the olympic venues themselves, but concerned something could happen at a train station or a transport hub, a softer target that could be attacked during the games. >> richard engel in moscow, as we said the opening ceremony four weeks from tonight, thank you. there was a dramatic and potentially dangerous development in africa today. the president of the central african republic resigned, triggering celebration and fears of more bloodshed. nbc's ann curry has been reporting for us from there this week on the human toll of the fighting in that country, the families forced from their homes, the children orphaned, relief workers struggling to help. she has our report again tonight from the capital city of bangui.

>> reporter: sounds of joy in the central african republic today after months of violence between mostly muslims and the christian majority fueled by tribal rivalries, protesters demanded the president step down. and today he did. he took power in a muslim rebel coup last march, setting off a wave of violence that triggered a humanitarian emergency here. a million people displaced. almost immediately, you could feel the tension here in the capital, people afraid that this could turn into another rwanda. the sectarian violence becoming more widespread. in the streets of the capital, a heavy military presence, troops on patrol. machete-wielding christians demanding the president never return. the fighting here is expected to continue. relief workers have been told to take precautions. but american tara boyles, who we

met yesterday working in a doctors without borders camp told us by phone i am not leaving. if anything there will be a bigger need for us. ann curry, nbc news, bangui. >> there is late word in this country tonight that larry speaks has died. he took over the press briefings in the reagan white house years after press secretary james bradie was shot in the assassination attempt on president reagan. a mississippi native and former print journalist, speaks had also worked for bob dole and president jerry ford. larry speaks was 74 years old. still ahead for us on this friday night, the outbreak taking hold right across the country right about now. the death toll from flu is rising. nine people at one hospital alone. and later, an exclusive look at the future of space travel rapidly approaching, and seats going fast.

back here with health news, the flu has spread, sharply from

a week ago. there is a shortage of the main drug to treat it. it is flu season. it is worth paying attention to this latest threat. we get the latest tonight from nbc's janet shamlian. >> reporter: sean mccoy was surprised when his daughter came down with the flu on new year's day. the 2-year-old had a shot last fall. so did the entire family. the doctor prescribed tamiflu for all five of them but it turned out to be hard to find. >> it took us a while to get it. we had to run around to different pharmacies. some pharmacies didn't have it. >> reporter: there is a nationwide shortage of the liquid tamiflu used for younger patients, right in the middle of a stubborn flu season. the cdc says the flu is spreading. it's gone from widespread in 25 states, now in 35 states. >> we have been seeing higher volumes in our emergency center. certainly children with flu-like symptoms. >> reporter: in st. louis, nine deaths in just one hospital. texas is also hard-hit. 13-year-old lydia died from the virus.

>> it kind of brings it to home, makes you think about making sure you have your kids immunized for it. >> reporter: in california, a flu tent outside this san jose hospital. the emergency room overrun with patients. in michigan, parents like jacob are heeding the advice that it's not too late to get a flu shot. >> doctors in hospitals like texas children can track the flu in the number of patients they're seeing. but now there are apps for the rest of us. this one, flu near you, shows where the virus is peaking all over the country. symptoms include fever or chills, a cough, runny nose, body aches and general fatigue. >> there you go. >> reporter: sean mccoy said kennedy had all of them, but she is much better now. >> it was very frightening, she was young, they're more susceptible to these things. >> reporter: a mean season for flu, with february's peak season still to come. janet shamlian, nbc news, houston. back in a moment with a

firefighter being hailed after a heroic rescue on the ice.

a civil rights trailblazer has died. franklin mccain was one of the four freshmen at north carolina ant who started the sit-in movement in greensboro, north carolina. mccain went on to become a research chemist. his death now leaves just two survivors of the original four. tonight richard branson's space team is one step closer to bringing customers to space and back. in a 90-minute supersonic test flight today at the mohave desert in california, they flew spaceship 2 to 71,000 feet, highest ever for a commercial winged vehicle. they say by the end of the year the paying customers will take the same ride but even higher. 325,000 feet into space and a $250,000 seat, and 670 people have already signed up for it.

the folks at google maps were forced into a mad scramble this week when for reasons unknown a square in berlin was temporarily labelled adolph hitler plotz. it hasn't been called that since the nazi era. it was enough to make google executive plotz. they corrected it immediately. they're investigating and so far have no idea how it happened. despite the fact that the emerging story line surrounding the nfl has to do with the head injuries on current and former players, as we head into a big weekend, four play-off games, it's very clear football fans have voted with their remotes this season, and they can't get enough. last weekend while cold gripped much of the nation, 47 million people watched the coldest game of the year in green bay. by comparison, the president's last state of the union address was seen by 33 million viewers. we are guessing firefighter sean coyle of ladder 19 in boston has a dog in his life

after he did this to save someone else's dog. a 13-year-old husky was on a walk for his morning business and fell through the ice in pleasure bay in south boston. firefighter coyle put on a survival suit and made the trek out, made the rescue, turning grateful dog over to grateful dog owner. when we come back, with the golden globes coming up on sunday night, we'll talk to woman who has been nominated twice.

finally tonight, we got to know her really on "seinfeld," and thankfully, we've seen her in a lot since. and when the golden globes air sunday night here on nbc, julia louis-dreyfus has a shot at not one but two golden globes for best actress in both tv and film. she's had a very good year, and she talked about it this week with nbc's harry smith. >> read this! >> what is this? >> reporter: if you're going to lampoon the foolishness and frustration of being an elected official -- >> oh, god, your face. >> reporter: -- why not go to the source?

to prepare for her role as the venal foul-mouthed vice president in the hbo hit series "veep", julia louis-dreyfus not only had lunch with vice president joe biden, she also talked to al gore. >> what is it like when you are number two, and you're not number one? >> there really is something sort of wonderful about being able to play somebody who really is second banana. >> barely. ♪ >> reporter: but then, we've always known she could get laughs, like in "seinfeld." this year, though, she is also nominated for her role in the film, "enough said". >> you know what i'm going to get you as president? i'm going to get you a calorie book. >> please don't. >> reporter: she shares the screen with the late james gandolfini. >> the character he plays in this film is so very close to who he was as a human being, kind, earnest, a gentle giant, very sympathetic. not at all tony soprano.

>> reporter: it is the first time she has had a lead role in a film in a performance that is both comedic and dramatic. >> i didn't know if that would come along for me, i'm so happy it has. >> reporter: she is cautious about her joy, however. the nomination pits her against, among others, screen legend meryl streep in "august: osage county." is there a part of you that wants to kick her butt? >> no, i wouldn't put it like that. she is obviously possibly the best actress in the world. so i'm just out of my mind to be in the same category with her. that is a prize by itself. >> reporter: meaning sometimes the best surprises are the ones you can't carry home with you. harry smith, nbc news, los angeles. >> there will be more of julia louis-dreyfus on a golden globe special airing tonight at 8:00. and then the award ceremony of course on nbc sunday night. that is our broadcast for this friday night and for this week. thank you for being here with us.

i'm brian williams. lester holt will be here with you this weekend. we of course hope to see you right back here on monday night. in the meantime, have a good weekend. good night. kind of surreal because i can't believe something like this can happen to someone, so young. >> at 6:00 he was 23 years old, the youngest victim thus far to die from the flu. we're hearing from those who knew him. i'm raj mathai. i'm jessica aguirre. a 23-year-old bay area man is the latest to die from the flu, the h 1 n 1 virus known as the

swine flu. his death captured the attention of a lot of people. we have team coverage. marianne talked to doctors how the young are getting hit hard but we begin with joe did hernandez where she's talking to the young man's family and friends. they must be devastated. >> they are very devastated, jessica. 23-year-old matthew walker we're told absolutely loved his job here at g and g market in san to rosa. we're told he showed up to work every day with a smile on his face and full of energy. this was a young man who truly seemed to be enjoying his youth until he was hit by the flu. >> i can't believe something like this could happen to someone, just so young. >> reporter: 21-year-old tanner peterson can't believe his friend and co-worker is gone. just three weeks ago, 23-year-old matthew walker was working beside him in the produce department of g and g supermarket in santa