on the broadcast tonight, a wild ride for the american economy. stocks surge to their highest close in more than five years, nearing an all-time high. but unemployment ticked up. then there's the price of gas. suddenly sky-high again. there's been another terrorist attack on a u.s. outpost overseas. our own richard engel is there, all of it playing out when we get a new secretary of state. new rules in the ongoing fight over birth control coverage. the president makes an offer. the question is, will religious leaders give it their blessing? and the big game. it's all over, but the shouting, the fans are in place, the excitement is building. oh, but wait. we're talking about the puppy

bowl on sunday. "nightly news" begins now. from nbc news world headquarters in new york, this is "nbc nightly news" with brian williams. good evening. late today the stock market crossed over something of a mythic mark of the modern era and the dow jones industrials closed above 14,000 for the first time since 2007. and we all remember what happened back then. the stock market has been on a tear of late, gaining almost 7% so far this year. s&p and nasdaq also up. we started the day by learning the unemployment rate had inched up to 7.9% again, while the economy actually added 157,000 jobs, not as many as hoped for or expected. nbc's tom costello starts us off in our washington newsroom tonight with what all of this mighmean. tom, good evening. >> hi, brian. the good news, anyone with

retirement money invested in stocks has made back much of what they lost during the great recession and the wall street selloff, about $8 trillion. a big rally on wall street today, with the dow back over 14,000. a lot has changed since the last time it crossed that mark on october 12th, 2007. within a year, lehman brothers and bear stearns failed. housing prices went off a cliff. the unemployment rate went from 4.7% to 10% before falling back to 7.9% today. in portland, oregon this week, more than 900 people applied for 160 new jobs at two new hardware stores. >> 80% of the people we saw were -- had been out of work for three months to up to two years. >> reporter: julie ober has been out of work for 16 months. >> my last job was front desk at a pain management company. and just -- i actually got sick.

and couldn't be there any longer. >> reporter: nationwide, some 12 million americans are still out of work. >> 7.9% unemployment simply not good enough. with that, wages don't rise. older folks don't see enough stock market gains to retire. and there's not enough new jobs for young people leaving school. >> reporter: while the jobs picture has been slowly improving, it's been a different story on wall street. after bottoming out four years ago, the dow has since climbed 111%. cnbc's bob pisani has seen a mood shift on wall street. >> the economy is slowly improving. it's not fast enough for a lot of people, unemployment is too high. but some of the key economic indicators are definitely getting better. >> reporter: what's going right for the economy? manufacturing has picked up. while the unemployment rate edged up to 7.9% in january, we also learned more jobs were added in 2012 than first reported. meanwhile, fear of a financial crisis is lessening. back in portland, julie ober's job hunt is now over.

>> i got the job! >> one more economic note. we talked last night about how gas prices are climbing fast. they moved even higher since then. now averaging $3.46 a gallon nationally, up almost 20 cents in just a month, brian. >> tom costello starting us off from washington tonight. tom, thanks. overseas now to another big story still developing this evening. with the attack in benghazi last september 11th still fresh in the minds of a lot of americans, there's now been another terrorist attack on a u.s. outpost overseas. this time the u.s. embassy in ankara, turkey, where we find our chief foreign correspondent, richard engel tonight. richard, good evening. >> reporter: good evening, brian. the american flag here at the embassy has been lowered to half staff. the attack took place just up this road behind me, which has now been closed by turkish police.

chaos of police and ambulances in one of ankara's most fortified districts. embassy row. on one stretcher, a well-known turkish journalist. she had come to have tea with the ambassador. she was at a visitor's gate in a security screening room when a suicide bomber came in and reached for his waist. a guard yelled "bomb" and then it exploded. turkish media identified the bomber who killed himself and a turkish guard. >> right now we are all dealing with our sadness at the loss of our fellow member of our embassy. we salute his bravery. >> reporter: the turkish government says the bomber was part of a radical leftist group that accuses turkey of being an american puppet of imperialism. the group hates u.s. influence and that turkey is part of nato, which recently deployed patriot missiles here. this was not al qaeda, but marxist, the government says, who just last september bombed a police station in istanbul.

no matter who was responsible, u.s. officials perhaps gun shy after benghazi were quick to call it terrorism. >> what was characterized as a terrorist attack. >> a suicide bombing on the perimeter of an embassy is by definition an act of terror. it is a terrorist attack. >> reporter: tonight, u.s. diplomats are cautioning americans to be vigilant in turkey, even though it has been considered one of the safest countries in the middle east. an embassy guard was killed, but the suicide bomber never managed to get beyond the outer checkpoint. the embassy building itself wasn't breached, brian. >> richard engel on the job for us in turkey tonight. richard, thank you. there was more violence in egypt today. this time outside the presidential palace there. a large protest directed at president mohamed morsi. some of the protesters threw molotov cocktails into the compound at the height of it during what at least started as a peaceful demonstration. all of these big developments

overseas playing out on a day when we got a new secretary of state. hillary clinton is now a private citizen, technically, anyway, for the first time in more than three decades. and john kerry no longer a senator from massachusetts, has been sworn in to replace her. our chief foreign affairs correspondent, andrea mitchell, at the state department for us tonight. andrea, good evening. >> reporter: good evening, brian. with egypt on fire and a suicide bomber attacking the u.s. embassy compound in turkey, there was no time to celebrate the changing of the guard at the state department. even on her last day as secretary of state, hillary clinton was calling the turkish foreign minister and the u.s. ambassador in ankara. >> of course, we live in very complex and even dangerous times as we saw again just today at our embassy in ankara. >> reporter: the embassy in turkey is old, build in the 1950s but the front gate is separate from the main building and well defended by marines. >> that tually insured this

wasn't far worse than it could have been. >> reporter: clinton's state department farewell was bittersweet. she took time to tour the building, saying goodbye to cafeteria workers. in the crowd, u.n. ambassador, susan rice, who had so wanted clinton's job. clinton's departure had the energy of a campaign rally. as she left, some women were shouting "2016." an hour later on capitol hill, john kerry, already protected by state department security, was sworn in as the 68th secretary of state by supreme court justice elena kagan. he had said goodbye yesterday, causing a small stir by telling "the boston globe" president obama offered him the job a week before. before susan rice with drew on "rock center." >> did you want the job? >> i would have been very honored to serve in that job, just as i'm delighted to do what i'm doing. >> reporter: tonight, kerry told nbc news in a statement that he had been overly casual in his comment and clarified the president did not formally offer

him that job until december after rice had withdrawn. he wants to focus on the middle east and climate change, but as clinton learned, he may not be able to choose his crises. >> andrea mitchell after another busy day at the state department. thanks. it's that time of year. energy secretary steven chu announced his departure today. that now makes eight cabinet departures for the second obama term, while six are staying so far. we also learn mark sullivan, the director of the u.s. secret service is retiring after 30 years with the agency. his tenure, of course, included the prostitution scandal among those agents posted in colombia. the white house moved today to compromise with religious leaders in the battle over contraceptive insurance coverage, part of the president's health care reform law. the new plan would allow employers opposed to contraceptives, such as catholic hospitals and colleges, to have employees get the coverage through separate, individual insurance policies, not connected to the workplace.

a man who was once one of the most powerful figures in the u.s. catholic church has been publicly rebuked, reprimanded and humiliated over his handling of hundreds of past abuse cases in the archdiocese of los angeles. cardinal roger mahoney has been rebuked by an archbishop in l.a., stripped of all his public duties. that's the first time that's happened since the church child sex abuse scandals first became known. the archdiocese also released tens of thousands of pages of files for 122 priests accused of molestation in what is another huge embarrassment for the catholic church in america. still ahead for us here tonight, we will remember the larger than life figure we lost today. but first, we'll go to new orleans where it's down to four quarters of football, billions of dollars worth of advertising and marketing as a great american city prepares to host the biggest football game of the year. and later, our visit to the other big game this coming weekend.

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well, super bowl weekend is here with everybody gearing up for the parties, the food, beyonce at halftime, the ads, the unsanctioned wagering, the dueling brothers back story. and at some point, the actual game. nbc's janet shamlian reports tonight from new orleans. ♪ >> reporter: new orleans has always known how to throw a party. but it's never been more ready than on this weekend. >> good hospitality, good food. it's awesome. >> reporter: primed for its close-up, and polished as bright as the sparkle on these championship rings.

>> in is a coming out for new orleans. i mean, we are sending the message that we can recover from anything. >> reporter: this is the tenth super bowl in the big easy. but the first since katrina more than seven years ago when the super dome was the site of so much suffering. it stands today a monument to resilience. >> it's been a great story of the recovery with a lot of help from the whole nation. >> reporter: football great archie manning, often called the first citizen of the city. >> we are proud. and people here that have kind of stuck this thing out -- >> reporter: there are still lingering scars. this weekend is a milestone. hotel rooms are full. and the economic boost could top $430 million. mardi gras will add to the total. >> all this money is going to really help all the local people who have really suffered for, you know, what has it been, eight years? >> reporter: as the kickoff nears, the brother coaches, john and jim harbaugh, fielded questions today before taking the field. >> there's no better coach than the national football league than this guy sitting right here. >> well, jack harbaugh, he's pretty darn good. >> that's true. >> reporter: no matter which team you're rooting for.

>> nothing finer than being a 49er. >> go reasons! >> reporter: there's little doubt, everyone is cheering for new orleans. could anything make this super bowl weekend better? >> if the saints were in it. >> if the saints were in it, that would be the only awesome thing. >> reporter: well, they couldn't make that happen this year, but crowds are pouring into the city tonight. and while this game is still 48 hours away, no surprise here, brian. celebrations are already well under way. >> with helicopters overhead, janet shamlian lucky enough to be in the big easy this weekend. thank you. sad news from texas tonight that the beloved bush family dog, barney, has died. the scottish terrier's exploits during 43's presidency proved hugely popular on the web. he was 12 years old, memorialized in the bush home in a painting by the former president. when we come back, the two icons we're remembering here in new york tonight. ng here in new york tonight. e diabetes... your doctor will say get smart about your weight.

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how am i doing? >> when you hear that voice, or for that matter, when you just close your eyes and think of the typical new yorker, there's a good chance ed koch might come to mind. the former mayor died early this morning. he served in congress for a while before being elected to three terms in city hall. just tonight, a new documentary film about his life opens in theatres. and today new yorkers pause to remember one of their own. >> my thoughts were up in heaven. he probably said, well, how did i do. and i'm sure the answer would be, you did well, ed. you did well. >> edward irving koch died of congestive heart failure at the age of 88 this morning. koch never married, and with no immediate family of his own, as the "new york times" obituary put it, he was survived by new york itself. another new york city icon celebrated its 100th anniversary today. grand central terminal opened on this day back in 1913.

45 track platforms, 700,000 people passing through every day. it's one of the nation's most beautiful and functional landmarks. and to mark the occasion, tonight we get a guided tour from a guy who has watched over the place for 40 years. here is the station master, harry kelly, in his own words. >> this is my office. it's exciting to be here. >> i'm the superintendent of building services of gct, grand central terminal. >> the way people barge in and out, you would think it was grand central station. >> a lot of people say "station." terminal, it's a terminal, because trains start and finish here. >> we go back since 1974. i'm always walking. visibility is a big thing. i can't sit still. the tennis court, it is a secret in a way. a lot of people don't realize it's here. the ceiling was very dirty. there's one spot that was left intact on top of track 30, shows you how dirty the ceiling actually was. this is the elevator that will take you to the furthest floor

below grand central. power department, generators and stuff like that. >> everything is automatic now. time moves on. what are you going to do? >> the 454 train going to north white plains, the train departs from track number 102a on the lower level. >> 515 from new haven is running late. 98% on time now. it's too dull sometimes when -- because we're so good. the gallery. a lot of people stop there. one person would stand face-in, the other person would stand over here and they would just whisper and you can actually have a conversation. here it comes. hey, my man. frankie the cap. how is it going, buddy? welcome back from vacation. >> thank you. >> i feel like i'm the mayor. you have seen me interact with all of the departments. i know everybody, i know their business, i know all about them. to me it's not the grand central, the grand terminal or whatever, you know. it's nice-looking, it's

beautiful. it's my hangout. my home away from home. >> another true new yorker for you. grand central station master, harry kelly, in his own words for us tonight. we had some news around here today. while nbc news won't seem any different to those watching at home, the man who was led this news division for the past seven years announced today he's stepping down. from katrina through two wars and a couple of presidential elections, nbc news president steve capus has run it all on broadcast, cable and the internet. like many of us, started back in local news and worked his way up. he is a 20-year nbc news veteran. when we come back here tonight, the other gridiron event taking place on sunday. it involves just as much drinking and tackling as the real thing. [ female announcer ] today, jason is here to volunteer to help those in need. when a twinge of back pain surprises him. morning starts in high spirits, but there's a growing pain in his lower back. as lines grow longer, his pain continues to linger.

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enjoy the wildlife and natural beauty. and don't forget our amazing seafood. so come to the gulf, you'll have a great time. especially in alabama. you mean mississippi. that's florida. say louisiana or there's no dessert. brought to you by bp and all of us who call the gulf home. as we may have mentioned, there's a big game on sunday. and while millions upon millions of us football fans will be watching as we do every year, it's not for everybody, and some will be scanning around for an alternative. if, say, puppies are your thing, you're in luck, because for the ninth straight year, this sunday is puppy bowl sunday. and a while back, we got a behind-the-scenes look at animal

planet's annual attempt to provide intentionally fluffy counter programming. >> you can do this. it's the biggest day of your life. >> it would be nice to think actual nfl refs did this before a game, but this being the puppy bowl, he's an actor. and a good one. but to be honest, all we're really interested in is that moment when the command goes out and the guests of honor arrive. >> puppies coming in. >> when people walk in this room, what do they usually say at first? >> i think they usually are surprised by how small it is. because the puppies end up looking kind of big on it. >> the puppies' job, as they see it, is to love anyone with a pulse. on the field on this tiny sound stage on the west side of manhattan, they do everything puppies do at home. they drink, they wrestle, they pee on the easy-to-clean surface, all of it to the point of exhaustion. they also do other things puppies do at home. >> you've got to poop. poop patrol coming in. >> we have many, many personal fouls, and we try not to get

those, you know, exposed too much. >> there's a halftime show of kittens, which some people find exploitive. others find it empowering to the kittens. then back to the action and the reason we're here, for us dog-lovers, a field of dreams, a room full of puppies. and one in particular named pearl really got to us and our relationship escalated quickly. in my own defense, she was all over me. oh, stop kissing me. okay, if you must. importantly, these are shelter dogs. all 63 of them. and because right down to their individual player profiles on the web, they are all so irresistible, that's the one frustration viewers may have with this show taped so far in advance. >> is it at all frustrating, the people who don't know the lead time, and they call in or e-mail you, i want to adopt pearl, and pearl is already in a happy home situation.

>> your home. >> well -- or one like ours. but at least you can assure people they all go live in good homes. >> they do. they all go to happy, healthy homes, right? >> so if your team isn't in the big game sunday, if there are too many penalty time-outs, though come to think of it, we have them here, too -- you may consider this the warm and fuzzy game day alternative. >> you are ridiculously cute. scared yourself to death. >> one more note about the lovely pearl. while she did not go home with us, she was adopted by a loving family, and it is enjoying a great life in connecticut. she is now 5 months old, and the williams family has been granted visitation rights. that's our broadcast on a 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 great weekend.

good night. .