>> julie: a top al-qaeda operative, a man officials described as someone involved in the logistics, training and planning of potential attacks now assumed to be dead after an attack in pac. i'm julie banderas. live as "fox report" tonights. >> chilling new video from an american member of al-qaeda. blaming outside nations for a recent string of attacks in pakistan believed to be the work of extremists. and offering condolences to the victim's families. a rare dismral of compassion raising question about the motive as word spreads to the death in the terror group highest ranks. also, new details on the scandal surrounding golfing great tiger woods, as woods announces his indefinite break from the court, word of court action from across the pond. one of his biggest sponsors now distancing themselves from the golf star. could more companies follow suit? plus -- >> i've been trying to figure out what i can do so i don't sit idle. >> my life's on hold. i'm pretty much 100% focussed on trying to find my daughter. >> julie: he's been missing for more than five days. now police doubling their efforts to find a 28-year-old missing mom. a disappearance investigators are calling highly suspicious. tonight, the latest on the investigation and what family and friends of the missing mother of two are doing to help find her. developing now on the "fox report," the search intensifying for a young mother who mysteriously vanished. it's been six days and counting since susan powell disappeared from her salt lake city, utah, home. concern of the mother of two boys arriving monday when she didn't show up at her stockbroker's job. her husband joshua telling police he was on the camping trip with the husband's two children in the time of his wife's disappearance. the children ages two and four. police saying he's cooperating with the investigation. right now, investigators labelling powell a missing person's case. they call highly suspicious. the west valley city police valley saying he's put every detective on the force on the case. and powell's father arriving in utah from washington to do what he can to find his missing daughter. >> iz would like to see if i can help out with the search for this. it's been five days. it's something that we have to find her. >> powell's purse, her cell phone and car reportedly left behind at her home. circumstances like that only adding to the deepening mystery tonight. "desperate housewives" is live at the los angeles -- adam housley live at the los angeles newsroom. >> they say 30 detectives is on the case. what they say happened according to the husband joshua powell is this -- last sunday night late in the evening he decided to take his 4-year-old and 2-year-old camping two hours outside salt lake city in a remote area and he said he forgot what day it was. when he came back monday night, his wife susan was gone. we had a chance, the local affiliate to talk to charles cox, susan's father who flown in from washington. he like authorities say the story is suspicious and doesn't sound like something susan would do. take a listen. >> a good mother. good provider of her children and good wife. no way she would leave it with her purse or children. >> they say there was a search of the home and something was found out of the ordinary. no signs of forced entry. susan's car, her purse and cell phone were found in the home. >> julie: adam, what are authorities now say in saying? >> julie, actually, a little bit ifp problems there. the question you were asking about has to do with what has been going on so far. we do know the family has come in again from washington, the father. at least 100 people were part of a vigil today in the area. they had a candlelight vigil. people were fasting and passing out 4,500 we're told, 4,500 flyers have been passed out around salt lake city. they've gone to the jazz game, the basketball team playing tonight passing them out there and everybody is keeping up hope to find the mother of two as soon as possible. >> julie: adam housley, thank you very, very much. more on the stunning announcement from tiger woods and the fall-out. at least one major sponsor saying today it will limit the golf superstar's role in the ad campaign after woods announced he's taking indefinite leave from golf to try to save his marriage. his swift fall from public grace started with a one-car accident on thanksgiving night and quick quickly evolved major public sex scandals. fox news confirmed his lawyers got court order in the united kingdom to bar journalists there from publishing certain still pictures and video picture of woods. laura ingle has the latest. there are a lot of rumors out there. but if tiger's lawyer had to get a court order to prohibit the journalists in the u.k. from publishing explicit photos, does that indicate that there could be nude photos of tiger woods flying around some somewh somewhere? >> it makes your heart leap, thinking of tiger. we talked to the legal experts and they say it's a pre-emptive strike to make sure if there are explicit or nude photos throughout, this will hopefully put a stop to it. saying that, this doesn't mean -- the court order in the u.k. doesn't mean that there are legitimate photos out there. we heard "playgirl" are looking at photos that have been submitted but their legal team is looking that over. >> julie: his caddy knows him best, on the golf course, they're together all the time. his caddy has spoken out. >> to new zealand news newspaper saying he had no idea of any alleged infidelity. now tiger woods has come out and said that. but he says absolutely not. he didn't know anything about it. he's been accused of not only eknowing about it but possibly helping him, at least some people out there have -- >> julie: clearing his name as well. >> he is. he's saying i didn't know anything about it. he said he knew that tiger had a problem, but he wouldn't say what that problem was. >> julie: worst kept secret in the game of golf. what about the endorsement deals? are those going to drop like flies? >> that's what everyone is waiting for. procter & gamble which makes gillette admitted they'll start to distance themselveses from tiger woods, really out of respect they say. other big name, nike has not pulled back. at&t said to be reconsidering their relationship with tiger woods. >> all right. thank you very much. more to come. >> julie: i'm sure. much more on tiger. his admitted infidelity and the fall-out tonight at "geraldo at large." don't miss that. it's almost, almost as divisive as the senate's healthcare bill. and today republicans made a last-ditch effort to filibuster it. but the attempts coming up short. the senate advancing the $1.1 trillion omnibus spending bill. now the final vote to pass this expected tomorrow. end of the year bill intended to provide a big boost to government of many agencies and it includes mandatory payments for federal benefit programs such as medicare and medicaid. but today's procedural vote reminiscent of the previous nail-biting votes we've already seen on healthcare or at least expect to see anyway. the only difference, this vote left senators on both sides of the aisle breaking party ranks. molly henneberg is live in washington to explain. >> hi, julie. this bill does not include defense spending, but otherwise, as you were saying, funds good portion of government operations, as well as medicare, medicaid and other benefit programs. it provides several budget increases over the cost of inflation. democrats say the bill backs up the nation's priority. but republicans want congress to show fiscal restraint. >> do you suppose the government could be like families and prudent in how much it spends or increases the spending in the priest year? >> the appropriation bills have taken longer and longer. >> the final vote tally was 60-34. mostly along party lines. three republicans voted with the democrats to cut off debate. senator ko cochran of mississippi, collins of maine and shelby of alabama. senator bayh of indiana, senator finegold of wisconsin and mccaskill of missouri voting against the spending bill. and held it open so connecticut independent senator lieberman could be there. he's an orthodox jew does not drive on the jewish sabbath, so he walked from his synagogue to the capitol three miles to cast his vote. he was the 60th vote that cut off the debate. julie? >> julie: molly henneberg, thank you very much. a show of support in one devastated community in the wake of the senseless murder of four police officers. plus, the dramatic story of one woman's encounter with a robber. and the dramatic police chase that ensued. this is video you have got to see. next. >> julie: a community turning out the show its support for four washington state police officers murdered in cold blood. people lining up this morning for reopening of the coffee shop where the lakewood officers died. you may remember two weeks ago a crazed gunman ambushed the officers as they gathered at the shop before reporting for duty. the lakewood police chief was the first customer. right now, the coffee shop with a large framed poster with portrait of the fallen officers and eventually they plan to hang plaques honoring them. the suspected gunman was later shot and killed by the seattle police. update on the deadly shooting in new york city times square when a plain clothes police officer shot and killed a street peddler who was firing with a mac-10 pistol. according to officials that weapon was purchased from a gun shoppe in virginia. a woman bought it there in october but then reported it stolen about two weeks later. cops are now looking into whether she had any connection to the street peddler who we're told often sold his cds in times square. police investigating after a burglar what was caught on surveillance video broke in nelly's multi-million dollar mansion outside st. louis. you can see the intruder captured by the home surveillance camera there. police say he came in through a window. no one was hurt. we're told the grammy award winning artist was not home. the burglar got away with a beautiful bag filled with electronic and video games. another was not as lucky. the grinch trying to steal christmas from an oklahoma family but he didn't realize the woman he was trying to rip off was one step ahead of him the entire time. kokh in oklahoma has the story. >> rachel flint and her 10-month-old daughter left her house for an hour to go shopping. when she returned, she saw a strange car in her driveway. >> i came out and saw someone coming out. >> the man started to leave and she called 911. >> behind him right now going east. >> i thought if i stayed in pursuit of distance we had a greater chance to catch him. >> she does all the right things, got involved enough to give us the important situation to apprehend the situation but didn't put herself or her child in harm's way. >> it shows the officer in pursuit. >> no pursuit for life or property. >> the officer perfo performs a intervention to stop the man spending the pursuit in less than 90 seconds. >> history will tell us that the pursuits continue, the likelihood of suspect greatly increases. >> hay had to cut the suspect out of the car. they found the flat screen television, computer and christmas gift in the vehicle. >> picture perfect ending to a holiday crime. we got the suspect in custody. no damage to our car. no injury to anyone other than the xupt. > -- community. >> smoking pot is hazardous to your help but for one man in florida, it killed him. a man died after choking on a bag of marijuana. according to the officials in panama city beach, cops used a stun gun to shock the suspect who they say were resisting arrest. they says they noted he was choking and pointing toward his chest. they tried to give him the heimlich maneuver but were unsuccessful. the 23-year-old man was later pronounced dead. he may have been trying to swallow the evidence. >> a race against time as the rescuers in washington state search for hikers lost in mount hood. we have details next. a warning for parents who might think of hooking up their kids with a cell phone. imagine laying your eyes on the phone bill right there. the costly lesson a teenager in california taught his dad. ll >> fox news weather alert. there is a deep freeze across the country this weekend. we're getting everything from heavy rain on the west coast to aven avalanche of snow in th northeast. then unexpected frost in the heartland. this is snow where they've put crop harvesting on ice for the time being. farmers say they plan to use a good portion of the profit if they can't dig up the corn from beneath all of that snow. more snow covering upstate new york in some areas. it was coming down at a rate of two to three inches an hour. creating hazardous situations for drivers and shutting down two interstates. the accuweather nicky stanzion has more. >> it peoples like mother nature opened her freezer in the west coast and doesn't feel like closing it soon. the good news for the northeast is things are improving through the night, as we have the lake effect machine shut down. and the air not quite as cold as what it was last night. you can see a clear night across the region. not the case in the southeast. this is going to affect the northeast once we get into the sunday, early morning hours. you can see the frontal boundary draped across the southeast, producing the rain all the way from louisiana, on up through the carolinas. we're going to see heavy rain and make its way to northeast with wintry mix. watch in southern pennsylvania for slippery conditions. we see the rain moving along the i-95 corridor. we have to watch out for the heavy rain across california from san francisco to san diego. heavy snow out in the sierra. stay warm out there. back to you. >> julie: we'll try. thank you very much. >> thank you. >> julie: in california, a massive crackdown on criminal immigrants nets hundreds of suspects. the u.s. immigration department is calling the three-day operation the largest of its kind. some 400 agents were involved. nearly 300 foreigners with criminal can records ranging from robbery to rape were picked up. a third of those arrests happen i happening in los angeles county. police say it gets the criminals off the street. but critics say this creates a climate of fear in immigrant communities and often separate parents from their children. emergency crews launching a search and rescue operation for three hikers stuck on washington mount hood. the hikers getting stranded on the mountain early this morning. however, they were able to send a text message to a friend to go get help. the phone company providing rescue teams with location coordinates from the text messages. we're told the hikers are experienced and they are well equipped. we're going to keep you updated on the developingtory as the edetails come in the newsroom. cautionary tale to parents who might think of getting their kids their own cell phone. listen to what happened to one dad in hayward, california. teddesteria thought it would cost $50 month to add his 13-year-old son to his cell f phone account. not bad, right? imagine his surprise when he got a bill totalling -- you see it there -- nearly $22,000? it seems his kid apparently downloaded a million-and-a-half kilobytes of data from the internet. ted who is unemployed at the moment says there is no way he can pay the bill. the spokesperson for verizon said they'd try to work out a payment plan. american-born al-qaeda leader with a message today to the united states. we have it for you. what former british prime minister tony blair is saying about his decision to send military into iraq. as "fox report" tonights. p >> julie: just days after a u.s. drone attacked that's believed to have killed a top al-qaeda leader and american born al-qaeda operative is speaking out about a recent string of deadly strikes in pakistan, saying that terror groups doesn't kill innocent muslims. and that the u.s. and pakistan have been framing al-qaeda for those attacks. here is caroline shively with more from washington. caroline? >> the u.s. officials tell the drone strike took out senior leader for al-qaeda. there are strong indications that he has died. engaged in plotting throughout the world, given his world probably included attacks against the united states and europe. he took strategic guidance from al-qaeda's top leadership. two strikes by the cia drones in northwest pakistan this week and they've been looking for al somali for a while. he would have headed any plots outside pakistan and afghanistan. operational commanders are described as the number three, handling the lo jaycic, train -- logistic, training and planning. they're trying to downplay the terrorist group role in any attack that kills innocents. in the video, al-qaeda's american-born spokesman says that al-qaeda is being framed for attacks that were actually done by the u.s. and pakistani officials. >> the muslim brothers and sisters, don't be deceived by the plots and don't let them dissuade you continuing to support. morally, physically and financially. >> more than 500 people have been killed in attacks in pakistan since october. julie? >> caroline, shively, thank you very much. >> new information revealed today about five young americans held in pakistan for alleged links to terrorism. the five men are muslim students from the washington, d.c., area. pakistan police official reveals they had accomplished contact with the taliban recruiter and reportedly admitted to the f.b.i. that they were on a mission to become martyrs. the students were detailed by pakistani police earlier in week and they were accused of using the social networking site facebook to connect with extremist groups. the five men are expected to be deported to face charges here in the u. u.s. >> he stood as one of the biggest ally to the invasion in iraq. and tony blair showing no signs he's second guessing his support for war. he said it was necessary to remove hussein and his cronies from power even if it was known he didn't have weapons of mass destruction. we have more from baghdad. >> the last time we heard tony blair speak of length as to why we went to war in 2003 was after he left power. he'll be the witness in the war inquiry underway in the united kingdom. today it's something he might have said come then but today he said to the bbc, his biggest concern was iran could have started a nuclear arms race across the mideast. >> it was notion of him to the threat as the region, as wmd was one of the -- [ inaudible ] 12 years of united nationsto and 'fro. coming for weapon on his own people. this was supper most in my mind. >> his announcement of the proposed weapons of mass destruction in 2003 is part of what has become apparent in the inquiry, premeditated policy by blair and george w. bush to remove saddam. today he said he would still have toppled saddam hussein but used and deployed different arguments. he sent 40,000 of his troops to iraq. 180 of them were killed. all the same, he says he thinks we're better off without saddam and his sons. he was at pains to say his religious faith played no direct part in his decision. he done universitied to catholicism soon after leaving power and he's concerned he was seen as modern day christian crusader. the bbc interview hasn't gone done particularly well in iraq. mr. everyday iraqis believe the democracy they were handed doesn't work, that it's not about the people. it's merely to line the pockets of the politicians. many say while he was oppressor, at least there was relatively peace. back to you. >> thank you very much. >> julie: houston may be on the verge of becoming the nation's largest city to elect an openly gay mayor. voters there went to poll to cast a ball hot in hotly contested runoff election, pitting parker against former city attorney gene locke. parker who is a lesbian never made issue of her sexual orientation, neither has her opponent. but it's sparked debate between religious groups and gay organizations nationwide. the latest poll showing that she leads by 49 to 36%. a 5,000. pound pipe falls from the sky and lands on a cab. you think you spoil your pet? acupuncture for your pooch, no stops as we go across america. wisconsin, fire destroying a barn housing quail. none of the birds could be saved. the fire is under investigation. california, a taxi driver and his fare narrowly escaping death after a giant pipe crushed part of the cab. the 5,000 pound cylinder rolling off a tractor trailer after the driver lost control and struck a barrier wall. incredibly, the police saying the two men inside the cab only suffered minor injuries. washington -- [ quacking ] this isn't your usual ice rescue. animal control officers getting calls about a duck stuck on a frozen pond. when they found it, it couldn't walk away or fly no matter how hard it tried. animal control safely recovering the animal. but officers warning others not to attempt such a rescue on their own. >> we were able to walk on the ice and some of the thicker parts, i do not recommend ittism would not try it without being trained professional. it's dangerous. you can fall through easily. and no one might be around to help you out. >> oklahoma -- ? we'll do a lot of back points to keep his spine feeling and do lower leg points to seep having sensation to his etoes. >> popular but pricy form of therapy for humans going to the dogs. a vet using acupuncture to help k-9s lead longer and healthier lives, saying that the ancient treatment stimulates nerves and muscles that otherwise weaken with age. the dog owners seem convinced. >> in new york, unusual dog rescue here made possible by a company that unclogs drains. workers using a special hose camera to locate a jack russell terrier stuck deep down in what we're told in a fox hole. it took hours but finally two shiny little eyes appeared in the dark there. and just in time, since the temperature was quickly dropping, after quite a bit of digging, the pup was home free and reunited with her family. the breed is known by the way for fox hunting. outpouring of support for the american student convicted of murder in italy. how thousands of people captivated by her story are reaching out to amanda knox. and why her ex says she could never kill anyone. a dream liner takes to the skies after many delays. the boeing 787 set to make history up, up, and away next. >> julie: the american student convicted of murder in italy received thousands of letters from people believing she's innocent. according to her mother, amanda knox beginning a prison sentence and her ex-boyfriend is speaking out saying she was "too sweet to kill anyone." raphael also convicted in the 2007 death of knox's roommate and the prosecutors call it a drug-fueled sex game gone wrong. now one week after a jury handed down the verdict, he has much to say about the woman the tabloids call foxy knoxie. and about who he blames for their convictions. amy kellogg reporting from london. >> in his first interrue since receiving 25-year sentence for murder says he craves the normal life, breathing in sea an air, walking in italian town square and being with his family. he was the boyfriend of american student amanda knox but tells italy's newspaper he no longer loves her, simply feels bonded to her as his companion in misfortune. when asked if he thought she could kill in a fit of range he said, "i dare not think of such a thing. it's impossible. she's a sweet girl." he also said -- >> he blames the media for influencing the verdict of the case and thanks his family and says without them, he'd be dead. he said the uncertainty about his future is the toughest thing for him now. both he and his former girlfriend amanda knox were convicted of the 2007 murder of british student meredith kercher in italy. in what the prosecution said was drug-fueled attack involving sexual assault. both knox and the boyfriend are launching appeals. the boyfriend says he doesn't why he was condemned. >> julie: new chanter in american aviation history may be taking off days from now. take a look at the boeing 787 jetliner. a long awaited maiden flight. it could happen as early as tuesday. the 787 debut has been hampered by a number of structural problems. but boeing now says it has now reinforced weak points near the wing and fuselage. the company claims the plane passed hydraulic and electrical tasks and now it's up to the faa to give the fire go-around for first flight. new fox news poll numbers are out on president obama's decision to additional troops to afghanistan and how he's handling the war. and closer to home, we learn what issues americans are really concerned about. kohlcoa jamie colby has more. >> we must keep the pressure on al-qaeda. to do that, we must increase the stability and capacity of our partners in the region. >> as 2009 winds down, president obama is ramping up his agenda. both at home and abroad. but despite support for the president's surge in afghanistan, americans have one thing on their minds. their wallets. according to the latest fox news opinion dynamics poll. americans are reacting positively to sending an additional 30,000 troops to afghanistan starting early next year. 58% agree with the troop surge. up dramatically from 42% in november. >> nearly half of americans, 49%, now approve of how mr. obama is handling the war. up from 41% in october. the cost for the big jump, republicans and independents are getting on board. 38% of republicans and 48% of independents now approve of the president strategy. up from 20% for republicans and 38% of independents in october. democratic support holding steady. the president also set a date for troop withdrawal. something republicans insist is premature. >> success is real strategy. when conditions divisively begun to change for the better, that is when the troops return home with honor. >> majority of americans agreeing with a timetable. more than six in ten or 62% say begin a draw down of troops in 2011 is a good idea. mr. obama organization decision is giving his poll numbers another surge. approving to the job the president is doing overall reached 50%, four-point increase since november. that is down from high of 55% in january. both wars overseas do not top americans' concerns. when asked what the got should be working on, majority of americans say fixing the economy and creating jobs. 27 in 26% respectively. iraq and afghanistan places a distant fourth in 8%. it's taking a toll on barack obama's chances of being re-elected in 2012. slightly more americans, 46% say no he can't. while 44% think yes, he can. jamie colby, fox news. >> julie: you've seen commercialization of christmas before but maybe not like what we're going to show you. this is a holiday display that has anyone other than jolly. why is the archdiocese asked to get involved? find out next. europe on a budget. you can travel the globe and pay nothing for lodging. couch surfing your way around the world. next. >> julie: the ailing economy is forcing many of us to pull the purse string on number of luxuries such as traveling. now some very enterprising globe trotters figured out a way to figure out huge expense of hotel. they call it couch surfing. mike mebac of ktvu tells us it's catching on all over the world. >> once upon a time when the baby boomers were babies, people talked about europe on $5. today it might get you coffee, no tip. >> united arab emirates, switzerland, holland. >> amy of san francisco travels extensively and often sleeps in homes for free and finds transport for free and meets people besides hotel people and waiters. by couchsurfing.org. say you want to go to paris but you can't afford the hotel. flip on your computer and bring up couch surfing and you're in. next thing, find a city to go to, click it and pick it. >> it has a million-and-a-half members. >> no plans to be for profit enterprise. >> dan is one of the four fonders of -- founders of couch surfer has pending application of non-profit enterprise. despite the success and ivy league mba he says it exists for people interested in meeting others from different cultures. >> right now, we do not run advertisements on the site. never say never. possibility it could change. >> some people like to be hosts more than guests and open their homes to visitors. >> it's one of the top concerns that people have, safety. >> amy has hosted 200 people in almost four years since she joined. >> when i have someone come in to my house, i review the profile and check their references. i'll see if they have negative reference listed. >> she was a meet-up at a bar where the couch surfing members congregate in the flesh. s the founder is as equally about meeting up. >> it's not a dating site. >> they were tight lipped about meeting someone romantically through couch surfing. >> nope. >> never? >> nope. >> many others, 21-year-old irish student who joined couch surfing and was visiting san francisco for the first time was less orthodox. >> part of it. play it right. >> christmas in paris, anyone? nike mibac. >> julie: sexy holiday nativity causing uproar in california. the controversial window display features a scantily-clad virgin mary lying on a bay of hay. courtesy of popular beverly hills clothing boutique. some say it's no big deals but others call it disrespectful and want them taken down. >> i said to them your display is degrading, it's disgusting and it's an insult to my religion. >> it's done in good taste. so if the image has 450i heel and garter belts or something, yeah. but no. >> julie: opponents of the window display have contacted the los angeles archdiocese for help to get it removed. we're told the clothing store had no comment. a curious cat can lead to unhappy endings but after a chilly ride down the interstate, curiosity didn't kill this cat. how he managed to survive the trip. bad kitty next. @@@@úúúúo >> julie: in sub-freezing temperatures cool critter survived the odds. the 3-month-old kitten that kitched a long cold wide had found a new hope. andrew padulla from ktpv in oregon with the story. >> mark says after he finished a day's work in olympia yesterday, he hopped in his suv and hit the road. along the way he took a break at a rest stop and heard meowing but couldn't find any trace of a cat. he made it home and got out of the car and that's when the meowing started up again, so he got a flashlight. >> sure enough, the cat was up underneath in the spare tire spot up there. >> he shined a light and i saw the little guy's face there. we tried to get him out and coaxed him with a little piece of salmon. and then he -- i just pulled him right out. >> from there, mark and his daughter took the cat inside to warm it up. >> it was cold. i can't imagine traveling 75 miles per hour down the freeway and being 20 degrees outside. must have been cold. >> the cat doesn't have a micro chip and wasn't wearing a collar. they even called the local businesses in olympia near where mark worked yesterday trying to find his owner. no one claimed the kitty, so they decided to keep him. all they need now is good name. >> well, we have a few floating around. there's chevy and tahoe, and hitch and lucky. couple others. nothing quite yet. >> so cute! >> julie: that was andrew padulla reporting. and on this day in the year 2000, fierce battle for oval office between sitting president -- sitting vice president and man hoping to be the next leader of the free world is finally ended by the supreme court. in a controversial 5-4 decision, the highest court in the land reversed a florida supreme court request for a recount. essentially awarding bush the state's 25 electoral votes. just one more than he needed to win the white house nine years ago today. and now you know the news as fox reports this saturday december 12, 2009. i'm julie banderas. huckabee is up next. thanks for watching. see you back here tomorrow, same time, same place, same channel. thanks for watching, everyone.