cash back. >> shepard: i'm shepard smith this is the fox report. bottom of the hour time for the top of the news. nsa phone and internet surveillance programs have helped save lives. that's what president obama said today in germany. the german chancellor angela merkel says some people have concerns about the government collecting too much information. the president says the programs are bound by the rule of law to balance privacy and national security. by the way, he is speaking behind a bullet proof shield here. >> we know of at least 50 threats that have been averted because of this information not just from the united states but in some cases threats here in germany so lives have been saved. >> shepard: weighs behind a bullet proof shield. critics point out investigators admit the plot was in the early