This is a very large killing investigation, the crime sinnings is extensive, we are currently applying a tremendous number of resources, in conjunction with our partners from LAPD, and Los Angeles airport, world airport police. 

 

Bowdich says they are looking closely at Ciancia as backgound but wouldn't go into detail. The shooting took place at terminal 3 at LAX this morning. The airport was close for a time but parts have reopened. 

 

The treasury department is making flexible spending accounts for healthcare more attractive, by allowing some of the money to roll over at the end of the year.  As NPR's Julie Rovner reports until now, consumers who didn't use all of their money they set aside had to fulfill it. 

 

The accounter a popular way for people to see for unreimbursed medical expenses, like deductibles and co-payments, and things that often are uncovered like eye glasses. But the defect, the money was used or lose it, amended account have been less attractive to those with moderate incomes, and they've often led to frantic and sometimes wasteful end of year spending, as consumers trying to avoid losing money deducted from their pay checks. Under the new rules, employers will have the option to letting people carry over up to 500 dollars to use through the next year, or providing a 2.5-month grace period, they can't do both however. Julie Rovner NPR News, Washington. 

 

Beginning today, tens of millions of Americans who get food stamps will see their benefits start to decrease. As NPR's ElsoChainx, reports a short-term increasing funding for the program from the 2009 stimulus is expiring. 

 

Since the recession hit the number of people who rely on food stamps has bloomed. The 2009 stimulus package provided a temporay boost to the food stamp program, but beginning today, that program is getting hit with the five billion-dollar cut. Farm bills passed by both House and senate would make further cuts and negotiations between the two chambers have just begun as to how big the cut should ultimately be. The house bill would reduce funding by additional four billion dollars annually, while cuts in the senate bill would amount to about a 1/10 of that. Today's blow to the food stamp program comes just as other parts of the stimulus package have ended as well, like the two-year payroll tax holiday. ElsoChainxxx, NPR News, the Capitol. 

 

A divided appeals court in Washington, aside with two Ohio business owners who challenge the birth control mandate under the new federal health care law. The owners say the mandate would force them to violate the Roman catholic beliefs and more values by providing contraceptives for employees. Appeals courts are divided on the issue which will have to be resolved by the superme court. 

 

Other of news by the closing bell on Wall Street today, the Dow Jones industrial average up 69 at 15,615; NASDAQ up two; S&P500 up five. This is NPR News. 

 

The man believed to have been behind the failed car bombing in New York city's Time Square, has apparently died. Intelligence officials in Pakistan and Taliban militants claimed US drone strikes killed Hakimullah Mehsud, Pakistani officials say four others were killed by the drone strike. Officials from the US national security council however will not confirm his death. He was on the CIA counter-terrorism centers mostly wanted list for his role in the suicide bombing at a base in Afghanistan in 2009, that killed seven Americans. 

 

Violent storms had moved out of central Texas, but several areas are still being ravaged by flood water. Texas public radio's Ryan Lord reports runoff from this week's downpour is creating dangerous conditions. 

 

Crews are out serving, the damage from a slow moving storm system that crawled over central Texas late Wednesday, in Destruct county, east of Austin, rivers are at plus stage or above, the county's emergecny management co-leader, MichaelFisherxx, says although his areas saw, 3.5 to 7 inches of rain, run off from parts of Austin that's on massive amounts of rain fall as now roaring down stream. 

 

So this is really taking on two-character trace, it is local flush flooding and in a river rain flooding. That was accumulation of water that came down stream tours. 

 

Fisherxx says, the soaking is on top already saturated soil from the past months. For NPR News, I'm Ryan Lord in San Antonio. 

 

Auto sales took ahead with a partial federal government shutdown last month, but rebounded nicely in the last two weeks of October, that's from the months before, sales rose 11% to 1.2 million vehicle sold. GM, Ford, Nissan and Chrysler are recorded double digit sales gains. Toyota and Honda saw smaller gains. I'm Jeanine Herbst NPR News in Washington.