Makers of flu shots out of vaccine (December 5, 2:09 p.m. AST) - The two makers of flu shots in the United States said Friday they have run out of vaccine and will not be able to meet a surge in demand resulting from fears of a particularly bad flu season.

Today in history On Dec. 6, 1889, Jefferson Davis, the first and only president of the Confederate States of America, died in New Orleans. • More history and birthdays

Federal prosecutor was stabbed 36 times, coroner says
BALTIMORE (December 5, 11:26 a.m. AST) - A federal prosecutor was apparently "brutalized with multiple stab wounds" and put in the creek where he eventually drowned, a Pennsylvania coroner said Friday.

Prosecutors agree to unseal evidence on suspect in kidnapping
GRAND FORKS, N.D. (December 5, 4:24 p.m. AST) - Prosecutors said Friday they were dropping their objection to unsealing their evidence against a man accused in the disappearance of a University of North Dakota student, saying they wanted to clear up "misinformation."

Police union defends officers involved in beating death
CINCINNATI (December 5, 2:13 p.m. AST) - Police union leaders on Friday defended officers involved in a struggle with a 350-pound man whose subsequent death was ruled a homicide.

Released inmate charges cockpit during flight
WASHINGTON (December 5, 1:33 p.m. AST) - A recently released inmate on a Honolulu-to-Seattle flight charged toward the cockpit, shouting that he wanted to see the pilot, and was subdued by undercover air marshals who were on board to monitor him, officials said.

Charges dismissed against Olympic bid leaders
SALT LAKE CITY (December 5, 10:21 a.m. AST) - A judge on Friday threw out all charges against two men accused of bribing members of the International Olympic Committee with $1 million in gifts, cash and favors to bring the 2002 Winter Games to Salt Lake City, saying prosecutors hadn't proved their case.

Boston zoo takes gorillas off display after escape
BOSTON (December 5, 11:51 a.m. AST) - Little Joe may one day be reintroduced to the public. But for now, the gorilla with a bad case of wanderlust is spending his days watching "SpongeBob SquarePants" cartoons and "Barney."

Ex-policeman gets 30 years for shooting rampage
TOMS RIVER, N.J. (December 5, 11:53 a.m. AST) - A retired police officer who killed his granddaughter and three others in an unprovoked shooting rampage through his neighborhood was sentenced Friday to 30 years in prison without parole.

New Jersey official resigns after child welfare problems
TRENTON, N.J. (December 5, 1:55 p.m. AST) - A former social worker who oversaw New Jersey's troubled child welfare agency announced her resignation Friday, following a series of child abuse cases in families that were under state supervision.

Malvo could have been brainwashed, expert testifies
CHESAPEAKE, Va. (December 5, 7:44 a.m. AST) - An expert on cults testified Friday that sniper suspect Lee Boyd Malvo could have been brainwashed by convicted sniper John Allen Muhammad, partly because of Malvo's childhood in which his mother often dropped out of his life and moved him to various homes.

Asbestos problems found in second Montana town
HELENA, Mont. (December 5, 11:23 a.m. AST) - A federal agency that is handling the multimillion-dollar cleanup of an asbestos-tainted Montana town found similar health problems in a second community nearby and will have to clean it up, too, officials said.

More Illinois communities consider banning smoking
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (December 5, 11:10 a.m. AST) - Success by anti-smoking groups in Skokie and Wilmette has triggered ordinance proposals or petition drives to clear the air in several Illinois communities.

Mistrial refused for Cubans in alleged hijacking case
KEY WEST, Fla. (December 5, 10:47 a.m. AST) - A judge refused to declare a mistrial Friday in the case of six Cubans accused of hijacking a passenger plane to Key West, even though a government witness violated a deal with the defense.

Janklow possibly had diabetic reaction before crash, expert says
FLANDREAU, S.D. (December 5, 10:44 a.m. AST) - U.S. Rep. Bill Janklow appears to have had symptoms consistent with a diabetic reaction before the Aug. 16 crash that killed a motorcyclist, an expert on the disease testified Friday during the congressman's manslaughter trial.

Ex-FBI agent to be extradited for murder trial
MIAMI (December 5, 10:38 a.m. AST) - A former FBI agent charged with a 1981 mob murder in Oklahoma has agreed to be extradited for trial, his attorney said Friday.

Limbaugh's lawyer blames politics in painkiller probe
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (December 5, 10:01 a.m. AST) - Rush Limbaugh's attorney accused the local prosecutor Friday of having political motives in investigating his client for allegedly purchasing painkillers illegally.

Woman trampled by holiday shoppers made past injury claims
ORANGE CITY, Fla. (December 5, 9:54 a.m. AST) - A woman who was trampled by Wal-Mart shoppers during a holiday sale on DVD players has made numerous injury claims against stores, including nine against the world's largest retailer.

Storm pelts East with snow, sleet
(December 5, 6:19 p.m. AST) - The Northeast's first major storm of the season brought a blustery surge of sleet and snow Friday, closing schools, making a mess of highways and triggering a rush on snow blowers and shovels.

Suspect in case of missing N.D. student won't get deal
GRAND FORKS, N.D. (December 5, 3:52 a.m. AST) - Prosecutors said they won't cut a deal with the man charged in the kidnapping of a North Dakota college student in exchange for information on her whereabouts.

Woman sentenced for breast-feeding baby while driving
RAVENNA, Ohio (December 5, 6:30 a.m. AST) - A woman who nursed her infant while driving 65 mph on the Ohio Turnpike was sentenced to three months of house arrest for violating child-restraint laws.

Cable thief earns gig as cable spokesman
INDIANAPOLIS (December 5, 4:56 a.m. AST) - A man convicted of providing illegal cable television hookups will become a spokesman for the cable company from which he stole.