Associated Press

Security software provider Palo Alto Networks says it has discovered a new form of malware that may have affected hundreds of thousands of Apple mobile device users, largely in China and has the potential to spread elsewhere.

The company is calling the malware WireLurker and says it monitors devices connected by a USB cable to an infected computer and installs malicious applications onto the device. The malware steals a variety of information from mobile devices, but the goal of its creator isn’t clear yet.

Apple did not immediately return calls from The Associated Press seeking comment early Thursday morning.

Palo Alto Networks says the malware is spreading through applications downloaded from Maiyadi App Store, a third-party

JEFFERSON CITY (AP) – Many Missouri counties are declining to issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples a day after a judge in St. Louis ruled that the state’s ban on gay marriage is unconstitutional.

The president of the Recorders’ Association of Missouri said the group was advising county officials Wednesday that the ruling by St. Louis Circuit Judge Rex Burlison applies only to that city and not the rest of the state.

Association president Jan Jones said she was following that advice in Johnson County and not issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples. Officials in Boone, Cole, Greene, Miller, Osage and Jasper counties also said they weren’t issuing the licenses.

But a spokeswoman for the St. Louis County recorder of deeds said it already had issued marriage licenses to two same-sex couples Wednesday.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kansas City’s traditional lighting ceremony on the Country Club Plaza will be brighter and more energy efficient this year.

The owners of the shopping and entertainment district say 85 percent of the bulbs used in this year’s Thanksgiving Day event will be LEDs rather than the colored lights used in the past. An LED, or light emitting diode bulb, uses 0.46 watts. The traditional holiday bulbs each use 10 watts.

The Kansas City Star reports that Highwoods Properties, which owns the Plaza, began researching the LED bulbs a few years ago but had to wait to more fully use them until colors and sizes became available.

Highwoods officials say the company hopes to be 100 percent LED for next year’s ceremony.

INDEPENDENCE, Mo. (AP) — Police say two people were struck and killed on Interstate 70 in Independence.

The pedestrians were hit by more than one car, including an Independence police car, early Thursday.

Independence police say on the department’s Facebook page that it is unclear why the two victims were walking on the interstate. The accident occurred just early Thursday. The highway was closed for several hours but reopened about 5 a.m.

Police are seeking witnesses to the incident. Further details were not immediately available.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Claire McCaskill and Roy Blunt released statements about the election results:

McCaskill said, “These election results will change the power balance in Congress—but one thing that remains the same is my commitment to work with all of my colleagues, Republican and Democratic, to forge bipartisan compromise, achieve results for Missouri, and strengthen accountability in our government. Congratulations to the winners, and my sincere thanks to those candidates who didn’t win, but still succeeded in making our democracy accountable. Now, let’s get to work.”

Blunt had a similar statement, “Voters sent a clear message today. They rejected President Obama’s policies, and they rejected the Senate Democrats’ refusal to debate hard issues.

“It’s time for Washington to get back to the people’s work, and a change in Senate leadership will create a greater opportunity to get things done. I’m honored to work for Missourians in the new Senate majority, and I will keep fighting every day to ensure their voices are heard in Washington.

“I hope President Obama will take this chance to work with the new Republican Congress to pass pro-growth policies that help American families and workers. I believe we can start by sending the president some of the 300-plus bills that the House has passed, bills that have stalled on Harry Reid’s desk.”

United States Attorney

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Tammy Dickinson, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that five men have been indicted by a federal grand jury, in separate and unrelated cases, for offenses involving child sexual exploitation and child pornography.

USA v. Crippen

James Allen Crippen, 43, of Joplin, Mo., was charged in a two-count indictment returned today by a federal grand jury in Springfield, Mo.

Today’s indictment alleges that Crippen received and distributed child pornography over the Internet on July 20, 2014. Crippen is also charged with possessing child pornography on Oct. 22, 2014. The indictment contains a forfeiture count, which would require Crippen to forfeit to the government any property used to commit the alleged offenses, including two desktop computers, an iPhone, two cell phones, 42 optical media disks and other electronic media storage devices.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Abram McGull, II. It was investigated by the Southwest Missouri Cybercrimes Task Force, the FBI and the Joplin, Mo., Police Department.

USA v. Norman

Chase Trevor Norman, 24, of Cassville, Mo., was charged in a three-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield, Mo., on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2014. The indictment replaces a federal criminal complaint that was filed against Norman on Oct. 15,2014.

The indictment alleges that Norman used a minor to produce child pornography between Sept. 21 and Oct. 10, 2014. The indictment also charges Norman with two counts of using the Internet and a cell phone to induce a minor to engage in illicit sexual activity.

According to an affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint, Norman used an iPod app to send obscene photos of himself to a 12-year-old child, and requested and received nude images of the child victim. Norman allegedly was making arrangements to meet the child for sexual contact. The child victim told investigators that she met Norman on Facebook; she sent him a friend request, the affidavit says, because she assumed he was friends with one of her friends. A law enforcement officer assumed the identity of the child victim, according to the affidavit, and made arrangements to meet Norman in the parking lot of a local church for the purpose of taking the child back to his apartment to engage in sexual activities. Norman was arrested as he approached the meeting location.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Carney. It was investigated by Immigration and Custom Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

USA v. Albert

David Albert, 50, of Springfield, Mo., was charged in a two-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield, Mo., on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2014. The federal indictment alleges that Albert attempted to use a minor to produce child pornography between Aug. 1 and Oct. 2, 2014. Albert is also charged with receiving and distributing child pornography over the Internet between Jan. 1 and Oct. 2, 2014.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Kelleher. It was investigated by the Southwest Missouri Cybercrimes Task Force, Immigration and Custom Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Springfield, Mo., Police Department.

USA v. Schaefer

Darren Eugene Schaefer, 36, of Marionville, Mo., was charged in a two-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield, Mo., on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2014. The federal indictment alleges that Schaefer used the Internet and a cell phone to induce a minor to engage in illicit sexual activity.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ami Harshad Miller. It was investigated by the Southwest Missouri Cybercrimes Task Force, Immigration and Custom Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the FBI.

USA v. Grant

Sheehan R. Grant, 37, of Iowa, was charged in an indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield, Mo., on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2014. The federal indictment alleges that Grant traveled across state lines from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to Joplin, Mo., on Oct. 16, 2014, for the purpose of engaging in illicit sex with a minor.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Kelleher. It was investigated by the Southwest Missouri Cybercrimes Task Force and Immigration and Custom Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Dickinson cautioned that the charges contained in these indictments are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

NORTH KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Police say a driver in North Kansas City lost control of his SUV after his daughters distracted him, killing one girl and seriously injuring the other.

Police say 9-year-old Ke-Aire Good died of a traumatic head injury on Wednesday. Police say her father veered off the road and hit a parked truck.

Five-year-old Kaleah Good was taken to Children’s Mercy Hospital in serious but stable condition. The father was treated for unspecified injuries at the scene.
Police say both children were properly restrained.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Gov. Jay Nixon has released more than $5.6 million in state funds he had frozen earlier, saying the move was possible because Missouri gained jobs in September.

Wednesday’s release includes $2 million for the A+ Scholarship program and $1 million for Access Missouri scholarships.

The announcement came on day after Missouri voters approved a constitutional amendment that allows lawmakers to override a governor’s decision to freeze or slow spending.

Republican House members say they might use the power to override Nixon’s spending freezes as early as January.