Judge postpones Craig Wood's preliminary hearing A judge granted a defense attorney's request to postpone the preliminary hearing for a man accused of kidnapping, raping and killing a 10-year-old girl two months ago.   That hearing for Craig Wood was scheduled for Thursday morning. The Greene County prosecuting attorney filed a motion on Tuesday to amend the charges against Wood on Tuesday to add rape and sodomy to previously filed charges of first-degree ...

Harter House raises $109,000 for The Kitchen's housing programs Harter House stores in Springfield, Hollister, Nixa, Kimberling City and Strafford raised $109,000 to benefit The Kitchen, Inc. during the 17th annual Jerry Bettlach / Jim Trimble Memorial event.  The Kitchen, Inc. provides housing and support services for people in need in Springfield and the surrounding communities. To date, Harter House has raised more than $600,000 for The Kitchen, Inc. “Jerry (Bettlach) and Jim (Trimble) loved The ...

Slideshow: Hour-by-hour preview of Thursday's severe weather on KY3's Futurecast Radar The KY3 Storm Team is following the threat for severe weather on Thursday in the Ozarks.  KY3 Futurecast radar images give us an idea of what to expect through the night. ...

Accused killer Miller gets attorney, new court date A Marionville man accused of killing three people near a suburban Kansas City Jewish center now has an attorney and a new court date.  Frazier Glenn Miller had a brief appearance Thursday in Johnson County, Kan. District Court. Death penalty defense specialist Ron Evans of Topeka will represent Miller. Evans asked for a continuance and a pre-trial conference.  The judge set a court date of ...

3M plans $18.7 million expansion in SW Missouri NEVADA, Mo. (AP) — The 3M Co. is planning an $18.7 million expansion at its plant in Nevada. Plant manager Todd Cantrell said Wednesday the expansion will make the site the largest 3M plant in Missouri and one of the largest in the country. The project will create 22 new jobs. The Joplin Globe reports the state has offered economic incentives to the company if it meets ...

Missouri looks to revive journalism drones COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — The University of Missouri journalism school has modified its classroom use of aerial drones as a legal challenge to the FAA ban on commercial use of the flying robots unfolds. The School of Journalism grounded its outdoor use of new- gathering drones after receiving a cease and desist letter from the Federal Aviation Administration last summer. The Columbia Daily Tribune reports that a ...

Netanyahu: Israel will never negotiate with Hamas-backed government
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday he would never negotiate with a Palestinian government "backed by a terrorist organization" committed to Israel's destruction. Netanyahu told NBC News in an interview that Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas still had time to reverse course on his pact with Hamas and that Israel was willing to pursue "genuine" peace negotiations.

IMF board to meet April 30 to review aid package for Ukraine
By Elvina Nawaguna WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The International Monetary Fund said on Thursday that its board would meet on April 30 to consider an aid package for Ukraine, saying that Kiev had supplied the needed documents for it to determine whether conditions for a bailout had been met. The IMF tentatively agreed in late March to provide a $14 billion-$18 billion two-year bailout to help Ukraine recover from months of political and economic turmoil. The IMF board has yet to approve that package. "Staff are checking these documents to verify the details, if they're in line with the program understanding." The IMF's aid to Ukraine is expected to unlock additional international assistance of about $15 billion over the same two-year period for the nation.

NRA seeks universal gun law at national meeting
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The National Rifle Association's annual meeting is bringing a renewed push for a law requiring all 50 states to recognize concealed carry gun permits from other states.

Palestinians to consider 'all options' in response to Israel 
Ramallah (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) - The Palestinians are considering "all options" in response to Israel's decision to halt peace talks and punish the Palestinian Authority over its unity deal with Hamas, an official said Thursday. “The Palestinian leadership will look into all options to respond to Israeli government decisions against the PA,” senior Palestinian official Saeb Erakat told AFP. “The priority now for the Palestinians is reconciliation and national unity,” he added. On Wednesday, the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) -- internationally recognised as the sole representative of the Palestinian people -- and Islamist rulers of the Gaza Strip Hamas signed a reconciliation agreement.

Families of ferry's lost confront SKorea officials
JINDO, South Korea (AP) — Angry relatives of some of the more than 120 people still missing from the sinking of the ferry Sewol surrounded the fisheries minister and the coast guard chief Thursday, preventing them from leaving the area where families have been waiting for word of their loved ones for more than a week.