Missing Kansas women confirmed dead, kids safe, 4 charged

GUYMON, Okla. (AP) — Authorities have confirmed the deaths of two Kansas women who went missing on a trip to pick up children for a birthday party. Two bodies were recovered in rural Oklahoma, a day after four people were charged with murder and kidnapping. Authorities say 27-year-old Veronica Butler and 39-year-old Jilian Kelley, of Hugoton, Kansas, were driving through the Oklahoma panhandle to pick up Butler’s children for a March 30 birthday party in Kansas. They never showed up. The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation on Monday described an intense effort to find them, protect the children and arrest suspects without violence.

Police officer, sheriff’s deputy and shooter killed in exchange of gunfire in upstate NY

LIVERPOOL, N.Y. (AP) — A police officer and a sheriff’s deputy in upstate New York were shot and killed Sunday night in an exchange of gunfire with another person, who also was killed. Syracuse Police Chief Joseph Cecile says the shooting took place shortly after 8 p.m. in Liverpool, about 6 miles north of Syracuse. Two Syracuse police officers unsuccessfully attempted to stop a suspicious vehicle but tracked it to Liverpool. The officers requested assistance from the sheriff’s office and saw what appeared to be guns inside the auto before hearing what Cecile says “sounded like someone manipulating a firearm from inside the residence.” At least one person exchanged gunfire with the officers and deputy. They were later pronounced dead at Upstate University Hospital in Syracuse.

Ship that caused bridge collapse had apparent electrical issues while still docked, AP source says

BALTIMORE (AP) — Someone with knowledge of the situation tells The Associated Press that the massive container ship that caused the deadly collapse of a Baltimore bridge experienced apparent electrical issues before it left the port but set out anyway. The person, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to comment, said Monday that alarms went off on the Dali’s refrigerated containers while it was still docked in Baltimore, likely indicating an inconsistent power supply. Earlier Monday, the FBI said it is investigating whether any federal laws might have been broken. The Dali crashed into one of the Francis Scott Key Bridge’s supports on March 26, causing the span to collapse and killing six construction workers.

Biden admin agrees to provide $6.4B to Samsung for making computer chips

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration has reached an agreement to provide up to $6.4 billion in direct funding for Samsung Electronics to develop a computer chip manufacturing and research cluster in Texas. The funding announced Monday by the Commerce Department is part of a total investment in the cluster that, with private money, is expected to exceed $40 billion. The government support comes from the CHIPS and Science Act. President Joe Biden signed the act into law in 2022 with the goal of reviving the production of advanced computer chips domestically. Samsung would develop a cluster in Taylor, Texas, and expand an existing facility in Austin.