What to Know
- The cliff-side plunge that killed a Washington state family riding in an SUV may have been intentional, Calif. Highway Patrol officials say
- China's defunct Tiangong 1 space station mostly burned up on re-entry into the atmosphere over the South Pacific, space authorities say
- Steven Bochco, a writer and producer known for creating "Hill Street Blues," has died at age 74, a family spokesperson says
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China Raises Tariffs on US Pork, Fruit in Trade Dispute
China raised import duties on a $3 billion list of U.S. pork, fruit and other products in an escalating tariff dispute with President Trump that companies worry might depress global commerce. The Finance Ministry said it was responding to a U.S. tariff hike on steel and aluminum that took effect March 23. But a bigger clash looms over Trump's approval of possible higher duties on nearly $50 billion of Chinese goods in a separate argument over technology policy. The tariff spat is one aspect of wide-ranging tensions between Washington and Beijing over China's multibillion-dollar trade surplus with the United States and its policies on technology, industry development and access to its state-dominated economy. Forecasters say the immediate impact should be limited, but investors worry the global recovery might be set back if it prompts other governments to raise import barriers. Those fears temporarily depressed financial markets, though stocks have recovered some of their losses. Stock market indexes in Tokyo and Shanghai were up 0.5 percent at midmorning.
Deadly SUV Cliff Crash May Have Been Intentional, Police Say
The cliff-side plunge that killed a Washington state family riding in an SUV may have been intentional, California Highway Patrol officials said. Information pulled from the SUV's software shows the vehicle was stopped at a flat, dirt pull-off area before it accelerated straight off the cliff, said Capt. Greg Baarts with the CHP Northern Division. Baarts said the electronic information combined with the lack of skid marks or signs the driver braked led authorities to believe it was intentional. Authorities don't know exactly when the wreck took place. A passing motorist discovered the wreck, three days after social service authorities opened an investigation apparently prompted by a neighbor's complaint that the children were being deprived of food. Five members of the Hart family were found dead. The search continued for three more children believed to have been in the vehicle when it went over a scenic coastal overlook and landed on rocks in the Pacific Ocean below. The missing children may have been washed out to sea, authorities say. Known as the Hart Tribe, the multiracial family of two married women — Sarah and Jennifer Hart — and six adopted children took spontaneous road trips to camp and hike and traveled to festivals and other events, offering hugs and promoting unity. Authorities believe at least one felony was committed but Van Patten declined to specify.
Trump on Deal for “Dreamer” Immigrants: “NO MORE”
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President Trump declared "NO MORE" to a deal to help "Dreamer" immigrants and threatened to pull out of a free trade agreement with Mexico unless it does more to stop people from crossing into the U.S. He claimed they're coming to take advantage of protections granted certain immigrants. "NO MORE DACA DEAL!" Trump tweeted one hour after he began the day by wishing his followers a "HAPPY EASTER!" He said Mexico must "stop the big drug and people flows, or I will stop their cash cow, NAFTA. NEED WALL!" The U.S., Canada and Mexico are participating in tense negotiations over the North American Free Trade Agreement at Trump's insistence. Trump says NAFTA is bad for the U.S. Former President Barack Obama created the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program to provide temporary protection and work permits to hundreds of thousands of immigrants who are living in the U.S. illegally after being brought here as children. Trump ended the program last year, but gave Congress six months to pass legislation enshrining it. A deal has so far proved elusive and Trump has blamed Democrats.
China Space Lab Mostly Burns Up on Re-Entry in South Pacific
China's defunct Tiangong 1 space station mostly burned up on re-entry into the atmosphere over the central South Pacific, Chinese space authorities said. The experimental space laboratory re-entered around 8:15 a.m., the China Manned Space Engineering Office said. Scientists monitoring the craft's disintegrating orbit had forecast the craft would mostly burn up and would pose only the slightest of risks to people. Analysis from the Beijing Aerospace Control Center showed it had mostly burned up. Brad Tucker, an astrophysicist at Australian National University, said Tiangong 1's re-entry was "mostly successful" and that it would have been better if the space station had not been spinning toward Earth. Launched in 2011, Tiangong 1 was China's first space station, serving as an experimental platform for bigger projects, such as the Tiangong 2 launched in September 2016 and a future permanent Chinese space station. Two crews of Chinese astronauts lived on the station while testing docking procedures and other operations. Its last crew departed in 2013 and contact with it was cut in 2016.
Steven Bochco, Creator of “Hill Street Blues,” Dies, Spokesperson Says
Steven Bochco, a writer and producer known for creating "Hill Street Blues," has died. He was 74. A family spokesman says Bochco died in his sleep after a battle with cancer. Bochco, who won 10 primetime Emmys, created several hit television shows including "L.A. Law," ''NYPD Blue," and "Doogie Howser, M.D." Premiering in January 1981, "Hill Street Blues" challenged, even confounded the meager audience that sampled it. Then, on a wave of critical acclaim, the series began to click with viewers, while scoring a history-making 27 Emmy nominations its first year. During its seven-season run, it would win 26 Emmys and launch Bochco on a course that has led to dozens of series and earned him four Peabody awards, in addition to the 10 Emmys. "Hill Street Blues" had a sprawling universe of engaging yet flawed characters, a zippy pace and layers of overlapping, scripted dialogue, shot in a documentary style. Details of a memorial service were not immediately released.
Arnold Schwarzenegger in “Good Spirits” After Heart Surgery
Arnold Schwarzenegger is in good spirits as he recovers from heart surgery in a Los Angeles hospital. The 70-year-old "Terminator" actor and former California governor underwent a scheduled procedure to replace a valve. His spokesman Daniel Ketchell says he played with one of his old action movie catchphrases when he regained consciousness and announced, "I'm back." Ketchell said in an email Schwarzenegger "continues to be doing very well, in good spirits, and recovering." The pulmonic valve originally was installed in 1997 for a congenital heart defect and had to be replaced. Schwarzenegger had a motorcycle crash that left him with several broken ribs in 2001. He had a hip replaced and rotator cuff surgery in 2003. He broke his right femur in a skiing accident in 2006.
