This day in history

[April 20, 2010]  (AP)  Today is Saturday, April 10, the 100th day of 2010. There are 265 days left in the year.

Today's highlight in history:

On April 10, 1912, the RMS Titanic set sail from Southampton, England, on its ill-fated maiden voyage.

On this date:

In 1790, President George Washington signed into law the first United States Patent Act.

In 1866, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals was incorporated.

In 1925, the novel "The Great Gatsby," by F. Scott Fitzgerald, was first published.

In 1932, German president Paul Von Hindenburg was re-elected in a runoff, with Adolf Hitler coming in second.

In 1957, Egypt reopened the Suez Canal to all shipping traffic. (The canal had been closed due to wreckage resulting from the Suez Crisis.)

In 1959, the future emperor of Japan, Crown Prince Akihito, married a commoner, Michiko Shoda.

In 1963, the nuclear-powered submarine USS Thresher sank during deep-diving tests off Cape Cod, Mass., in a disaster that claimed 129 lives.

In 1972, the United States and the Soviet Union joined some 70 nations in signing an agreement banning biological warfare.

In 1978, Arkady Shevchenko, a high-ranking Soviet citizen employed by the United Nations, sought political asylum in the United States.

In 1998, the Northern Ireland peace talks concluded as negotiators reached a landmark settlement to end 30 years of bitter rivalries and bloody attacks.

Ten years ago: The Washington Post won three Pulitzer Prizes, including the public service award for the second year in a row; The Wall Street Journal took two honors, and The Associated Press won for investigative reporting on the killing of Korean civilians by U.S. troops at the start of the Korean War. South Korea and North Korea announced a June date for their first summit since the peninsula was divided in 1945. Actor Larry Linville, one of the stars of the situation comedy "M-A-S-H," died in New York at age 60.

Five years ago: Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon arrived in Texas to meet with President George W. Bush. Tiger Woods won his fourth Masters with a spectacular finish of birdies and bogeys.

One year ago: Police in Tracy, Calif. arrested Sunday school teacher Melissa Huckaby in connection with the death of 8-year-old Sandra Cantu, whose body had been found in a suitcase. French Navy commandos stormed a sailboat held by pirates off the Somali coast, freeing four hostages; however, one hostage was killed in the operation.

Today's birthdays: Actor Harry Morgan is 95. Actor Max von Sydow is 81. Actress Liz Sheridan is 81. Actor Omar Sharif is 78. Sportscaster John Madden is 74. Rhythm-and-blues singer Bobbie Smith (The Spinners) is 74. Sportscaster Don Meredith is 72. Reggae artist Bunny Wailer is 63. Actor Steven Seagal is 59. Folk-pop singer Terre Roche (The Roches) is 57. Actor Peter MacNicol is 56. Rock musician Steven Gustafson (10,000 Maniacs) is 53. Singer-producer Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds is 52. Rock singer-musician Brian Setzer is 51. Rapper Afrika Bambaataa is 50. Rock singer Katrina Leskanich is 50. Actor Jeb Adams is 49. Olympic gold medal speedskater Cathy Turner is 48. Rock musician Tim "Herb" Alexander is 45. Actor-comedian Orlando Jones is 42. Rock musician Mike Mushok (Staind) is 41. Singer Kenny Lattimore is 40. Rapper Q-Tip (AKA Kamaal) is 40. Blues singer Shemekia Copeland is 31. Actress Laura Bell Bundy is 29. Actress Chyler Leigh is 28. Actor Ryan Merriman is 27. Singer Mandy Moore is 26. Actor Haley Joel Osment is 22. Actress-singer AJ (AKA Amanda) Michalka (mish-AL'-kah) is 19.

Thought for today: "What is more unwise than to mistake uncertainty for certainty, falsehood for truth?" -- Cicero, Roman orator, statesman and philosopher (106-43 B.C.)

[Associated Press]

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