Today is Thursday, April 2, the 93rd day of 2020. There are 273 days left in the year.

Today’s Highlight in History:

On April 2, 1865, Confederate President Jefferson Davis and most of his Cabinet fled the Confederate capital of Richmond, Virginia, because of advancing Union forces.

On this date:

In 1513, Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon and his expedition landed in present-day Florida. (Some historians say the landing actually occurred the next day, on April 3.)

In 1912, the just-completed RMS Titanic left Belfast to begin its sea trials eight days before the start of its ill-fated maiden voyage.

In 1917, President Woodrow Wilson asked Congress to declare war against Germany, saying, “The world must be made safe for democracy.” (Congress declared war four days later.)

In 1980, President Jimmy Carter signed into law a windfall profits tax on the oil industry. (The tax was repealed in 1988.)

In 1982, several thousand troops from Argentina seized the disputed Falkland Islands, located in the south Atlantic, from Britain. (Britain seized the islands back the following June.)

In 2003, during the Iraq War, American forces fought their way to within sight of the Baghdad skyline.

In 2005, Pope John Paul II died in his Vatican apartment at age 84.

Today’s Birthdays: Actress Sharon Acker is 85. Actress Dame Penelope Keith is 80. Actress Linda Hunt is 75. Singer Emmylou Harris is 73. Actor Sam Anderson is 73. Social critic and author Camille Paglia is 73. Actress Pamela Reed is 71. Rock musician Dave Robinson (The Cars) is 71. Country singer Buddy Jewell is 59. Actor Christopher Meloni is 59. Singer Keren Woodward (Bananarama) is 59. Country singer Billy Dean is 58. Actor Clark Gregg is 58. Actress Jana Marie Hupp is 56. Rock musician Greg Camp is 53.

Thought for Today: “Living is a form of not being sure, not knowing what next or how. The moment you know how, you begin to die a little.” — Agnes de Mille, American dancer-choreographer (1905-1993).