Today is Friday, April 15, the 105th day of 2005. There are 260 days left in the year.

Today’s Highlight in History:

In the early hours of April 15, 1912, the British luxury liner Titanic sank in the North Atlantic off Newfoundland, less than three hours after striking an iceberg. About 1,500 people died.

On this date:

In 1850, the city of San Francisco was incorporated.

In 1861, three days after the Confederate attack on Fort Sumter, President Lincoln declared a state of insurrection and called out Union troops.

In 1865, President Lincoln died, several hours after being shot at Ford’s Theater in Washington by John Wilkes Booth. Andrew Johnson became the nation’s 17th president.

In 1945, during World War II, British and Canadian troops liberated the Nazi concentration camp Bergen-Belsen.

In 1945, President Roosevelt, who had died April 12, was buried at the Roosevelt family home in Hyde Park, N.Y.

In 1980, existentialist philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre died in Paris at the age of 74.

In 1989, 95 people died in a crush of soccer fans at Hillsborough Stadium in Sheffield, England.

In 1990, actress Greta Garbo died in New York at age 84.

In 1998, Pol Pot, the notorious leader of the Khmer Rouge, died at age 73, evading prosecution for the deaths of two million Cambodians.

In 2002, retired Supreme Court Justice Byron R. White died at age 84.

Ten years ago: In his weekly radio address, President Clinton asked Congress to protect a short list of key legislation, saying he was giving the highest priority to welfare reform, targeted tax cuts and a crime bill preserving the assault weapons ban.

Five years ago: The world’s leading financial officials, meeting in Washington, pledged cooperation to promote global prosperity. Meanwhile, anti-globalization protesters swarmed through the heart of the nation’s capital. Cal Ripken of the Baltimore Orioles became the 24th player to reach 3,000 hits when he lined a clean single to center off Twins reliever Hector Carrasco. (The Orioles won the game, 6-4.)

One year ago: In a videotape, a man identifying himself as Osama bin Laden offered a “truce” to European countries that did not attack Muslims, saying it would begin when their soldiers left Islamic nations. Iraqi militants freed three Japanese hostages after holding them about a week. In the finale to the first edition of the NBC reality show “The Apprentice,” Donald Trump “hired” Bill Rancic over Kwame Jackson during a segment that was telecast live.

Today’s Birthdays: Actor Michael Ansara is 83. Country singer Roy Clark is 72. Rock singer-guitarist Dave Edmunds is 61. Actress Lois Chiles is 58. Actress Amy Wright is 55. Columnist Heloise is 54. Actress-screenwriter Emma Thompson is 46. Singer Samantha Fox is 39. Rock musician Ed O’Brien (Radiohead) is 37. Actor Flex Alexander is 35. Actress Emma Watson (“Harry Potter” films) is 15.

Thought for Today: “History would be an excellent thing if only it were true.” – Leo Tolstoy, Russian author (1828-1910).