By The Associated Press

                      - Today is Thursday, April 1, the 91st day of 1999. There are 274
                        days left in the year. This is April Fool's Day.

                      - On April 1, 1945, American forces invaded Okinawa during World
                        War II.
                      - In 1789, the U.S House of Representatives held its first full
                        meeting, in New York City. Frederick Muhlenberg of Pennsylvania was
                        elected the first House Speaker.
                      - In 1853, Cincinnati, Ohio, became the first U.S. city to pay its
                        firefighters a regular salary.
                      - In 1873, composer Sergei Rachmaninoff was born in Novgorod
                        Province, Russia.
                      - In 1918, the Royal Air Force was established in Britain.
                      - In 1933, Nazi Germany began persecuting Jews with a boycott of
                        Jewish-owned businesses.
                      - In 1939, the United States recognized the Franco government in
                        Spain following the end of the Spanish Civil War.
                      - In 1946, tidal waves struck the Hawaiian islands, resulting in
                        more than 170 deaths.
                      - In 1947, Greece's King George II died.
                      - In 1960, the first weather satellite was launched from Cape
                        Canaveral.
                      - In 1963, the daytime drama "General Hospital" premiered.
                      - In 1970, President Nixon signed a measure banning cigarette
                        advertising on radio and television.
                      - In 1984, recording star Marvin Gaye was shot to death by his
                        father, Marvin Gaye Sr., in Los Angeles. The elder Gaye pleaded
                        guilty to voluntary manslaughter, and received probation.
                      - Ten years ago: Alaska Gov. Steve Cowper announced that a
                        "strike force" of state officials and local fishermen were taking
                        over some of the cleanup operations following the massive Exxon
                        Valdez oil spill.
                      - Five years ago: The government reported the nation's
                        unemployment rate for March remained unchanged from February.
                      - One year ago: U.S. District Judge Susan Webber Wright dismissed
                        Paula Jones' lawsuit against President Clinton, saying her claims
                        of sexual harassment fell "far short" of being worthy of trial.

                      *Today's Birthdays*

                      - Author William Manchester is 77.
                      - Actor George Grizzard is 71.
                      - Actress Jane Powell is 70.
                      - Actress Grace Lee Whitney is 69.
                      - Actress Debbie Reynolds is 67.
                      - Actor Gordon Jump is 67.
                      - Country singer Jim Ed Brown is 65.
                      - Reggae singer Jimmy Cliff is 51.
                      - Jazz musician Gil Scott-Heron is 50.
                      - Actress Annette O'Toole is 46.
                      - Movie director Barry Sonnenfeld is 46.
                      - Country singer Woody Lee is 31.
                      - Tennis player Magdalena Maleeva is 24.