Today is Saturday, July 5, the 187th day of 2008. There are 179 days left in the year.

Today’s Highlight in History:

On July 5, 1946, the bikini bathing suit, designed by Louis Reard, made its debut during an outdoor fashion show at the Molitor Pool in Paris. (Micheline Bernardini, a nude dancer, modeled the skimpy two-piece outfit.)

On this date:

• In 1811, Venezuela became the first South American country to declare independence from Spain.

• In 1830, the French occupied the North African city of Algiers.

• In 1865, William Booth founded the Salvation Army in London.

• In 1935, President Roosevelt signed the National Labor Relations Act, which provided for a National Labor Relations Board, and authorized labor to organize for the purpose of collective bargaining.

• In 1940, during World War II, Britain and the Vichy government in France broke off diplomatic relations.

• In 1947, Larry Doby made his debut with the Cleveland Indians, becoming the first black player in the American League.

• In 1948, Britain’s National Health Service Act went into effect, providing government-financed medical and dental care.

• In 1975, Arthur Ashe became the first black man to win a Wimbledon singles title as he defeated Jimmy Connors.

• In 1978, a Soviet Soyuz spacecraft touched down safely in Soviet Kazakhstan with its two-member crew, including the first Polish space traveler—Maj. Miroslaw Hermaszewski.

• In 1991, a worldwide financial scandal erupted as regulators in eight countries shut down the Bank of Credit and Commerce International.

Ten years ago: British security forces in Northern Ireland blocked a group of Protestants from parading through the main Catholic neighborhood of Portadown. Pete Sampras won Wimbledon for the fifth time in six years with a 6-7 (2-7), 7-6 (11-9), 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 triumph over Goran Ivanisevic.

Five years ago: Serena Williams beat sister Venus 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 for her second straight Wimbledon title. Police in Namibia reported the recent death of N!xau, the diminutive bushman catapulted to international stardom in the film “The Gods Must Be Crazy”; he was thought to be about 59 years old.

Today’s Birthdays: Actress Katherine Helmond is 79. Actress Shirley Knight is 72. Julie Nixon Eisenhower is 60. Rock star Huey Lewis is 58. Baseball pitcher Rich “Goose” Gossage is 57. Country musician Charles Ventre (River Road) is 56. Singer-songwriter Marc Cohn is 49. Actress Edie Falco (“The Sopranos”) is 45. Actress Kathryn Erbe is 43. Rapper RZA is 39. Rock musician Bengt Lagerberg (The Cardigans) is 35. Rock singer Jason Wade (Lifehouse) is 28.

Thought for Today: “The truly fashionable are beyond fashion.”—Cecil Beaton, English fashion photographer and costume designer (1904-1980).