Happy Independence Day to all of our American readers! 235 years ago today 13 colonies announced their intention to separate from Great Britain, and fight the injustices committed against them.

When in the course of human Events, it becomes necessary for one People to dissolve the Political Bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the Powers of the Earth, the separate and equal Station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent Respect to the Opinions of Mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the Separation.| MORE ›

Editor’s note. Please welcome a new author to RATA: Chris Queen (U.S.). Chris and I worked together at David Horowitz’s NewsReal Blog. I was so impressed with his writing that I asked him to join the team here when that blog was discontinued. Chris blogs at his own blog Random Thoughts From The Revolution. Follow him on Twitter here.| MORE ›

Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chavez is proposing a new round of attack on media outlets not yet under government control. Under the proposed new rules, any media outlets that criticize Chavez or his policies could be subject to criminal prosecution in addition to their loss of broadcast licenses.| MORE ›

It might seem like Mr. Miyagi once tutored Barrack Obama and Hillary Clinton on foreign policy. Since January, the administration has been practicing diplomatic Jujitsu: hands off (North Korea), hands on (Israel), hands off (Iran). This week, it’s hands on Honduras.| MORE ›

The swine flu continues to spread over the American continent. The New York Times reports that eight New York students have fallen ill, probably suffering from this particular flu.| MORE ›

Oh, that must be fun for the average Cuban who’s suffering tremendously under the regime’s oppression:

Cuba kicked off a crucial Communist Party congress Saturday with a big military and civilian parade to mark 50 years since the defeat of CIA-backed exiles at the Bay of Pigs, still celebrated here as a landmark triumph over the island’s powerful neighbor to the north.| MORE ›

Two leaders of Colonia LeBaron, a community of excommunicated Mormons with roots in the United States, were murdered because they dared to defy the drug/kidnapping gangs that have killed more than 3000 people in Chihuahua, Mexico in the last 18 months.| MORE ›

Vice President Joe Biden continues to make gaffe after gaffe. Appearing on the Democrats’ party network – MSNBC – yesterday, he told Americans not to enter into any “confined” places like classrooms, the subway, and planes.

No kidding.

Let us imagine that the swine flu is indeed dangerous (read: deadly).| MORE ›

U.S. Treasure Secretary Timothy Geithner warned that the global economic crisis threatens international efforts to reduce poverty in the world. Banks that provide aid to poor nations must embrace changes in their operations, he said.| MORE ›

Reuters reports:

Mexican and U.S. health officials searched on Saturday for signs an outbreak of a new flu strain is spreading further, after it killed up to 68 people in Mexico and infected eight in the United States.

As Mexico shut schools and museums and axed public events, global health officials stopped short of declaring a pandemic.| MORE ›