Prime Minister Stephen Harper is heading for China with four cabinet ministers and seven MPs Monday. Since Harper took office in 2006 it will only be his second visit. Not only did he meet with his holiness, the Dalai Lama, which angered the Chinese government, but Harper also did not attend the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

Now why would Prime Minister Harper all of a sudden have a change of heart? He did state that his reason for not attending the Beijing Olympics was because he did not think Canadians wanted to see the government sell out over the “almighty dollar.” So it couldn’t possibly be because of the Northern Gateway pipeline that would send Alberta oilsands crude oil through my backyard of British Columbia’s coast over to Asia.

It surely couldn’t be any talks on human rights issues, we all know where China stands on that; no voting, no free media, object anything and be imprisoned. No, surely no talks on human rights.

China’s interest in the Arctic perhaps? China’s ambassador to Canada has already stated that China would like to be an observer on the Arctic Council. Maybe, but still wouldn’t get me on a plane all the way to China, especially on a Monday.

Yes, of course there will be talks of investment and trade with China being Canada’s second-largest trade partner. In 2010 Canadians bought toys, electronics, clothing, machinery, shoes, tupperware and everything in their junk drawer from China, totaling $44.5 billion. Not quite the same going the other way but Canadians still sold back to China $13.2 billion in natural resources from wood pulp, mineral ores, oil and gas.

Still not satisfied though. There must be something more to entice this visit. It can’t just be the hope to sell a measly extra $5 to $10 billion in crude oil. It’s not like Canada needs the extra business, not while deals for the Trans Canada Keystone XL pipeline to the US are running along so smoothly. Sure the U.S. President Barack Obama unfortunately had to delay approvals, but it’s gonna happen.

So what does China have that the US doesn’t? Pandas! Cute, cuddly, panda bears. Let’s be honest for a second here, who doesn’t want a panda bear to call their own. So what if it takes a little dirty crude oil from Alberta to get it. You try and say no to those big eyes and that soft fir. I for one say let’s give Prime Minister Harper a round of applause. If the Chinese government wants to use a panda bear as a gift to promote diplomatic relations, who are we to stop them.

When Harper finally does meet Canada’s new furry mascot, I hope he remembers the wise words of his spokesman when he told reporters: “I wouldn’t wear your bamboo undershorts.”

A court in Lago Agrio, Ecuador has upheld the ruling against Chevron that ordered the company to pay 18 billion USD in damages for chemicals spillage in the rainforests of the Amazon.

The court made the announcement on Tuesday saying “We ratify the ruling of February 14 2011 in all its parts, including the sentence for moral reparation.”

Chevron has called the court’s decision “illegitimate” and “a fraud” and claimed they would continue to seek recourse through proceedings outside Ecuador. Chevron has no international obligation to pay, and no assets in Ecuador for the government to seize.

Chevron and their asset company, Texaco, have ruined land and caused much sickness and despair amongst the indigenous people of the Amazon since recklessly dumping toxic waste in the Amazon River basin. 18 billion US gallons of formation water was dumped by the company before they were intervened.

The Republican-controlled House passed a bill yesterday that would severely limit the government’s part in protecting waters from pollution by barring the Environmental Protection Agency from overruling state decisions on water quality.

The bill passed on a 239-184 vote. Sixteen Democrats joined the majority of Republicans in supporting it.

The White House has already said they will consider a veto to the bill, saying it “would roll back the key provisions that have been the underpinning of 40 years of progress in making the nation’s waters fishable, swimmable and drinkable.”

The bill contains a provision requiring the EPA to determine whether its goal to protect water quality has a negative effect on job creation.

Chancellor Angela Merkel has announced that Germany will shut down all its nuclear reactors by 2022.

Seven of the remaining German power plants were closed temporarily in March, just after the Japanese earthquake, and another six will be shut down by 2021. That will leave three reactors, will stay open for another year until 2022 to ensure steady power supply in the interim. 220% of Germany’s power supply is nuclear, so they have a decade to provide alternatives.

Things aren’t looking so rosy for Ted Williams, the dude who went from homeless obscurity to megastar overnight.

Williams, dubbed “The Man with the Golden Voice” became a YouTube sensation after a news station filmed him talking on camera, revealing his amazing radio voice. The guy who has been two years sober is now dealing with being reunited with his mother as well as his nine children he hasn’t seen in years.

Now, news has broken that Williams was detained by police on Monday night after a loud argument broke out between him and his daughter at Los Angeles’ Renaissance Hotel. Williams was not technically arrested or charged, but he was detained and released and an investigation is still pending.

Williams was in Los Angeles for an appearance on Entertainment Tonight, as well as a chance to meet the Lakers.

Williams, who has been sober for two years after a long battle with drugs and alcohol, also appeared on Dr. Phil’s famous therapy show, which is why his family was in tow. On the show, Dr. Phil McGraw asks Williams some heavy questions like, “Do you acknowledge that you didn’t step up as a father and a husband?”

Williams told Entertainment Tonight of the incident that “fists got to flying, none of which were mine” after his daughter Janey got upset over something he said.

Congress on Your Corner – that was what Gabrielle Giffords had set up outside a Tucson Safeway in an attempt to meet and greet the citizens of the Arizona city. Tonight, federal murder charges have been filed against Jared Loughner, the 24-year-old who shot Giffords in the head, then fired round after round into the crowd surrounding her table, killing six others and injuring twelve.

Now more details are coming out about the disturbed young gunman. The Washington Post reports that neighbors and former classmates described Loughner and his parents as loners who rarely interacted with people, and never interacting with their neighbors.

“You try to say something, they’d just ignore you and turn around and walk back into the house,” said Ron Johnson, 60. “The kid – I never talked to him. He acted just like his parents and ignored you.”

Loughner’s parents are Randy Loughner and Amy Loughner. They live in a modest ranch home in Tuscon and have a dog.

Democratic Arizona congresswoman, Gabrielle Giffords, who was among those on Sarah Palin’s infamous “target list,” was one of 18 people shot during a rampage at a Safeway grocery store. Giffords was the intended target of a 24-year-old gunman identified as Jared L. Loughner, who is described as mentally unstable.

Tragically, there were six fatalities including Arizona’s chief federal judge John Roll, a 9-year-old girl and one of Gifford’s aides. Loughner was eventually tackled by two people, ending his rampage and he is now in custody.

As of the writing of this post, Giffords, who suffered a gunshot wound to the head, is currently in surgery and doctors are optimistic that she’ll recover.

Palin wrote on her Facebook page: “My sincere condolences are offered to the family of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and the other victims of today’s tragic shooting in Arizona.

On behalf of Todd and my family, we all pray for the victims and their families, and for peace and justice.”

President Obama said, “We do not yet have all the answers. What we do know is that such a senseless and terrible act of violence has no place in a free society. I ask all Americans to join me and Michelle in keeping Representative Giffords, the victims of this tragedy, and their families in our prayers.”

If you’re looking for a feel good story today – you’ve come to the right place. Homeless man Ted Williams, who went to school for radio broadcasting only to have his life turned upside down by drugs and alcohol, is getting a second chance.

Williams has been panhandling for years on the streets of Columbus, Ohio and has been clean and sober for two years. Then, a passing camera crew from the Columbus Dispatch newspaper shot a video of Williams and now he’s on his way to becoming a superstar since the video went viral. What a difference a day makes!

The camera crew shot the video after coming across Williams who held a sign that read, “I have a God given gift of voice. I’m an ex-radio announcer who has fallen on hard times. Please! Any help will be gratefully appreciated. Thank you and God bless you. Happy Holidays.”

Williams will be on the Today Show tomorrow and the Cleveland Cavaliers are considering offering Williams a job as stadium announcer.

The state of California has approved a landmark emissions trading scheme with officials saying the US state needs to ‘move away from fossil fuels and to cleaner energy sources’.

California’s cap-and-trade scheme will set a statewide limit on greenhouse gas emissions, with industry given allowances for what it may emit. Companies exceeding those allowances will be required to buy extra polluting credits from the marketplace. Anyone emitting less than their permitted allowance can sell their extra allowances.

Eventually, state officials plan to reduce the number of allowances available to encourage industry to look for ways of reducing its emissions and switching to renewable alternatives. Officials said the scheme would ‘accelerate progress towards a clean-energy economy’.

The Global Warming Solutions Act, signed in 2006, requires the state to reduce emissions to 1990 levels by 2020, provide incentives for renewable energy and introduce a cap-and-trade scheme.

The U.S. Justice Department filed a civil oil-spill lawsuit today against a British Petroleum PLC unit and several other companies. This is the federal government’s first major legal action in the Gulf of Mexico disaster.

The other defendants are subsidiaries of Transocean Ltd., which owned and operated the Deepwater Horizon oil rig; Anadarko Petroleum Corp. and MOEX Offshore 2007, which had financial stakes in the oil well; and QBE Underwriting Ltd./Lloyd’s Syndicate 1036, a BP insurer. Halliburton Co., which designed and pumped the cement used in the well, wasn’t named in the lawsuit.

The government’s civil claims, filed in a New Orleans federal court, seek penalties and damages under the Oil Pollution Act and the Clean Water Act.