Late-breaking news, upcoming events and stories of interest: 1. US confirms blind activist wants to leave China Already angered that the US embassy harbored Chen Guangcheng, it's unclear whether Beijing would be willing to negotiate further over his fate. 2. Economists see steady job gains for the rest of 2012 AP survey of leading economists predicts hiring will be strong enough to push unemployment below 8 percent by Election Day. 3. Bin Laden's writings to be released Some of the al-Qaida leader's personal writings seized from his compound in Pakistan will be released online at 9 a.m. by a terrorism center at West Point. 4. Obama administration warns of havoc if health care overhaul is thrown out Papers filed with the Supreme Court predict "extraordinary ... Continue reading →
PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Wedding bells will ring this summer for Marvel Comics' first openly gay hero, super speedster Northstar, and his longtime boyfriend. The New York-based publisher said Tuesday that Canadian character Jean-Paul Beaubier will marry his beau, Kyle Jinadu, in the pages of "Astonishing X-Men" No. 51. That's due out June 20. Northstar revealed he was gay in the pages of "Alpha Flight" No. 106 in 1992, one of Marvel Entertainment's first characters to do so. Since then, numerous comic book heroes and villains have been written as gay, lesbian or transgender - from DC Comics' Kate Kane, aka Batwoman, to Hulking and Wiccan in the pages of "Young Avengers." Comics, as a medium, have embraced gay, lesbian and transgender characters, including the introduction ... Continue reading →