Views: It is almost cruel to make poor Joyce wait any longer ; Gazette comment [Edition 3]

IMAGINE losing your partner of 53 years and then having to waitmore than four years to find out what happened to him.

This shocking story is what happened to Joyce Compton after herbeloved husband James died in June 2007.

As he died in Basildon Hospital, and he contracted two superbugswhile he was being treated, poor Joyce is still waiting to find outwhy he really died.

James is one of three people who contracted Legionnaire's diseaseat Basildon Hospital before they died. He then picked up anothersuperbug, c-diff, which is one of the things that contributed to hisdeath.

In December 2008, we wrote a story saying that Joyce was hopingto find …

Barack Obama Raises Record $32.5 Million

WASHINGTON - Sen. Barack Obama raised $32.5 million from April through June, his presidential campaign said Sunday, in what is a record for a Democratic running for the White House. That is more than what Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, Obama's main Democratic rival, has said she would raise for the reporting period that ended Saturday.

At least $31 million of Obama's total is for party primaries, according to campaign aides.

The first-term senator from …

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Uplifting Majek Show May Show U.S. a Few Tricks

Jimmy Cliff; Burning Spear; Majek Fashek 8 p.m. Wednesday

China Club, 616 W. Fulton Tickets, $18.50 in advance, $25 at the door 559-1212

Don't be surprised if it rains tomorrow night.

Majek Fashek is in town.

The 27-year-old singer/songwriter is virtually unknown in theUnited States, but at home in Nigeria, he's a pop phenomenon on alevel that hasn't been reached since Bob Marley.

Considered part rock idol and part prophet, Fashek's status as anational hero was sealed during a 1987 concert. Nigeria was in themidst of a long drought, but when Fashek debuted his song "Send Downthe Rain," the skies burst open with a mighty deluge.

…

Jurors: Lack of evidence led to R. Kelly acquittal

Grammy Award-winning R&B star R. Kelly was acquitted on all 14 counts of child pornography June 13.

As the verdict was read, Robert S. Kelly held his head low, cried and said "Thank you Jesus" each time he heard "We the jury find Robert Kelly, not guilty of..."

Kelly's four-person defense team looked concerned when word came around 1:30 p.m. that a verdict had been reached, roughly after 7-and-a-half hours of deliberations over a two-day period.

After he learned his fate, he used his sky blue handkerchief to dab tears that streamed from his eyes, then he tightly hugged his defense attorneys.

The Chicago native, who never took the witness stand, faced up to …

EU leaders say their economy is strong and the euro is stable

EU leaders say their economy can weather the economic storm and their stable currency can withstand what they call "undesirable volatility and disorderly movements of exchange rates."

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso says leaders are confident that the European Central Bank _ which sets interest rates for the euro currency zone _ was right to respond to financial …

Backdated pay rise next month for NHS workers Around 140,000 NHS staff will next month receive a 2.5% pay rise backdated to April, it was to be announced today.

Around 140,000 NHS staff will next month receive a 2.5% pay risebackdated to April, it was to be announced today.

And Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon was also due to tell a conference today she was "concerned" the pay award had not beenimplemented sooner.

Speaking about the backdated rise, she said: "I hope that thisdecision demonstrates that I greatly value the commitment, dedicationand professionalism of NHS Scotland staff."

The pledge was to come in her first major speech to an NHSgathering since her appointment.

Her Labour predecessor, Andy Kerr, announced in March that nursesand other health workers would receive a 2.5% pay rise in two …