The Nifty 250: News of the day in so many words

CULTURE YEAR supremo Claire McColgan has received an MBE from the Queen at Buckingham Palace. The 39-year-old was awarded the accolade in the Birthday Honours in June for her role – alongside fellow MBE recipient Fiona Gasper – in drawing together the successful 2008 Capital of Culture programme after the departure of artistic director Robyn Archer. She was joined at the Palace by her family.

THE QUEEN MARY 2 sailed out of Liverpool just after 11.30 last night to the fanfare of a firework display at the Pier Head and several long blasts from a horn that boomed balefully all the way up the black Mersey estuary. It followed a day long maiden visit for the Cunard vessel, currently on a fifth birthday cruise.

THE HILLSBOROUGH DISASTER DOSSIER may have its details released within weeks, with an independent panel charged with releasing the files up-and-running next week. Ministers have already come under fire for further delays following the decision last June to lift the 30-year secrecy rule covering files relevant to the 1989 disaster, in which 96 Liverpool FC fans died.

SWINE FLU VACCINES WILL GIVEN TO HEALTH WORKERS in Merseyside over the coming weeks. NHS organisations across the North-West will receive batches of the jab, to be given to front-line staff. Dr Ruth Hussey, North-West regional director for public health, said: “It is important that frontline staff who have regular clinical contact with patients and who are directly involved in patient care are vaccinated.”