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

DRUGS, VIOLENCE AND BULLYING are still rife at Walton jail, despite its attempts to improve, an inspection by HM Inspectorate of Prisons has revealed.

Progress at HMP Liverpool, which has been blighted by strikes by staff and complaints from inmates, has "stalled".

The watchdog said it "was a better prison than four years ago" but areas still needed tackling.

MERSEYSIDE POLICE WORKERS WERE PLIED WITH LAVISH GIFTS by businessmen to ensure they retained their lucrative building contracts, Liverpool Crown Court has heard.

Civilian police workers Stephen Kell and Kevin Mighall are accused of accepting hospitality in a scam that the prosecution said lasted for seven years. In return, the pair are alleged to have ensured the companies were always hired to work on police properties.

The men, along with five others, deny conspiracy to commit corruption.

WORLD’S LEADING WOMEN GOLFERS TO BE HEADING TO ROYAL LIVERPOOL to compete in the Ricoh Women’s British Open in 2012.

Making its debut at Royal Liverpool Golf Club, Shona Malcolm, chief executive officer of the Ladies’ Golf Union, said, “We are committed to staging our championship on the best courses, and in Britain that means the links courses, so for Royal Liverpool that augurs well for the future.”

BAD WEATHER HAS STOPPED SMOKERS FROM QUITTING, according to the stop smoking charity Roy Castle Fag Ends. It saw 1,000 people signing up to quit smoking last year, but only 700 have this year, leading organisers at the charity to blame the cold snap as a reason.

URBAN TERM OF THE DAY:
Golfers Hand: (n) A term that is used when one of a golfer's hands is lighter than the rest of his/her exposed skin surfaces due to playing a lot of golf in the sunshine. (taken from the Urban Dictionary)