Question: Q: Brian Harman leads McGladrey Classic after round one. Sea Island, Georgia resident leads along with three other Americans. Michael Thompson, Erik Compton and Will MacKenzie also on five under.
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A: Home favourite Brian Harman was one of four Americans at the top of a crowded leaderboard after the first round of the McGladrey Classic in Georgia. Harman lives in Sea Island and looked to be enjoying some home comforts as he shot a five-under-par 65 to share the lead with Michael Thompson, Erik Compton and Will MacKenzie. The 27-year-old won his first PGA Tour tournament at the John Deere Classic in July and, after not playing the opening two events of the season, was glad to be back in action. Another home favourite, Davis Love III, watches his drive off the 10th tee during the first round. Brian Harman leads the McGladrey Classic. 'I was nervous starting,' he told www.pgatour.com. 'It has been a while since I played a golf tournament. I took the first two tournaments off because I wasn't quite ready to go so I wasn't quite sure how things were going to go. 'It was windy, it was cold this morning, it was tough conditions and I just outlasted it and finally started getting comfortable and playing better and finished real nice.' Starting on the back nine, Harman bogeyed 14 but followed that with two birdies and reached the turn in 34. The birdies were coming in bunches and Harman picked up further shots on three, four, seven and eight to get off to a good start in a season that will see him make his Masters debut at Augusta in April. 'After you win, you kind of feel invincible for a little while and feel like you ought to win every week but it just doesn't turn out, there are so many factors that go into it,' he said. 'So work hard, see what happens, do your best and stay patient. That's what I'm trying to do.' Fellow University of Georgia alumni Compton also carded six birdies and a bogey to hold a share of the lead and Thompson's scorecard also showed just the one dropped shot. 'If you get it going the greens are really quick and they're very true,' said Compton. 'So if you're playing well I think there's some good scores out there. 'Conditions I think will definitely get tighter during the week and (these are) definitely the fastest greens we've putted on in a while so you've got to be careful.' Three-time major champion Padraig Harrington, of Ireland, watches a tee shot at St. Simons Island. Danny Lee, of South Korea, hits his third tee shot off the drop zone on the 16th hole during the first round. A scorer takes a peak through the leaderboard on the course. MacKenzie registered his seventh birdie of the day on the ninth - his last - to join the other three, with a double-bogey on 16 robbing him of the outright lead. There was then a group of eight players a further shot back including last season's Rookie of the Year Chesson Hadley, while Ryder Cup players Webb Simpson and Matt Kuchar were on three under. Scot Martin Laird was a further shot adrift on two under with three-time major winner Padraig Harrington and England's Brian Davis on one over and another Scot, Russell Knox, just one off the bottom on six over. Mark Anderson played the shot of the day as he lit up his level-par 70 with a hole-in-one on the par-three third.


Q: Higher fees are hitting people when they are at their most vulnerable, according to undertakers. National Association of Funeral Directors spoke out after council in Suffolk introduced new charges that saw the cost of a burial plot rise by £1,000.
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A: By. Valerie Elliott. PUBLISHED:. 19:34 EST, 11 January 2014. |. UPDATED:. 06:20 EST, 12 January 2014. Councils have been accused of imposing a ‘death tax’ on bereaved families by drastically increasing burial and cremation charges to balance their books. The higher fees are hitting people when they are at their most vulnerable, according to undertakers. The National Association of Funeral Directors (NAFD) spoke out after a council in Suffolk introduced new charges that saw the cost of a burial plot rise by almost £1,000. Councils have been accused of imposing a 'death tax' on bereaved families by drastically increasing burial and cremation charges. The cost of interment in the Suffolk Coastal District Council area rose from £420 to £688 while the exclusive right to a burial plot for 25 years increased almost three-fold from £460 to £1,355. Families wishing to bury the ashes of a loved one in a council-run cemetery now have to find £1,260 – more than five times the previous fee of £230. Local Government Minister Brandon Lewis said: ‘Some town halls may be trying to impose a death tax on grieving families.’ Alan Slater, chief executive of the NAFD, said: ‘We are aware that numerous local authorities are making double-digit price rises to their burial and cremation charges or otherwise seeking to increase revenue from bereaved families.’ He said the London Borough of Lambeth increased its cremation fee by 38 per cent last year – after a 41 per cent hike in 2011. ‘There has been a 25 per cent increase at Sefton council in the North West in the past year,’ he added. ‘And there is a proposed  15 per cent increase in Dudley in the West Midlands. MP Lorely Burt said: 'Local authorities must never balance their books on the backs  of the bereaved' ‘The London Borough of Greenwich has introduced a £73 charge simply to make any changes to a burial service, such as coffin size. ‘Councils are levying excessive fees on local people when they are at their most vulnerable.’ MP Lorely Burt, chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Funerals and Bereavement, said: ‘Local. authorities must never  balance their books on the backs  of the. bereaved, many of whom are facing the worry of how to pay for the. funeral on top of the grief and distress of losing a loved one.’ Mehboob. Kahn, chairman of the Local Government Association’s Safer and Stronger. Communities Board, said: ‘With funding for local government having been. slashed in the past three years, councils have been forced to examine. all their services carefully. Where services have been subsidised by. council taxpayers previously, councils have had no choice but to review. the fees they charge.’ Changes to council charges do  not affect burials in Church of England churchyards, where fees range from £260 to £286. Ray. Herring, leader of Suffolk Coastal District Council, said that the. authority had increased its fees to correct years of under-charging, not. to make a profit.


Q: Growing numbers of 'Occupy London Stock Exchange' protestors prompt warning. Cathedral bosses fear safety of tourists and worshippers could be compromised.
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Answer: By. Kerry Mcqueeney. Last updated at 4:14 PM on 20th October 2011. It has survived two world wars, but anti-capitalist activists who have set up camp outside St Paul's Cathedral could force it to shuts its doors to the public for the first time in living memory. On the 379th anniversary of the birth of Sir Christopher Wren,. the cathedral's architect, church authorities. revealed the house of worship may have to close because of growing. concerns over the safety of worshippers and tourists. The cathedral did not even shut its doors during the Second World War and became a symbol of British resistance during the Blitz. The makeshift camp was inspired by the Occupy Wall Street movement in New York which led to other demonstrations all over the world. Demonstration: The Occupy London Stock Exchange protest is causing a 'risk to the life of the cathedral', cathedral officials have warned. Open on a reduced basis: The cathedral - one of the capital's most popular tourist attractions - has already had to close the restaurant and gift shop. Protest: Demonstrators have set up camp in the square outside St Paul's Cathedral, promising to occupy the site indefinitely. So unusual is the potential closure that. not even staff at St Paul's were able to confirm if or when it had happened before, when asked by MailOnline. Numbers of protestors who have set up camp as part of the Occupy London Stock Exchange demonstration have been growing since the makeshift protest camp was set up on Saturday. Church authorities have denied asking protestors to move on from the courtyard, but their ongoing presence has been described as causing a 'risk to the life of the cathedral', a spokesman said. The cathedral - one of the capital's most popular tourist attractions - has already had to close the restaurant and gift shop and the number of visitors has fallen since protesters' arrival on Saturday. St Paul's has been supportive of the Occupy movement, however in a statement released by the cathedral, a spokesman said: 'St Paul's Cathedral stated. on Monday that it was still trying to provide worship and welcome to all. in spite of the presence of the protest camp in the churchyard. 'St. Paul's asked everyone to respect this need and to acknowledge the risk. to the life of the cathedral posed by the current situation. The. cathedral has managed so far to remain open on a reduced basis. Iconic: This image of St Paul's during the Blitz has become a symbol of survival... but the house of worship could face temporary closure due to the growing number of protestors. 'The. increased scale and nature of the protest camp is such that to act. safely and responsibly the cathedral must now review the extent to which. it can remain open for the many thousands coming this week as. worshippers, visitors and in school parties. 'Is it now time for the protest camp to leave? The consequences of a decision to close St Paul's cannot be taken lightly.' A. few days ago Rev Dr Giles Fraser, Canon Chancellor of St Paul's. Cathedral, said that while he had not given his specific backing to the. occupation of St Paul's Churchyard, he supported the democratic right to. protest. However, as the. days draw on and more protesters have arrived at the site, it appears. the cathedral's authorities have had a change of heart.