The AnswerBank Articles

In UK law, are your employers permitted to phone you at home when you're off sick if is not written into your contract

asks Trimbo:A. In the UK, there's no law which prevents an employer calling an employee at home. As a general rule, people who are employed in the public sector will not be called from home, but in00:00 Thu 15th Nov 2001

Why did Henry McLeish have to go when other MPs have survived worse

asks Woolley:A. Scottish first minister, Henry McLeish, resigned on November 8 over a row about expenses which was was turning into a police investigation. Q. Why did the police get involved A. When00:00 Fri 09th Nov 2001

What happened to the Russian submarine which sank with everyone on board - did they ever find out what happened to it

asks sporty: A. The Kursk's crew of 118 died after a series of explosions which caused the state-of-the-art submarine to fall to the floor of the Barents Sea floor. It happened during military00:00 Sat 03rd Nov 2001

It is true that you can't smoke in public places in Los Angeles - even if they are outdoors

asks MissDon: A: Until now, Los Angeles smokers have been banned from smoking in certain indoor locations - at work, or in bars or restaurants. They were, however, allowed to have their sneaky cigs00:00 Mon 29th Oct 2001

So is it legal to smoke dope now, as long as you don't deal it

asks Pathfinder:A. No. It's still an illegal drug, but David Blunkett, the Home Secretary, is asking for cannabis to be categorised as a class-C drug, rather than a class-B drug. Q. What does that00:00 Wed 24th Oct 2001

My daughter, who has been living with her boyfriend (and contributing to the running of the household, bills and so on) has been asked to move out... does she have any rights

asks Mallorn: A. The short answer is no, she doesn't. 'The common law wife' is just a myth, except in certain circumstances in Scotland. Q. Why in Scotland A. Until the beginning of the 20th00:00 Tue 16th Oct 2001

How does anthrax occur naturally

asks Tony b:A. Anthrax is caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis and is one of the oldest known diseases. It is an animal disease that can prove lethal to humans. In its dormant form, it turns00:00 Wed 10th Oct 2001

Should we all rush out and buy a gas mask

asks PDTV:A. Since the World Health Organisation warned the world's governments to get ready for the risk of chemical or biological attacks, army stores in the UK have sold out of gas masks. Gas masks00:00 Thu 27th Sep 2001

How can ID cards be made safe against fraudulent use

asks Allan:A. The Government is seriously thinking about compulsory identity cards as part of a new anti-terrorism package. Q. Would this the first time they'd be used in this country A. No, they00:00 Tue 25th Sep 2001

Does putting people in jail work as a deterrent Are we putting more or less people in prison now

asks adryley:A. Prison reform campaigners claim that sending people to prison does not reduce crime. And we're putting more people in prison than ever. Q. How many more A. In England and Wales, the00:00 Thu 20th Sep 2001

Why does Osama bin Laden hate the US - and where did he get all that money

asks seeker:A. Let's start with the money. Osama bin Laden was born in 1957, the 17th of 52 children born to a Saudi billionaire construction tycoon. Q. Well, that explains the money. So why did a00:00 Thu 13th Sep 2001

Where is the statue of William Wilberforce, the anti-slavery campaigner In view of this week's calls for the UK to apologise for slavery, does his work get enough international recognition

asks seeker: A. The monument of the man whose slogan was, 'Am I not a man, am I not a brother ' is in front of Hull College. Q. Why Hull A. That's where he was born in 1759. He lived in London with00:00 Wed 05th Sep 2001

Is anything left of the Berlin Wall

asks WoolleyA. It's 40 years since East Germany shocked the world by starting to build the barrier which became known as the Berlin Wall. The authorities claimed it was to protect against fascists,00:00 Tue 28th Aug 2001

When did fast food companies decide it was a good idea to start giving away free toys, and have these toys ever harmed children

asks mayastar: A. McDonald's first developed the Happy Meal in the 1970s. Originally, it was believed that a puzzle-covered box would be appealing enough, but toys were added by some franchises as an00:00 Tue 28th Aug 2001

Any news about troop movements on the border of Iran and Azerbaijan over the ownership of oil rights in the Caspian Sea

asks mike: A. The Caspian Sea, with its vast mineral resources, has been a problem since the collapse of the Soviet Union. It's estimated that there are 70 billion to 200 billion barrels of oil00:00 Wed 22nd Aug 2001

Why has it taken so long to prosecute Khmer Rouge leaders

asks Woolley: A. The Khmer Rouge ruled Cambodia from 1975 to 1979, under their leader Pol Pot. During that time, they killed 1.7 million people through execution, starvation and disease - mainly00:00 Tue 07th Aug 2001

Why was Farrakhan banned from the UK in the first place

asks PDTV: A. Louis Farrakhan is head of the Nation of Islam, a controversial black Muslim leader who was banned from this country because he preached hatred against whites - especially Jews. Q.00:00 Thu 02nd Aug 2001

What effect would the changes in gambling laws have

asks Admason: Sir Alan Budd's gambling review, published recently, recommends scrapping the UK's restrictive gambling laws. He would like to see gambling regarded as a leisure activity, similar to00:00 Thu 26th Jul 2001

How serious is the current Etna eruption

asks A dryley: A. The volcano, which has been active for hundreds of years, started rumbling about a month ago and has been gushing smoke and ash for more than a week now. Five fissures have opened up00:00 Mon 23rd Jul 2001

Will restaurants have to be licensed eventually

asks Johnjo: A. Perhaps. A recent inspection by the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health Officers (CIEHO) found that half of the UK's 600,000 food outlets fail to meet basic standards of00:00 Wed 18th Jul 2001