This is a fortnightly round-up of FAQs, pegged on news events, published on The Straits Times' website. Go to http://str.sg/Z9Zr for more
This week's ST Explainers focuses mainly on world news. In Asia, the Rohingya crisis in Myanmar and ongoing tensions sparked by North Korea's missile tests hogged the headlines. In the Americas, the fury of hurricanes Harvey and Irma was top of the news.
Plight of the Rohingya and the latest crisis
The plight of the Rohingya community in Rakhine state in Myanmar has seized the headlines again as an insurgency movement and military operations escalated violence and triggered a refugee exodus. Find out more about this Muslim community and the long-running tensions at http://str.sg/4Q4Y.
We also look at the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army, the militant group that has precipitated the latest crisis, its history, and what it aims to achieve at http://str.sg/4Vnh.
For a recap on how the long-simmering tensions have broken into open violence and the criticisms now being heaped on Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi, as well as the possible solutions, read our explainer at http://str.sg/4Vfx.
Irma's might and its trail of destruction
After the devastation wrought by Hurricane Harvey, the Americas faced yet another hurricane threat. Irma, which slammed into the Caribbean islands before reaching Florida on Sept 10, was a perfect storm that developed off the coast of Africa and pushed westward, intensifying as it went. ST Explainers looks at how this Category 5 storm built up its destructive power at http://str.sg/4VXy
UN sanctions on North Korea: Are they enough?
North Korea's nuclear weapons tests have caused tensions to rise in Asia and an escalation in hawkish rhetoric from the United States. We look at the options open to President Donald Trump if North Korea were to continue firing missiles. http://str.sg/4VdB
The United Nations Security Council ratcheted up sanctions against North Korea on Sept 11, but they fell far short of the penalties demanded by the Trump administration. We compare and contrast the sanctions that were passed by the Security Council versus US demands. http://str.sg/4Vbq
World Cup Finals: The reckoning
The 2018 Fifa World Cup Finals are due to be held in Russia from June to July next year. Now that the gruelling qualifying campaigns are winding down, we break down how well the teams from the different federations are doing, who are likely to qualify and who are in danger of missing out. http://str.sg/4H9a
Taking your pet overseas? Do your homework first
A woman's pet dog died while being transferred to a Singapore Airlines aircraft at Changi Airport on Sept 2. SIA said it was investigating the case, but pet owners who are considering taking their pets overseas with them may want to check out some of the basic rules to observe. http://str.sg/4VBR
