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1. For each of the 3 countries, give the following information:
a) location/the countries that share its borders
b) the religious breakdown of the population
c) the type of government
d) the chief of state (and head of government if different) [If monarch or dictator, since what date has he/she ruled? - include name of heir apparent for monarch]
e) the population

[Find the answers at the CIA World FactBook website. For each country, answers can be found under the "Geography" "People" and "Government" headings.  Go to worldatlas.com for a list of continents.]

2. For PAKISTAN:
a) list the who, what, where and when of the news item
b) In addition to billions of dollars of military aid, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arranged to give a $7.5 billion aid package to Pakistan for projects, which include hospitals and new dams for badly needed electricity.

Paragraph 6 of the news brief states: "While Dr. Afridi has been hailed a hero in the US, in Pakistan he faces a dangerous future."  YahooNews reports:  "Responding to Dr. Afridi's hunger strike, U.S. State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland has said that America believes that the Pakistani doctor should never have been arrested in the first place. 'We want to see Dr. Shakil Afridi released and safe. Dr. Shakil Afridi should never have been locked up to begin with.'  She added that the U.S. is having a series of working group meetings with Pakistan, which will give the U.S. a chance to raise their concerns over the matter.

Recently the U.S. Senate allowed a proposed bill to be placed on its calendar for hearing which subjects payment of millions of dollars in counterinsurgency funds for Pakistan to the release of Dr. Afridi among other conditions.

What incentive do you think President Obama could use to force Pakistan to free Dr. Afridi, and allow him (and his family) to move to the U.S.?

c) How do you think Dr. Afridi and his family view the U.S. for abandoning him after he helped the CIA?
d) How might the treatment of Dr. Afridi affect others who might possibly cooperate with the U.S. in tracking down terrorists?

3. For FRANCE:
a) list the who, what, where and when of the news item
b) The Socialists insisted they would introduce "social" measures to help families and businesses update vehicles, including state subsidies to scrap old cars for new ones.  Why have experts said this plan is unrealistic?
c) If a vehicle is considered safe to drive, should a local government be able to ban the type of car/truck a person drives into a city?  How about the country?  Explain your answers.
d) Should a local politician and/or city council have the ability to ban anything they don't like?  Explain your answer.

4. For RUSSIA:
a) list the who, what, where and when of the news item
b) How many Cossacks are there in Russia today?