1. For each of the 3 countries, provide the following information:

a) capital:

b) location/the countries that share its borders:

c) the religious breakdown of the population:

d) the type of government:

e) 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]:

f) 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 maps and a list of continents.]

NOTE: Before answering the questions below, read the info under “Background.” 

2. For PHILIPPINES:
a) list the who, what, where and when of the news item
b) Typhoon Haiyan was the most powerful typhoon to hit land ever recorded. President Aquino could be given some slack over the collapse of the country's disaster relief system. What should he be held accountable for, and what should he have done/should he do moving forward, after recognizing that the disaster relief system was not effective?
c) China is the 2nd largest economy in the world. How much did it pledge to give the Philippines in relief aid as compared to the U.S.?  (see "Background" below)

3. For ISRAEL:
a) list the who, what, where and when of the news item
b) Define sanctions as used in the article.
c) Israel is our ally; Iran is our enemy (we have had no diplomatic relations with Iran since they held our citizens hostage in the late 1970s.) Iran consistently calls for the destruction of Israel, a U.S. ally. Is it good diplomacy for President Obama to say that sanctions need to be lifted on Iran before we can expect them to make a deal in ending their quest for nuclear weapons? Is Prime Minister Netanyahu going overboard on his insistence that sanctions stay in place until a deal is made? Explain your answer.
d) Ask a parent the same question.

4. For VENEZUELA:
a) list the who, what, where and when of the news item
b) Define bourgeois as used by President Maduro.
c) In addition to jailing businessmen he thinks charge too much for products sold in their stores, what other action is President Maduro taking against Venezuelan businessmen?