" This monograph describes how a failed state in 2030 may impact the United States and the global economy. It also identifies critical capabilities and technologies the US Air Force should have to respond to a failed state, especially one of vital interest to the United States and one on the cusp of a civil war. Nation-states can fail for a myriad of reasons: cultural or religious conflict, a broken social contract between the government and the governed, a catastrophic natural disaster, financial collapse, war and so forth. Nigeria with its vast oil wealth, large population, and strategic position in Africa and the global economy can, if it fails disproportionately affect the United States and the global economy. Nigeria, like many nations in Africa, gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1960. It is the most populous country in Africa and will have nearly 250 million people by 2030. In its relatively short modern history, Nigeria has survived five military coups as well as separatist and religious wars, is mired in an active armed insurgency, is suffering from disastrous ecological conditions in its Niger Delta region, and is fighting one of the modern world's worst legacies of political and economic corruption. A nation with more than 350 ethnic groups, 250 languages, and three distinct religious affiliations--Christian, Islamic, and animist Nigeria's 135 million people today are anything but homogenous. Of Nigeria's 36 states, 12 are Islamic and under the strong and growing influence of the Sokoto caliphate. While religious and ethnic violence are commonplace, the federal government has managed to strike a tenuous balance among the disparate religious and ethnic factions. With such demographics, Nigeria's failure would be akin to a piece of fine china dropped on a tile floor--it would simply shatter into potentially hundreds of pieces."--DTIC abstract.

Attempts to Import Weapons

As Australia’s economy recovers from the coronavirus pandemic, jobs growth is bouncing back in most sectors, in spite of disruptions from lockdowns and many workers being based at home. Meanwhile, the recent modest rise in the JobSeeker payment has been broadly criticised as insufficient to help recipients find work and keep up with the costs of living, entrenching financial stress and mental distress, and affecting motivation and skills. Of additional concern is the rate of underemployment, which has overtaken the jobless rate. Most new jobs being created are in part-time, casual or insecure gig work, affecting a higher proportion of young people. Is job insecurity now the norm for many Australians? This title explains the fundamentals around the measurement and types of unemployment and reveals who it most affects. It also examines the latest employment trends and impacts of casualisation on job security. Government policies and social sector strategies for tackling the economic and social consequences of unemployment and underemployment are also featured. Finding a job, and indeed enough employment, can be hard work in itself.

Low levels of student achievement and school quality persist in developing countries. This document reviews the importance of school quality in increasing literacy and influencing economic growth in developing nations. Improvements are discussed in terms of: (1) school quality and economic development; (2) defining school quality; (3) improving school quality; and (4) increasing school efficiency. Evidence suggests that low school quality accounts for low literacy levels and achievement among children in developing nations and that little progress has occurred in improving school quality in the poorest countries since 1970. Definitions of school quality should focus on characteristics that influence student achievement and on efforts that encourage more efficient management and effective local school staff. Little research has been conducted about the influence of teaching practices and classroom organization on achievement levels, but access to textbooks and writing materials and teacher quality consistently influence student achievement. Methods for studying the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of management practices in terms of increased school quality are reviewed, and investments that can be reduced without causing detrimental effects are identified. Tables and a 94-item bibliography are included. (Author/JHP)