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Myra Williamson

Senior Lecturer of Law and Convenor of the BA in Law, University of Waikato
I hold a BA in Politics and an LLB Hons (First Class) from the University of Otago (I graduated in May 1997). I also hold 3 post-graduate qualifications: an LLM Hons (First Class) and a PhD (conferred 2008) in law from the University of Waikato, plus a tertiary teaching qualification (I completed a Post-Graduate Certificate in Tertiary Teaching & Learning (PGCertTTL) at the University of Waikato in 2019).
I was admitted to the Bar in 1998 (I'm a Barrister & Solicitor of the High Court of NZ) and I practiced as a litigation lawyer for about 13-14 months in 1998-1999 before having children.
I have taught law at the University of Waikato, at the Prince Sultan University College for Women in Riyadh, KSA and at the Kuwait International School of Law in Kuwait. I have lived overseas for a lot of my adult life, including 5 trips to Syria and 13 months teaching at an international school in Aleppo, all before the revolution began.
I have published a monograph called "Terrorism, War and International Law: The Legality of the Use of Force Against Afghanistan in 2001" (Ashgate, 2009). I have also published book chapters and journal articles in areas that include: the use of force and self-defence in international law, terrorism and piracy, comparative law, law of the Gulf states, nationality law, religion and law, contract cheating & academic integrity, harmful digital communications and other areas.

Global Geopolitics Series

The World Court says Israel’s occupation of Palestinian land is illegal: 4 steps NZ can take now

Aug 09, 2024 18:26 pm UTC| Law

Peace in the Middle East seems further away than ever. The assassinations of Hamas and Hezbollah leaders, the threat of Iranian retaliation against Israel, and the ongoing catastrophe in Gaza have all put the region on a...

No-cause evictions have the potential to hurt renters – with little gain for good landlords

Jun 20, 2024 05:42 am UTC| Insights & Views Real Estate

Housing security for New Zealands 1.7 million renters could be threatened if the Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill becomes law. Among some potentially positive changes in the amendment such as the introduction of a...

Economy

Asia FX Weekly Gains Hold Amid U.S. Inflation Data and Iran Ceasefire Uncertainty

Most Asian currencies slipped slightly on Friday but remained on track to close the week in positive territory, as traders adopted a cautious stance ahead of the U.S. March Consumer Price Index (CPI) release and monitored...

U.S. Inflation Surges in March as Iran War and Tariffs Drive Prices Higher

Marchs Consumer Price Index is expected to post its sharpest monthly increase in nearly four years, driven by skyrocketing oil prices tied to the U.S.-Iran conflict and the ongoing ripple effects of import tariffs. The...

Asian Stocks Rally on Ceasefire Hopes and Bargain Buying

Asian equity markets climbed higher on Friday, driven by cautious optimism surrounding ceasefire negotiations between Iran and the United States. Regional benchmarks were also on track to close out the week with strong...

White House Warns Staff Over Insider Trading Amid Suspicious Oil Market Bets

The White House issued an internal warning to staff on March 24, cautioning employees against exploiting their government positions to gain an unfair advantage in financial futures markets. The directive came just one day...

U.S. Futures Slip as Iran Ceasefire Uncertainty and CPI Data Weigh on Markets

U.S. stock index futures edged slightly lower Thursday evening as investors exercised caution ahead of high-stakes ceasefire negotiations between Washington and Tehran, while bracing for a closely watched inflation report....

Politics

Global Elections 2026: What Investors and Markets Are Watching

Political uncertainty is sweeping the globe in 2026, with a series of high-stakes elections poised to reshape economic policies and rattle financial markets. From Eastern Europe to South America, investors are keeping a...

Xi Jinping and KMT's Cheng Li-wun Meet in Beijing Amid Cross-Strait Tensions

Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Kuomintang (KMT) Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun in Beijing on Friday, emphasizing that people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait share a common Chinese identity and that the future of...

Pilots Fear Retaliation for Refusing Middle East Flights Amid Ongoing Conflict

Airline pilots expressing safety concerns about flying through Middle Eastern airspace are reportedly facing threats of lost wages or termination if they decline assignments, according to Ron Hay, president of the...

Iran Denies Negotiating Team Traveled to Pakistan for U.S. Talks Amid Ceasefire Uncertainty

Iran has firmly rejected reports suggesting that a diplomatic delegation traveled to Islamabad to engage in negotiations with the United States, calling the claims entirely false. The denial was issued through state-linked...

U.S.-Iran Ceasefire Under Pressure Ahead of Pakistan Peace Talks

A fragile two-week ceasefire between the United States and Iran is showing serious cracks just one day before scheduled peace negotiations in Pakistan. Washington has accused Tehran of violating commitments related to the...

Science

China vs. NASA: The New Moon Race and What's at Stake by 2030

The space race is back and this time, its a direct competition between the United States and China for dominance on the lunar surface. NASAs Artemis II mission recently made history when four astronauts flew farther into...

NASA Artemis II: First Crewed Moon Mission Since Apollo Takes Four Astronauts on 10-Day Lunar Journey

NASAs Artemis II mission launched Wednesday, marking humanitys return to crewed lunar exploration for the first time since the Apollo era. Carrying four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft, this historic 10-day mission...

NASA's Artemis II Mission: First Crewed Lunar Journey Since Apollo

NASA's Artemis II Crew Arrives in Florida for Historic Moon Mission

The four astronauts chosen for NASAs Artemis II mission have touched down at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, marking the beginning of final launch preparations for the first crewed lunar journey in over 50 years. NASA...

SpaceX Pivots Toward Moon City as Musk Reframes Long-Term Space Vision

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has revealed a significant shift in the companys near-term space exploration strategy, announcing that SpaceX is now prioritizing the development of a self-growing city on the Moon rather than focusing...

Technology

TSMC Posts Strong Q1 2025 Revenue, Riding AI Chip Demand Wave

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), the worlds leading contract chipmaker, has reported first-quarter revenue of T$1.134 trillion (approximately $35.71 billion USD), surpassing analyst expectations and...

Lumentum Holdings Rides AI Wave With Order Book Filled Through 2028

Lumentum Holdings Inc (NASDAQ: LITE) is experiencing a surge in demand from the artificial intelligence sector, with its order pipeline now fully booked through 2028, according to a Bloomberg report published Thursday. The...

Anthropic's Mythos AI Model Sparks Emergency Cybersecurity Meeting With Top U.S. Bank CEOs

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell convened an urgent closed-door meeting with the chief executives of Americas largest banks this week, warning them about serious cybersecurity...

Bank of America Identifies Top Asia-Pacific Semiconductor Stocks Poised for AI-Driven Growth

Bank of America has spotlighted a select group of Asia-Pacific semiconductor companies well-positioned to ride the wave of surging artificial intelligence chip demand, with Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company...

China's AI Stocks Surge as Zhipu and MiniMax Hit Record Highs

Chinese artificial intelligence stocks continued their remarkable rally on Thursday, with Zhipu AI and MiniMax Group posting strong gains in Hong Kong trading as a wave of new model launches and product announcements...