The Irish national and former soldier, Lisa Smith, has been found guilty by the Special Criminal Court in Dublin, of joining Islamic State (IS). Smith left Dundalk in 2015, bound for Syria. On her return to Ireland in 2019 she was charged with membership of an unlawful terrorist group and financing terrorism. She was found guilty of the first charge but not guilty of the second. Smith now awaits sentencing.
Read the full story here.
The School of Law are thrilled to have led on the establishment of a partnership between the University of Reading and the University of Hargeisa in Somaliland.
The University of Hargeisa is the largest public university in Somaliland. It is the leading higher education institution in Somaliland and provides a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate degree courses.
The School will be collaborating with the Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies (IPCS) which is a teaching and research centre at the University of Hargeisa. It was established in 2008 by the University of Hargeisa and Eastern Mennonite University in the United States of America to provide a multidisciplinary approach to understanding and addressing conflict and violence in the Horn of Africa. The IPCS was the first Institute of its kind to engage in teaching and research in areas of peace and conflict studies in Somaliland, and remains the only one in the Somali-speaking region in the Horn of Africa.
From an educational point of view, activities with IPCS can give our students a unique perspective on international peace and security issues from within a territory that is recovering from conflict.
Second, from a research perspective the University of Hargeisa and IPCS present opportunities for collaborative research and future relationships in the Horn of Africa and beyond.
In Catherine’s own words: “I am greatly honored that President Biden announced my nomination to serve as Board Member of the US Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board.”
President Biden Announces Key Nominees | The White House
The Chemical Safety Board was created as an amendment to the Clean Air Act to address environmental and safety hazards from chemical emissions including those involving hydrocarbons. As a Commissioner of the California Public Utilities Commission and an Energy Law Professor, and through other professional work, Catherine has experience in analyzing the root cause of hydrocarbon incidents that result in loss of life, environmental hazards, and contribute to climate change. She is grateful to have the opportunity to contribute this experience to promote public and worker safety.
Information about the CSB’s work to advance public and worker safety and protect the environment by analyzing the root causes of chemical accidents is available at: U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board | CSB
