Amal Alamuddin and her work

party animal - not! wrote:Meanwhile, back in Egypt.........

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Wasn't his retrial supposed to have started?  That would be awful if the government could sentence him on a technicality such as an expired broadcast license.  Seems like someone is trying to dig up anything on Fahmy to get a conviction.

I can't imagine Amal would be taking a leave from her work. She has ongoing cases including the most recent case in Ireland.  Unless she was sick I can't see her farming her cases out to another barrister.

From Silje's article.  Google translation, so...

Amal Clooney is professionally well in business. But now it runs surprisingly from the law firm back - and ensures sweet rumors.


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As a lawyer, she has made a remarkable career, enjoys an impeccable reputation and has sensational cases. All the more surprising that Amal Clooney (37) suddenly wants nothing more to do it. George Clooney's wife sets out with her job. What is there behind this?


How «Gala» has learned from a confidant of attorney that lawyer is planning a sabbatical. She wants to be - at the peak of their work - Treat a year off. A colleague is sad, says you'll miss the wonderful and technically excellent colleague very. But he also admits: his chief nerve of the hype surrounding the prominent employees. And Amal go it similarly.


From their environment it is, the pressure was pretty added the lawyer. The perfectionist it costs seem excessive force to be under constant observation, professional progress and to make the side of a Hollywood star looks good. The dogs gnaw their forces - and also consumed the body. She was able to literally watch the leaning. But that could soon change.


For since there is still a second sweet rumor. Amal will be pregnant as "Gala" claims to have learned from the circle of the lawyer. Fittingly, George Clooney, duly floundered when asked what he got from his wife for the 54th anniversary of the television show "Extra." He stammered: "Uh, I can not unfortunately betrayed." He is but otherwise never at a loss for an answer.

In an interview with "Bluewin" Clooney asked at the baby question to "be patient, please!". But perhaps the wait will soon has indeed ended.

Ha, Gala magazine is a gossip magazing that's as about as reliable as Star and InStyle and the rest. They all love switching between the 'pregnant' and 'divorcing' stories, don't they?

Codexchick wrote:All this commotion for nothing. I think they just wanted Amal Clooney in Greece for all the media attention

Exactly. I don't think they ever had any intention of going into a legal process. Their best hope to get the stones back is public pressure.

melbert wrote:From Silje's article.  Google translation, so...

Amal Clooney is professionally well in business. But now it runs surprisingly from the law firm back - and ensures sweet rumors.


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Follow Bluewin!








As a lawyer, she has made a remarkable career, enjoys an impeccable reputation and has sensational cases. All the more surprising that Amal Clooney (37) suddenly wants nothing more to do it. George Clooney's wife sets out with her job. What is there behind this?


How «Gala» has learned from a confidant of attorney that lawyer is planning a sabbatical. She wants to be - at the peak of their work - Treat a year off. A colleague is sad, says you'll miss the wonderful and technically excellent colleague very. But he also admits: his chief nerve of the hype surrounding the prominent employees. And Amal go it similarly.


From their environment it is, the pressure was pretty added the lawyer. The perfectionist it costs seem excessive force to be under constant observation, professional progress and to make the side of a Hollywood star looks good. The dogs gnaw their forces - and also consumed the body. She was able to literally watch the leaning. But that could soon change.


For since there is still a second sweet rumor. Amal will be pregnant as "Gala" claims to have learned from the circle of the lawyer. Fittingly, George Clooney, duly floundered when asked what he got from his wife for the 54th anniversary of the television show "Extra." He stammered: "Uh, I can not unfortunately betrayed." He is but otherwise never at a loss for an answer.

In an interview with "Bluewin" Clooney asked at the baby question to "be patient, please!". But perhaps the wait will soon has indeed ended.

And google strikes again! I have to thank Silje for finding this, partly because it gave me a huge laugh and partly because it answered a question that's been bothering me for a long tme: Who does the google translations into English? Now I know. It's YODA!!! (For proof read paragraphs 3 and 4.)

Poor Amal. "The dogs gnaw their forces - and also consume the body." UGH! No wonder she's losing weight. (WTF?) And she had to get something for George for "the 54th anniversary of the television show "Extra""? Why? Must be exhausting keeping track of all those show-biz milestones, never mind trying to think of gifts to give him.

These guys seem to give the Star and the Enquirer a run for their money. I'm glad we're not the only ones who have rags like these to contend with. They are good for a laugh, though.

Google seriously needs to fix this it is just ridiculous.

I am always glad to be of help Lizzy.

When I studied German sometime in the last century I remember the grammer was tough and the person at Google must think so too.

Silje wrote:I am always glad to be of help Lizzy.

When I studied German sometime in the last century I remember the grammer was tough and the person at Google must think so too.

Your last sentence gave me a smile Sije.
It took me aback for a second thinking you were referring 
to a previous life !  LOL

Sometimes it almost  feels like a previous life Joanna.

But what it is George says: You have to get older or die?

Oops, I am writing about George on a thread for Amal's work.

Silje ahahahahahahhaahhaha 

Silje wrote:I am always glad to be of help Lizzy.

When I studied German sometime in the last century I remember the grammer was tough and the person at Google must think so too.

I appreciate your help, Silje. I don't know if the people who translate for google are professional translators or volunteers. I don't know if they even know the languages they translate. I do know they are often hilariously funny and I hope they don't improve them too much. I'd miss the silliness.

(Sorry for going off topic.)

Missa - I'd pay good money to see their faces when they read that! I wish you could take pictures.

Amal writing introduction to this

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Random House Canada to Publish THE MARRIOT CELL by Mohamed Fahmy

TORONTO, April 9, 2015 /PRNewswire/ - Random House Canada, an imprint of Penguin Random House Canada, has acquired world rights to the much anticipated book by the internationally renowned, award-winning journalist, Mohamed Fahmy, presently on trial in Egypt. This major new book will give readers the remarkable inside story, told from a unique perspective, of the players and aims behind the increasingly inflammatory tensions in North Africa and the Middle East. THE MARRIOT CELL will also feature an Introduction by international human rights lawyer Amal Clooney. Rights were acquired by Louise Dennys, Executive Publisher and Executive Vice-President of Random House of Canada, from Mr. Fahmy's legal representatives Caroline + Gislason Lawyers LLP. 
Louise Dennys said: "Mr. Fahmy's appalling position has nevertheless given him stunning insight into what's happening now and is about to happen in the region.  His unusual access to many leading jihadists, combined with his authoritative understanding of the multi-national complexities and worldwide consequences of the increasing violence, provides a rare window onto the players and their personal and global ambitions, Western governments included. This important book reads like a thriller; and its shrewd close-quarters perspective makes it essential reading."
THE MARRIOT CELL centres around the dramatic case that has become an international cause celebre, covered by virtually every major Western newspaper: the arrest of the Egyptian-Canadian Mohamed Fahmy (Al Jazeera English Bureau Chief, formerly CNN correspondent) and two fellow journalists in a nightime raid on the Marriott Hotel, Cairo, in 2013. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry condemned the seven-year sentence imposed on Fahmy as "chilling and draconian"; British Prime Minister David Cameron as "completely appalling."
It plunged the respected trio into the middle of Egypt's political crisis and the struggle for power between Egypt's military-backed government, the Brotherhood and its supporters. Mr. Fahmy's subsequent incarceration, including in the maximum security Scorpion Prison holding many of North Africa and the Middle East's most dangerous terrorists, gave him unexpected access to key influential figures behind the current violence–including the Muslim Brotherhood's supreme guide Dr Mohamed Badie (recently sentenced to death), brother of Al Qaeda leader Ayman Al Zawahiri, veteran Jihadists who have fought the Americans in Afghanistan, destroyed the Buddah statues of Bamiyan and witnessed the training of the 9/11 attackers, as well as ISIS fighters who had returned from Syria to topple the Egyptian government. As a journalist, Mr. Fahmy took advantage of his encounters to gain insight into their goals, to glean shocking details of torture inside military camps, and to expose the political score-settling that led him and his colleagues to prison, including the feud between Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain on the one hand, and Qatar and its allies, including Turkey, on the other. Thrown into the toxic mix is the complex power-brokering of Western governments.
Today, Mr. Fahmy remains a pawn in a geopolitical charade: while Australia secured the freedom of his colleague Peter Greste, Canada's Federal government, while stating on several occasions that they do not recognize the validity of the charges, has failed to obtain his release. News organizations around the world campaigning on their behalf point to the growing dangers of the "war on terror" becoming an excuse by governments to limit freedom of the press in what is seen as a partial "war on journalists".  Renowned for his insightful, courageous journalism, Mr. Fahmy intends to bring his multi-layered narrative to a wide general readership.
Mohamed Fahmy is an award-winning Egyptian-Canadian journalist. He has reported extensively on the Middle East and North Africa. In 2003, he covered the Iraq War for the Los Angeles Times. In 2007 he served as a delegate in Lebanon for the International Committee of the Red Cross protecting the rights of political prisoners, the missing and refugees. In 2011, he and his CNN associates were honoured with a Peabody award for the network's coverage of the Arab Spring. In 2012, he won The Tom Renner Investigative Reporting Award for producing the CNN Freedom Project documentary series "Death in the Desert," which exposed the trafficking of Sub-Sahara Africans to Israel through Sinai-Egypt. He co-authored Egyptian Freedom Story, a photo documentary of the 2011 January 25th revolution. In September 2013, he became the Egypt bureau chief for Al Jazeera English news channel. He was arrested that December with two of his Al Jazeera English colleagues, accused of conspiring with the Muslim Brotherhood designated as a terrorist organization and fabricating news damaging to Egypt. On June 23, 2014, they were sentenced to seven-ten years in a maximum-security prison. On February 13, 2015, Mr. Fahmy was released on bail and faces retrial before the Cairo Criminal Court.
In 2014, he received the Canadian Committee for World Press Freedom Award and was honoured on World Press Freedom Day by the Canadian Commission of UNESCO. In 2015, he and his two colleagues received the Royal Television Journalism Judges' Award. In March, 2015, he founded the Fahmy Foundation for a Free Press --a non-profit organization based in Vancouver -- dedicated to providing financial assistance and advocating on behalf of imprisoned journalists and photographers around the world. 
Amal Clooney, the British-Lebanese international human rights lawyer and a key member of Mr.Fahmy's international legal team, will provide an Introduction.

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Mohamed Fahmy's Lawyer Amal Clooney Pens Deportation Request Ahead of Verdict 7/15/15:

Seems that a verdict will be announced by July 30


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Mohamed Fahmy’s lawyer Amal Clooney pens deportation request ahead of verdict

Mohamed Fahmy and his legal team are working on “plan B” in case he’s convicted of terrorism-related offences for a second time, later this month, and preparing a request for the 41-year-old journalist to be deported back to Canada from Egypt.

His lawyer, Amal Clooney, has already written deportation and pardon request in preparation for the verdict in his retrial, set to come down on July 30. Fahmy, arrested in December 2013 while working as Cairo Bureau Chief for Al Jazeera English, told Global News exclusively the Canadian government has “accepted to endorse” the requests once they’re submitted to the general prosecutor after a verdict is handed down.
“This is what we’re doing as a plan B in case I’m sent back to prison,” Fahmy said in a phone interview from Cairo Wednesday evening.
A spokesperson for Lynne Yelich, the minister responsible for consular affairs, could not immediately confirm the details of Fahmy’s statement.
READ MORE: Mohamed Fahmy says he needs Canadian ‘clout’ as retrial verdict nears
Gary Caroline, Fahmy’s Vancouver-based lawyer, told Global News the Canadian government “through its representatives have said they will do everything humanly and diplomatically possible” should he be found guilty and  forced back behind bars.
“We have been working closely at the Department of Foreign Affairs as well as Minister Yelich’s office to canvass all possible avenues that Canada can explore should Mohamed be sentenced to additional prison time,” Caroline said. But it will ultimately be the Egyptians call, he added.
Fahmy remains uncertain how the case will turn out and whether he’ll face a new jail sentence, a suspended sentence or be cleared of all charges and set free.
Fahmy had hoped to be deported from Egypt back in February, under a decree that allows Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to order the deportation of foreign nationals who are charged with or convicted of crimes. It was that decree that allowed his Australian Al Jazeera colleague, Peter Greste to be deported in February. Fahmy, a 41-year-old Egyptian-born Canadian citizen, renounced his dual Egyptian citizenship in a bid to be sent back to Canada.
READ MORE: Government relents, will issue Canadian passport to Mohamed Fahmy
Fahmy, Greste and Egyptian producer Baher Mohamed were arrested by Egyptian authorities on Dec. 29, 2013 and convicted six months later of supporting the Muslim Brotherhood, which Egypt designated a terrorist organization, and of airing fabricated footage to undermine Egyptian national security.
Following an appeal of the case, Egyptian authorities released Fahmy on bail on Feb. 13 after being detained for more than 400 days. But his hopes of going free were dashed when he was later ordered to stand trial again, along with Mohamed.
Since that time, there has been increased public criticism on the Canadian government to step in and secure his release.

Canadian officials have intervened dozens of times: Yelich

The Canadian government insists it’s doing all that it can to intervene in Fahmy’s case and denies any suggestion that it’s not making enough effort.
Global News viewed a letter from Yelich responding to criticism from NDP Foreign Affairs critic Paul Dewar in June.
“Although the Privacy Act limits the amount of detail I can share, I can tell you that since his detention, the Government of Canada has actively advocated on Mr. Fahmy’s behalf,” read the letter dated July 14. “Any indication that we have not done so is false.”
Dewar, in a letter to Foreign Affairs Minister Rob Nicholson dated June 23, said he continues to be “disappointed” with the Conservative government’s “failure to publicly defend Mr. Fahmy against these charges.”
He pointed to examples of other the successful deportation of other foreign citizens from Egypt following pressure by their governments — including the Australian government on Greste’s behalf and the U.S. government on behalf of American Mohamed Soltan.

“We continue to urge you and your cabinet colleagues, including the Prime Minister, to directly request and enable his return to Canada,” the letter reads.

READ MORE: Mohamed Fahmy starts foundation to help imprisoned journalists
But according to Yelich’s letter, Prime Minister Stephen Harper has “personally raised the case” with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi — something Fahmy said the Canadian government has not acknowledged previously, even though Egyptian officials already had.
She also stated federal government ministers, including herself, have intervened nearly a dozen times, while other Canadian officials in Ottawa have met with the Egyptian Ambassador to Canada at least 20 times and Ambassador to Egypt Troy Lulashny has had 28 “high-level” meetings with Egyptian government officials.
“As you can see, we have been pushing for Mr. Fahmy’s release and return with Egyptian officials at the highest levels for some time and will continue to do so,” Yelich wrote to Dewar.
She added that despite Fahmy criticizing the government for not doing enough to secure his release, he has been thankful to Canadian government’s efforts.
Fahmy said he has “always been thankful” for the support the Canadian government has given him “since day one.” But he said the government’s efforts to intervene have only become “more aggressive” in the months since Greste’s deportation.
Fahmy also noted a difference following a change in leadership at the Dept. of Foreign Affairs, Development and Trade.
“I am extremely thankful that recently they are cooperating with my lawyers which wasn’t the case back when Mr. John Baird was Foreign Minister, when he refused to meet Amal Clooney.”

well, this is possible employment.............


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'She has promised to get me off when I kill my first book critic', jokes author [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] about her friendship with lawyer Amal Clooney!

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From link above

Fahmy in court for decision July 30 - or as he says 'back in the cage'


Issued today ahead of it


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Keeping my fingers crossed for a good outcome!

Not surprised but this is ridiculous and must be so painful for Fahmy

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I'm pleased the couple are married at last.
A very good idea.

Just a thought for Nicky.

Would it be a good idea to change the title of 
this thread now to "Amal Clooney and her work" ?

Very good. 

His hearing has now been postponed until
8 August.

Here's hoping Mrs Clooney finds wifi in Tuscany.

It must be very frustrating for Fahmy and his family. I hope all goes well on the 8th.

Merged threads

Today Daily Mail Amal getting torn to bits andpieces bY 99.9% of comments much anger For name Clooney.this hurt me as George fan upset for him.

Everyone no matter what they are accused of deserves a fair trial and correct punishment if found guilty. This is Amal's job and what she gets paid for.

Alisonfan - I saw the comments, too, but I didn't think the anger was directed at George. People are angry at Amal for the kinds of cases she works on.

They're also pointing out that she gets credit for being "the" lawyer for these unpopular clients when she's really a junior member of a team of lawyers. I think a lot of the anger might be coming from other lawyers who work long hours for much less pay and recognition.  IMO Doughty Street chambers are loving the publicity that comes with the Clooney name and are using Amal to get attention for their cases.

LizzyNY wrote:Alisonfan - I saw the comments, too, but I didn't think the anger was directed at George. People are angry at Amal for the kinds of cases she works on.

They're also pointing out that she gets credit for being "the" lawyer for these unpopular clients when she's really a junior member of a team of lawyers. I think a lot of the anger might be coming from other lawyers who work long hours for much less pay and recognition.  IMO Doughty Street chambers are loving the publicity that comes with the Clooney name and are using Amal to get attention for their cases.

Lizzy - Honestly - I don't believe the comments are coming from lawyers. Is it possible that there are some dishonourable members of the profession who might be just nasty enough to post some of this baloney - yup. But this would in my opinion be an exception. Most members of the bar would be aware that the characterizations of Amal Clooney's work has been a creation of the press including the bottom feeders:-) She has never held herself out as being the lead in these cases, she has never engaged in self-promotion and she has not taken credit for any work that is not hers. I actually think that there would be a fair amount of sympathy for her in the bar - no one with integrity enjoys the spectrum of their well respected and valued colleagues being devalued for the sole purpose of selling papers. It is very unpleasant for everyone including Amal. This would be my take on it anyway.

On the fashion blog that tracks her wardrobe a couple of posters (in my view likely one using different identities) attempted to trash her professional record relying on the claim that the poster had special knowledge as an "insider" in the UK legal system. Not surprisingly quite a number of folks were taking this stuff as "fact". My own opinion is that the stuff is a slightly more sophisticated version of the PR nonsense - dressed up a bit, dusted off but likely from one or possibly two of the unhinged school.

The lawyers, lead counsel Emmerson and co-counsels Amal Clooney and Jones are arguing in defense of human rights international law.  As in the Fahmy case they are defending their clients' rights to a fair and just trial.  Their clients have not received a fair defense.  This is their job.  This is what they get paid for.  This is what they believe in as international human rights lawyers.  

Unfortunately there are many people who just don't get that.  All they see are two individuals who did heinous crimes and deserve to be executed no matter what kind of defense they received. 

Amal is doing her job.  She was doing it before she became a headline in the media and I have no reason to believe she will compromise her ethics (in the name of PR) to do anything different in the future.  Same goes for the prestigious law of Doughty Chambers.

Alisonfan wrote:Today Daily Mail Amal getting torn to bits andpieces bY 99.9% of comments much anger For name Clooney.this hurt me as George fan upset for him.

Yes most gossip media site comments are typically angry.  Most of those comments are posted to elicit strong reaction.  It's mostly inflammatory rhetoric.  I do not in any way believe they represent general public opinion.

Best advice is not to read them.

she still works? I only see her traveling with george Clooney

Amal's uncle, the weapondealer Ziad Takieddine was tight with Khaddafi. There were a lot of kickbacks and supposedly money paid to a certain French politician. This reeks corruption and dirty money.

Uncle Ziad and Khaddafi's son Siaf claims the  French stole 50 million of Khaddafi's money.

And Amal just happens to defend the civil rights of Khaddafi's son Siaf/probable heir and Khaddafi's brother-in- law/spy chief Senussi?

If Amal wants to defend the civil rights of dictators and terrorists -fine! 

She  could have defended Saddam Hussein or Usama Bin Laden or any prisoner in Guantanamo.She would just seem like  another greedy lawyer taking blood-money.

But her family's involvement with the Khaddafi family means this is a case she should have stayed away from. For a smart woman she doesn't seem very smart and I am amazed Stan hasn’t gotten her out of this case like I assume he did with the Gaza Commission.

Some questions for those who have knowledge of how legal chambers work: Just how much leeway does someone in Amal's position usually have regarding case choices? Can they pick and choose the cases they want to work on? Can they refuse to work on a case presented to them by a senior member of chambers? How much tolerance is there usually for juniors who turn down cases they don't like?

 Do you think Amal is getting preferential treatment? I wonder if she is treated differently, perhaps being catered to a bit, because her name on a case attracts attention and possibly future business.

No,she's not being treated differently - it's the other way round in some ways in that the cases she's been working on for years are now getting a new audience because of who she's married to. Some of it will be really benefiicial that a larger audience is aware of it, and obviously some will not.

No lawyer can decide to pick what we may or may not consider to be the 'nice' cases. It doesn't work like that. Otherwise who would defend those we may think are not worth defending?

Much of what Amal does is directed by the UN and in some instances  by, say, the British government. Of course within her chambers she sort of reports to Geoffrey Robertson, QC, (as does her 'wedding ring official' Jennifer Robinson).

Sorry, don't know much more. but obviously she has impressed much of the legal world.........

PAN thanks for your insight!

Jenn, thanks for the link to Amal's article.  I knew of the first postponement of the verdict but was unaware of the newest postponement until Aug. 29th.

Since Sissi has been in power there definitely has been a significant increase in repressive actions against demonstrators, political opponents and the media.  I don't know what to think of the outcome for Fahmy.  I wish the U.S. would come down harder on Egypt's repressive ways.  Our Secretary of State John Kerry is meeting with Sissi today but he will probably tip toe around Egypt's human rights abuses.  U.S. needs to keep Egypt as an ally.

annemarie wrote:Everyone no matter what they are accused of deserves a fair trial and correct punishment if found guilty. This is Amal's job and what she gets paid for.

Totally agree with you, annemarie!

In Germany we had terrorists who bombed institutions and killed people, mostly in the 1970s. During their trial their defendors mentioned that their rights as prisoners were violated, their discussions were monitored etc. One of their defenders became our Minister / Secretary of the Interior in the late 1990s and at that time I thought: How can somebody who defended those terrorists get such an important position? I mean, didn't he see what those terrorists had done to our country? To the People and institutions? And then I realized that if we didn't treat prisoners in a proper way we as a community are not better than they are... Everybody should get a fair trial, even if it's hard to stand sometimes. I really admire Norway on how they handled Anders Breivik's trial. It must have been really hard for them but I think they did it in a approximate way.
I wanted to become a lawyer and visited a country court to see what it's like. There I was able to watch a Trial about a murder and I realized that that's not what I wanted to do: I mean, idealistically everybody there should just try to find out the truth and every criminal should get the judgment that they deserve. But there's so much mure: Different interests, often you don't find out what really happened, etc.
Anyway, in the end I decided that being a lawyer was not what I really wanted to do. A cousin of mine is a lawyer, and when she tells stories from court I'm always sure I did the right decision...

I also agree with you that Amal's cases just get more attention due to her husband. I didn't know about many of her cases before. So I think that because the cases are connected to her they get more recognition than others. So people who want the attention would choose her and others who want to avoid it choose another lawyer / barrister. And I'm sure Geoffrey Robertson knows whom to choose.

I also think it's very interesting that Amal seems to work constantly. We only see her every once in a while and she always seems to be on a holiday and having a good time but we don't know how much work she does in between.

Now working on the case of the other journalist, Peter Greste, who was freed, to get him a pardon:

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I've also come to realize that Amal can work from anywhere.  I think George has said as much.  As long as she has a computer and a cell she can probably conduct a majority of her work from home.   She probably Skypes a lot.  

Doesn't she have a book coming out sometime this year?

PAN - Thanks for your insights into Amal's situation. I'm confused though - what did you mean by "wedding ring official, Jennifer Robinson"?

I also wonder what it means to Peter Greste if he's found guilty. Does that mean he'd be extradicted to Egypt to go to prison? Would he be imprisoned in Australia? Or would it just mean he could never go back to Egypt without being arrested?

It just occurred to me that the lack of respect for political journalists that we see nowadays might be a result of the mainstream media becoming more like the tabloids and using paparazzi-like tactics to get stories. Maybe the lack of respect for those reporters is spilling over to serious journalists. Just a thought.

PAN and others - correct me if I'm wrong on this. 

I don't believe that Australia will extradite Peter Greste under any circumstances. From what I understand it was strong and direct intervention from the Australian Prime Minister that resulted in Greste's deportation. By the same token, at least in Australian, although I don't believe they are saying this publicly, they will certainly not imprison Greste. Fair to say that the international community is reasonably consistent in the view that the trial (trials) have been a complete sham. 

I am embarrassed to say that I can't speak with anywhere near this certainty with respect to my own country and our response to Fahmy's situation. The only bright spot on that horizon is that we had an election called yesterday - and there is hope that this can mean a new government in Canada and with that a change in Canada's approach to foreign policy.

Lizzy, re Jennifer Robinson. Do you remember the girls with Bill Murray in Venice? Jen Robinson was the one in black and she held the cushions with the rings on that the little boys handed handed to George and Amal at the wedding service.

Lawyers are basically on call 24 hours day for their clients - as Kathy Lette said about Geoffrey Robertson, her husband, one minute you're together on holiday and the next they're off to the other side of the globe saving the world.........

PAN - thanks for clearing that up for me. I didn't pay that much attention to the other people at the wedding and didn't know who Jennifer Robinson was. Now I do.

Oldweston I agree with your assessment.  I can't imagine Austraila extraditing Greste to Egypt if the men are found guilty on appeal.  I think Austraila as most civilized countries have found is that this trial in Cairo has been a sham.  Based on lies. And why would his home country jail him when he has committed no crime.

It has been said here and in other reports that the Canadian government hasn't gone out of its way to get Fahmy back to Canada.  Fahmy was told if he renounced his citizenship in Egypt he could return to Canada.  And it didn't happen.  You would think Canada's government would have been outraged by this development and would have gone to great lengths to pursue his release.  But it just seems their response has been lukewarm at best.