Links 21 April - 2 May 2014

• Failed Hegemons: The Middle East's Regional Powers | Raymond Hinnebusch
• Attacks in Egypt Kill 4, Including Police, Soldier - ABC News
  Double suicide bombing...
• Can Secular Parties Lead the New Tunisia? - Carnegie
  Odd q since two were in Troika.
• Power struggle blights Libya's chaotic main airport | Reuters
  Crazy place.
• In Egypt, Nasty Business as Usual | MERIP
• The judges behind the verdicts | Mada Masr
  Important piece on the Egyptian judiciary.
• Shi'ite militias join Iraqi army to fight Sunni groups | Iraq | Worldbulletin
  Tons of details here.
• Frankenstein in Baghdad wins Arab fiction prize
  Creature is created from body parts of bombing victims, wreaks more havoc
• Ibrahim Eissa is “The Boss,” but at what cost?
  Profile of a flip-flopping Egyptian celebrity journalist
• Arming Egypt Is Playing With Fire | David Hearst
  Vague, unproven allegations on Egypt intentions in Libya
• Poppies replace tourists in Egypt's Sinai desert - CSMonitor
• MEI Editor's Blog: More Old ME Newsreels from the British Pathé Archives
• Le monde musulman, Marx et la révolution
  Alain Gresh's preface to a Maxime Rodinson re-edition.
• Egypt’s military companies flirt with solar energy | Mada Masr
  Interesting long report.
• Alliance to Support Legitimacy to boycott elections | Mada Masr
• 99% of terrorism eliminated, says Egypt’s interior minister | Mada Masr
• US expected to tap Iraq envoy for Cairo | The Back Channel
  Richard Beecroft now rumored.
• War in Egypt's universities | Middle East Eye
• Clooney proposes to Lebanese lawyer
  Proud reactions across the Arab world. The Lebanese will never stop bragging.
• Sisi's first campaign ad
  In which the candidate himself doesn't deign to make an appearance
• The sound of stories - حكايات الصوت
  Don't miss: this Wednesday, a conversation among musicians, journalists and broadcasters in Cairo
• Taking on Art Looters on Twitter
  Focus on Monica Hanna and Minya looters.
• Six Questions for Mouin Rabbani | MERIP
  On Hamas-Fatah reconciliation.
• Moroccan Exceptionalism Examined: Constitutional Insights pre- and post-2011
• Marsa Alam – Diving with Turtles in the Deep South
  For those dreaming of escape.
• ‘End of the World’ Theatre in Egypt’s Desert Destroyed
  Dammit!
• Child Street Mothers in Cairo
  As mother's day approaches...
• Old Wine, Broken Bottle | OR Books
  Norman Finkelstein's new book responding to Ari Shavit's defense of Zionism.
• Vow of Freedom of Religion Goes Unkept in Egypt - NYT
• Egypt issues law barring challenges to state deals
  Protects dodgy deals or ends frivolous suits?
• AP source: Egypt cleared for some US military aid - WaPo
  Apaches good to go.