Derek Henry Flood

📢 [#Tomorrow] Join @azelin, @DerekHenryFlood, and @muradbatal, for a timely discussion on Non-State Actors in the Middle East After October 7. ▶️ Register here to watch the livestream: bit.ly/4u627Es

@StreetsblogNYC @DaveCoIon Please stop trying to retroactively justify these tolls on working New Yorkers. It’s a played out trope at this point.

The Chambers J/Z station is one of the oldest stations in New York City's transit system — and it doesn't look like it's been touched by the MTA since it was built. But thanks to congestion pricing, it's getting a huge upgrade, reports @DaveCoIon.

Very much looking forward to joining @muradbatal & @azelin at @MidEastPolicy this Thursday in DC:

Excellent reporting on the floating crisis that is the Hormuz blockade: “I am not a warrior. I am a seafarer,” by @ANPour et al edition.cnn.com/2026/05/05/mid…

@aebtheexiled Will it then remain a unified state governed from Bamako if that scenario plays out?

@DerekHenryFlood Most likely the FLA gets Azawad, JNIM gets the center around Mopti and key roads, Bamako goes to a puppet government influenced by JNIM

If Bamako does fall under this unwieldy coalition of JNIM and FLA, its totally unclear how they would reconcile their ideological agendas to quasi govern.

@AFP One of the joys of walking around Central Asia's prospekts is happening upon these iconic mosaics most of which were created in the Brezhnev era. This one in Dushanbe is known as the Printing House and it weaves together ideas of work, human achievement, and tradition.

🇹🇯 🇰🇬 Soviet architecture vanishes as Central Asia drifts from Moscow Over the past decade, Central Asia has shown little interest in preserving its Soviet heritage. Architectural landmarks and art, including mosaics, frescoes and sculptures, have been rapidly demolished.

@ColinPClarke @WSJ Another case of Putin proving himself to be a kinetic paper tiger in his global power projection by proxy plays.

Al-Qaeda-led militants bent on building an African caliphate are closing in on Mali’s capital and forcing a retreat of Russian mercenaries wsj.com/world/africa/j… via @WSJ

@Derrick_NYC @LincolnRestler @BKBPReynoso Are you referring to the defunct moving walkway at Court Square that was so problem-riddled the MTA finally did away with it?

@DerekHenryFlood @LincolnRestler @BKBPReynoso Following the 2001 service cuts, the MTA installed a moving walkway and later (2011) a direct transfer to the 7 line, easing the connection to Manhattan. Like the rest of the system, G stations received countdown clocks, "Help Point" intercoms, and OMNY contactless payment

The MTA is planning to shut the G train down for 40% of weekends this year. It’s unacceptable. @BKBPReynoso and I are demanding the MTA limit closures to overnight hours and speed up the pace of their work. This train is Greenpoint’s lifeline.

@BrantPhilip_ Curious to know what language this negotiation was conducted in.

Confirming my report, the FLA spokesman announces that a deal was reached with the Russian Africa Corps elements in Kidal which grants them safe passage out of the MINUSMA base, the Russian mercenaries can be seen withdrawing earlier this morning. However, the deal does not include the Malian troops still in the base, who were abandoned by the Russians.

@ThomasVLinge Moscow again shows that despite its unrivaled geography cementing its great power status, it remains a hollow security guarantor.

Mali 🇲🇱: Russian mercenaries are being kicked out of Kidal unceremoniously as FLA Tuareg rebels send them their regards. Like Karabakh in 2023, and Syria in 2024, the Russians refuse to fight when things got tough, and are being showed the door as a result.

@zriboua Creating the ideal environment for JNIM to expand its operations.

Much as Soviet strategy in Afghanistan centered on shoring up Kabul's communist leadership while effectively ceding the countryside, Africa Corps today channels its resources into protecting the Malian junta and securing gold extraction corridors — leaving vast interior territories open to JNIM expansion. Indeed, Russian messaging operations paper over this de facto withdrawal by manufacturing the perception of Malian junta competence and military momentum. In the near term, this posture can appear functional, but it intensifies the vulnerabilities bearing down on the central government. Any perceptible sign of fragility risks triggering an escalatory cycle of jihadist attacks, hastening precisely the systemic breakdown the strategy was designed to forestall. zinebriboua.com/p/mali-is-russ…

@StreetsblogNYC It says something about the sorry state of our city's transit that transit workers know it's more convenient to drive themselves.

MTA workers are illegally parking on sidewalks outside a transit complex in Astoria, using their vests to avoid tickets. nyc.streetsblog.org/2026/04/21/mta…

@maddenifico If only he were that benign.

This is just plain fucking weird. While JD Vance is escorted out immediately, Trump just sits there like a bump on a log.

@prestonstew_ Those window fans make this bird look fairly archaic for a great power.

Russian helicopters carrying out attacks in Mali on April 25th

@PKurzin That partnership was an abject failure at its inception.

Holy shit. Putin’s entire African campaign is collapsing. Russia’s Arica Corps - forces that rebranded and replaced the Wagner Group just retreated from a key base. They even ditched their Malian allies.

@AJEnglish Sadly Africa Corps was totally incapable of protecting him.

BREAKING: Mali’s Defence Minister General Sadio Camara has been killed amid coordinated attacks in military sites across the country, sources told Al Jazeera aje.news/ks0l1p

@EricsRambles @NYCMayor @NYC_DOT I've spotted these around the Columbia campus, seems to be another idea borrowed from Barcelona.

Pure spite towards car owners by @nycmayor & @NYC_DOT. There are many different ways this could be handled, but they choose the one that takes up maximum parking spots.

Great @Reuters podcast interview with @jonah_green and @GebeilyM about the current state of widening violence, byzantine politics and a possible looming occupation-Inside #Lebanon: A journalist's perspective youtu.be/KyDDxfiB3tc?si…