It's the Foreign Influence Podcast, with American Bill Poorman and Dutchman Nikolaj Groeneweg taking you on a humorously serious and seriously humorous romp through the fortnight's international events. This time:

• Happy Mother's Day to all whom it may concern! And a special thank you to our own two special "birthing people". 

• We've all survived the Chinese spaceship apocalypse, as the Long March 5B booster rocket fell into the ocean somewhere just southwest of India. Well, at least that's what we're told.

• Covid continues to ravage India and South America. With a surplus of doses in the US, maybe it can start helping out.

• A critical pipeline that supplies half the gas (petrol) and diesel to the east coast of the US shut down after a cyberattack. Why in the hell is this system attached to the internet?

• The United Kingdom held elections. Now we have to think about whether Scotland will leave the UK for the EU. Good times. Thanks, Brexit!

• And some good news - the US might really, kind of, possibly leave Afghanistan. Breath held...

Thanks for listening!

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Bill & Nikolaj