What Is Happening To Our Country?

[inspectorfrost]

8 minutes ago, Osvaldorama said:

Protestors all took the knee and asked the Police to do the same for Henry Novak as they did for George Floyd

The police refused. 

Surely even the naive Labour voters can see why huge swathes of the country are annoyed at the double standards? 

 

And this is a very good illustration of the problem. The police should be treating everyone equally, regardless of colour or creed.

The Henry Nowak case is the product of years of excessive governmental political interference into the police force, sorry service. The problem goes far deeper than the competence and attitudes of the individual police officers at the Nowak scene (which left a lot to be desired to say the least)

People were right to protest Floyd's murder but BLM went too far and governments failed to nip it in the bud. Divisions widened.

Police resources taken away from tackling/foiling terrorist attacks and diverted towards arresting people holding Palestine Action signs.

Politicians throwing police officers under the bus when challenging a Jewish man who is clearly trying to antagonize a pro-Palestine rally in London.

The above examples hide an underlying and very ugly problem that is only becoming worse. The police have ended up serving political masters and not the public as a whole, sacrificing equal treatment and the establishment of facts for towing governmental lines that have utterly failed to stand up to counter-productive woke pressure.

Cases like Henry Nowak are the result. The priorities on the ground are all wrong. Basics are not done and innocent lives are lost.

[inspectorfrost]

24 minutes ago, benjii said:

The killer is in prison, and I think three members of his family have been arrested?

 

The mother has been found guilty of assisting an offender, and the brother/father are also facing mulltiple charges

[Gloucester Saint]

7 minutes ago, inspectorfrost said:

The mother has been found guilty of assisting an offender, and the brother/father are also facing mulltiple charges

Agree with you on your longer post about the politicisation of the police in all directions. Left, right, Zion/Arab - none of it good.

Stephen Lawrence was a watershed, and Henry Nowak should be one as well. 

No excuse for Robinson and Fox though. Arrest them and throw the book at them. 

[The Kraken]

Osvaldorama made it down there in the end, and he took his camera too.

E’s right in the fick of it. And he ain’t fucking sick of it.

 

[badgerx16]

What do they think they will gain from throwing wheelie bins at the Police ?

Is that really the best of the English, what we all need to aspire to ?

Edited 13 hours ago by badgerx16

[Badger]

1 hour ago, Gloucester Saint said:

 And it’s not that long since BBC were undercover in Hendon with trainees making Hitler salutes. Let alone the Stephen Lawrence debacle.

We can debate the volume and necessity of the posts (I think it’s slightly too many which could be put into the frontline) but the police racism and corruption of the 1970s, 80s and 90s led to this point. Sadly it’s still going on today https://news.sky.com/story/two-metropolitan-police-officers-guilty-of-gross-misconduct-over-stop-and-search-of-team-gb-athlete-and-her-partner-12992204

 

12 hours ago, AlexLaw76 said:

It is like the police had already decided he was in the wrong and is probably a racist. A bit of a stretch I know but it is fucking awful, and unsure how the coppers can live with themselves.

if this was a brown skinned man in Harry’s position, half of the county would be on fire right now.

”I don’t think you have mate” is such a disgusting thing to hear in this incident 

From the footage and description of events it seems the Police have changed from accusations of being ‘institutionally racist’ , to being ‘institutionally woke’ .

Edited 13 hours ago by Badger

[Badger]

1 hour ago, Gloucester Saint said:

Lowe lives in Withington, circa 20 minutes from here, Radley College educated. Barton, Tredworth, Westgate or Springbank (worse than anything in Gloucester) it is not. 

Like Farage, has also made a lot of money at the elite banks and hedge funds.

Nothing wrong with that but men of the working class they are certainly not. 

Springbank ? Not sure how far you’re extending that area, but there are worse here surely ? (PE Way, if you’re including that perhaps and Whaddon near the football ground among others). 

Not sure I’d say worse than some in Gloucester though 

Certainly doesn’t detract from your overall point about Lowe though. 

[JohnnyShearer2.0]

1 hour ago, inspectorfrost said:

 

And this is a very good illustration of the problem. The police should be treating everyone equally, regardless of colour or creed.

The Henry Nowak case is the product of years of excessive governmental political interference into the police force, sorry service. The problem goes far deeper than the competence and attitudes of the individual police officers at the Nowak scene (which left a lot to be desired to say the least)

People were right to protest Floyd's murder but BLM went too far and governments failed to nip it in the bud. Divisions widened.

Police resources taken away from tackling/foiling terrorist attacks and diverted towards arresting people holding Palestine Action signs.

Politicians throwing police officers under the bus when challenging a Jewish man who is clearly trying to antagonize a pro-Palestine rally in London.

The above examples hide an underlying and very ugly problem that is only becoming worse. The police have ended up serving political masters and not the public as a whole, sacrificing equal treatment and the establishment of facts for towing governmental lines that have utterly failed to stand up to counter-productive woke pressure.

Cases like Henry Nowak are the result. The priorities on the ground are all wrong. Basics are not done and innocent lives are lost.

Agreed. There should guardrails for the police without political interference or mandated guidelines. 

There should be a framework to follow. Hopefully this sad episode will bring some sense back.

Frustratingly it is being used to push people's agendas. I've watched a few videos and seen some of the reasoning from Robinson. Not sure how you can deport British citizens without revoking thier citizenship. 

The Digwa family have been arrested now as well, so hopefully they'll be charged accordingly. 

Fucking cunt Digwa has really fucked it up for the local community. 

[Mixedkebab]

1 hour ago, The Kraken said:

Get yourself down there fella. Moral and justified protest, you give it some.

I know it’s a binary world, but it’s possible to be annoyed at the system and more the perps at the same time. But that’s a bit too simple I guess. 

Trying a bit too hard here with all the “fella” and “bird” stuff. Public school education is nothing to be ashamed of. 

[The Kraken]

9 minutes ago, Mixedkebab said:

Trying a bit too hard here with all the “fella” and “bird” stuff. Public school education is nothing to be ashamed of. 

I’ve done both pal. So no idea which one I should be shameful of.

PS I didn’t say ‘bird’. Happy for you to clear that up if you want. If you’re referring to “ghetto bird”, that’s a helicopter….

 

Edited 11 hours ago by The Kraken

[Saint86]

1 hour ago, JohnnyShearer2.0 said:

Frustratingly it is being used to push people's agendas. I've watched a few videos and seen some of the reasoning from Robinson.

The Digwa family have been arrested now as well, so hopefully they'll be charged accordingly. 

Fucking cunt Digwa has really fucked it up for the local community.

It was sadly ever thus. Division is fantastic for creating new avenues to exploit for political capital. BLM went to far, and i suspect was being used by the left in the USA for their broader political goals (and in particular to weaponize the vote against Trump in the USA), this one now looks like its going to be used by the Right in Britain - or at least has the potential to be that. I saw today that Badenoch came out with a statement that was essentially, "all lives matter", and got lambasted by the reform vote for not going far enough... Farage basically said, "white lives matter".... Has the potential to spiral imho..

Its also just what Southampton didn't need as a city, first Spygate ends up focusing the eyes on the city, and now this will cause community/social tensions and may see the city becoming the epicentre for a new batch of race protests/riots.

I'm not going to say something hasn't gone horrendously wrong with the policing in this case. Blatantly it has, it is shocking and the police should have absolutely nowhere to hide, the 4 officers should all be facing charges in my opinion. They have a duty of care, yet they were 10mins from Southampton general by blue light and they let that poor boy die handcuffed on the street nearly 70min after arresting him. Its beyond a disgrace. Negligence, indifference, and possibly something far more insidious if racial biases did have a part to play. Also, the difference in the way they treated the Digwa and Henry in this case is just appalling on face value.... One was stabbed 4 times and chased through the streets until he collapsed, then he was all too readily dismissed by the police and arrested and handcuffed whilst he lay dying - begging for help, saying he couldn't breath, saying he'd been stabbed, asking for an ambulance... The other wasn't handcuffed, even when being arrested for murder ffs, that juxtaposition is just mental to me... its shocking by the police, the lot of them should be in a courtroom imo, not still on active service building up a cushty pension plan. Their duty is to protect and serve the public. Not get the murderer a coffee after already doing their own part to make sure his victim died on the street in their custody.

As for what happens now, this whole case should be a klaxon to finally tackle knife crime, which is what his family have called for (his dad's speech was incredibly dignified ). This case is particularly appalling, but its ultimately about another young life lost to some knife obsessed psycho. Outside of that, the difference in treatment of the two of them is a stain on Hampshire constabulary, i think it has to be investigated, and it should lead to a change to policing - for improving basic standards and training in the police, and for removing any notion of political interference OR correctness in how different people get treated. The police are there to protect the public, irrespective of their backgrounds.

Thoughts to his family. I can't even imagine going through something like this.

Edited 10 hours ago by Saint86

[benjii]

[JohnnyShearer2.0]

5 hours ago, Saint86 said:

It was sadly ever thus. Division is fantastic for creating new avenues to exploit for political capital. BLM went to far, and i suspect was being used by the left in the USA for their broader political goals (and in particular to weaponize the vote against Trump in the USA), this one now looks like its going to be used by the Right in Britain - or at least has the potential to be that. I saw today that Badenoch came out with a statement that was essentially, "all lives matter", and got lambasted by the reform vote for not going far enough... Farage basically said, "white lives matter".... Has the potential to spiral imho..

Its also just what Southampton didn't need as a city, first Spygate ends up focusing the eyes on the city, and now this will cause community/social tensions and may see the city becoming the epicentre for a new batch of race protests/riots.

I'm not going to say something hasn't gone horrendously wrong with the policing in this case. Blatantly it has, it is shocking and the police should have absolutely nowhere to hide, the 4 officers should all be facing charges in my opinion. They have a duty of care, yet they were 10mins from Southampton general by blue light and they let that poor boy die handcuffed on the street nearly 70min after arresting him. Its beyond a disgrace. Negligence, indifference, and possibly something far more insidious if racial biases did have a part to play. Also, the difference in the way they treated the Digwa and Henry in this case is just appalling on face value.... One was stabbed 4 times and chased through the streets until he collapsed, then he was all too readily dismissed by the police and arrested and handcuffed whilst he lay dying - begging for help, saying he couldn't breath, saying he'd been stabbed, asking for an ambulance... The other wasn't handcuffed, even when being arrested for murder ffs, that juxtaposition is just mental to me... its shocking by the police, the lot of them should be in a courtroom imo, not still on active service building up a cushty pension plan. Their duty is to protect and serve the public. Not get the murderer a coffee after already doing their own part to make sure his victim died on the street in their custody.

As for what happens now, this whole case should be a klaxon to finally tackle knife crime, which is what his family have called for (his dad's speech was incredibly dignified ). This case is particularly appalling, but its ultimately about another young life lost to some knife obsessed psycho. Outside of that, the difference in treatment of the two of them is a stain on Hampshire constabulary, i think it has to be investigated, and it should lead to a change to policing - for improving basic standards and training in the police, and for removing any notion of political interference OR correctness in how different people get treated. The police are there to protect the public, irrespective of their backgrounds.

Thoughts to his family. I can't even imagine going through something like this.

Yes I feel similar, it looks like a serious failure by the police. More broadly, though, these police officers' actions and attitudes don't exist in isolation but they're influenced by wider social and institutional pressures.

One possible factor is a perceived need to demonstrate anti-racist credentials or support for minority groups in ways that can sometimes come into tension with police duties of strict impartiality and responsibility for welfare. 

It doesn't help that Digwa happens to be Sikh and Indian. As that's fuel on the fire. But him and his family are cruel, calculating and should all be put away for their actions. 

[Turkish]

8 hours ago, Gloucester Saint said:

Bet a certain poster is having a right old series of wanks at the presence of Tommy in Southampton. Kleenex supplies are low.

Robinson and Laurence Fox are revolting cunts though tbf, especially after Mr Nowak asked for his son’s memory not be to used to stir up further hatred and violence. Says everything that a minute’s silence couldn’t even be observed before trouble erupted.

Hants Police have shat the bed, and seriously fucked up. But Robinson and Fox don’t give a shit about the murdered young man. It’s all about their sick agenda. 

Nah he’s telling everyone that the protests are largely peaceful and we should turn a blind eye even if there was any violence because it’s all for a good cause, just like the BLM stuff

[whelk]

10 hours ago, Osvaldorama said:

benefits bill just exceeded the amount the government earns in taxes

It absolutely hasn’t however much someone has told you

[whelk]

10 hours ago, AlexLaw76 said:

Scenes at Southampton Cop Shop

Bless, Batman has a lot of take the knee photos 

[whelk]

9 hours ago, Osvaldorama said:

They are, you just don’t understand how the economy and financial system work  

Mate, it is so apparent you don’t, however much you say debasing our currency 

[Osvaldorama]

 

2 hours ago, benjii said:

Out of interest, were you ridiculing the BLM protests? 

[Farmer Saint]

22 minutes ago, whelk said:

Bless, Batman has a lot of take the knee photos 

It's what he used to do to his superiors when cooking beans on his sub.

[tdmickey3]

11 hours ago, Osvaldorama said:

The question you should be asking is;

why do people feel strongly enough to do that? 
 

It’s because the working class is being ignored because Starmer prefers to sucker up to the woke globalist corporations 

🤡

[tdmickey3]

10 hours ago, badgerx16 said:

Surely even naive Reform/Restore voters can see they are being taken as fools ?

Seems not

[egg]

Just now, tdmickey3 said:

Seems not

They absolutely aren't. The lurch to reform, and now the other lot, isn't stopping. People seem to have an "anything else must be better" mindset which stops them playing the tape forwards and considering what the anything else could actually look like. That said, and people can say what they like, the pull to those parties is centred around one primary issue, and Digwa type incidents will only strengthen the pull...the mindset is "if our home grown brown people can do that, think what the boat people can do" etc. 

[badgerx16]

11 hours ago, Osvaldorama said:

Our benefits bill just exceeded the amount the government earns in taxes. 
 

Benefits total is about £330Bn, over half of which is pensions. Total tax take is over £1.14Tn.

[benjii]

28 minutes ago, Osvaldorama said:

 

Out of interest, were you ridiculing the BLM protests? 

I think so. Hemp-shoed weirdos.

[Osvaldorama]

10 minutes ago, badgerx16 said:

Benefits total is about £330Bn, over half of which is pensions. Total tax take is over £1.14Tn.

wrong

 

According to the Office for Budget Responsibility's March 2026 Economic and Fiscal Outlook and DWP benefit tables, UK social security spending (welfare benefits including pensions) is forecast at £334bn for 2025/26. Income tax receipts are projected at £329-331bn. This is the first time welfare has exceeded income tax revenue in UK history

[Holmes_and_Watson]

10 hours ago, Gloucester Saint said:

Actually, where is Soggy? Haven’t seen him for a few days.

Not going to pop up on ITV News lobbing a wheely bin at Laurence Fox is he?

His carer has moved him across to the football forum, with a new set of crayons. 🙂

[badgerx16]

5 minutes ago, Osvaldorama said:

wrong

 

According to the Office for Budget Responsibility's March 2026 Economic and Fiscal Outlook and DWP benefit tables, UK social security spending (welfare benefits including pensions) is forecast at £334bn for 2025/26. Income tax receipts are projected at £329-331bn. This is the first time welfare has exceeded income tax revenue in UK history

You said "Our benefits bill just exceeded the amount the government earns in taxes. ". Income tax is less than a third of the total tax take.  

[Holmes_and_Watson]

10 hours ago, badgerx16 said:

What do they think they will gain from throwing wheelie bins at the Police ?

Is that really the best of the English, what we all need to aspire to ?

Oh, how soon do some forget the wheelie bins of Agincourt?

[Gloucester Saint]

10 hours ago, Badger said:

Springbank ? Not sure how far you’re extending that area, but there are worse here surely ? (PE Way, if you’re including that perhaps and Whaddon near the football ground among others). 

Not sure I’d say worse than some in Gloucester though 

Certainly doesn’t detract from your overall point about Lowe though. 

Fair point, we’ve seen a bit more trouble in Springbank when heading through to Swindon Village for shopping but purely anecdotal. None of it is exactly South Bristol, Patchway, St Paul’s or parts of Brum.

Cinderford in the Forest is probably the most deprived in Gloucestershire I’ve seen on a smaller scale. 

[egg]

12 minutes ago, Osvaldorama said:

wrong

 

According to the Office for Budget Responsibility's March 2026 Economic and Fiscal Outlook and DWP benefit tables, UK social security spending (welfare benefits including pensions) is forecast at £334bn for 2025/26. Income tax receipts are projected at £329-331bn. This is the first time welfare has exceeded income tax revenue in UK history

You conflate all sorts of points. Anyways, I've asked you previously if you want the state pension to go (or at least the triple lock), or just the parts of the welfare state that won't benefit you...

[rallyboy]

I'm not sure how doing Hitler salutes and throwing missiles at the police helps Henry's family, but then again this isn't really about Henry.

This is the civil unrest, faux patriotism, harnessed indignation and rage that Farage and Robinson instigate to fuel their careers.

Rent-a-riot is on tour, coming to any grievance with a potential racist element near you soon - you won't even have to ask Nigel or Stephen for details, they'll tell you where to riot, and if you're easily-led and confused by simple concepts, you'll go and smash up innocent neighbourhoods, wrapped in a British flag, celebrating Hitler.

Perhaps instead we could bang up the killer and his family that helped him, and let Henry's family have some peace so they can get answers and change policing for the better. They don't need this shit, but Farage and Robinson do.

 

[benjii]

 

Once more unto the wheelie-bins, dear friends, once more;

 

Or close the wall up with our English dead.

 

In peace there's nothing so becomes a man

 

As Lonsdale shoes and a can of Stella:

 

But when the blast of war blows in our ears,

 

Then imitate the action of the Tiny Tommy;

 

Stiffen the sinews, summon up the coke,

Disguise fair nature with hard-favour'd terrible tattoos;

 

Then lend the eye a terrible aspect;

 

Let pry through the haze of vape

 

Like the GB News; let the brow o'erwhelm it

[tdmickey3]

Just now, benjii said:

 

 

Once more unto the wheelie-bins, dear friends, once more;

 

Or close the wall up with our English dead.

 

In peace there's nothing so becomes a man

 

As Lonsdale shoes and a can of Stella:

 

But when the blast of war blows in our ears,

 

Then imitate the action of the Tiny Tommy;

 

Stiffen the sinews, summon up the coke,

Disguise fair nature with hard-favour'd terrible tattoos;

 

Then lend the eye a terrible aspect;

 

Let pry through the haze of vape

 

Like the GB News; let the brow o'erwhelm it

Bloody good that is

[Holmes_and_Watson]

24 minutes ago, benjii said:

 

 

Once more unto the wheelie-bins, dear friends, once more;

 

Or close the wall up with our English dead.

 

In peace there's nothing so becomes a man

 

As Lonsdale shoes and a can of Stella:

 

But when the blast of war blows in our ears,

 

Then imitate the action of the Tiny Tommy;

 

Stiffen the sinews, summon up the coke,

Disguise fair nature with hard-favour'd terrible tattoos;

 

Then lend the eye a terrible aspect;

 

Let pry through the haze of vape

 

Like the GB News; let the brow o'erwhelm it

Brought a tear to my eye, Benji.

Not sure why the other eye wasn't bothered...

[Farmer Saint]

57 minutes ago, Osvaldorama said:

wrong

 

According to the Office for Budget Responsibility's March 2026 Economic and Fiscal Outlook and DWP benefit tables, UK social security spending (welfare benefits including pensions) is forecast at £334bn for 2025/26. Income tax receipts are projected at £329-331bn. This is the first time welfare has exceeded income tax revenue in UK history

This guy is reminding me of another recent poster, parroting facts with little critical thinking or understanding what he is posting.

[Farmer Saint]

27 minutes ago, benjii said:

 

 

Once more unto the wheelie-bins, dear friends, once more;

 

Or close the wall up with our English dead.

 

In peace there's nothing so becomes a man

 

As Lonsdale shoes and a can of Stella:

 

But when the blast of war blows in our ears,

 

Then imitate the action of the Tiny Tommy;

 

Stiffen the sinews, summon up the coke,

Disguise fair nature with hard-favour'd terrible tattoos;

 

Then lend the eye a terrible aspect;

 

Let pry through the haze of vape

 

Like the GB News; let the brow o'erwhelm it

Sounds like a John Betjemen.

[benjii]

This patriot makes an excellent and nuanced point.

 

https://x.com/i/status/2061924489575743837

 

 

 

[benjii]

1 minute ago, Farmer Saint said:

Sounds like a John Betjemen.

Come friendly bombs and fall on Lowe.

[Osvaldorama]

48 minutes ago, egg said:

You conflate all sorts of points. Anyways, I've asked you previously if you want the state pension to go (or at least the triple lock), or just the parts of the welfare state that won't benefit you...

The triple lock should absolutely go. As should a plethora of other benefits and welfare. I think there’s a strong case for abolishing the NHS too. It’s fucked beyond repair. 
 

There should also be a review into all government spending from the top down. 

 

If the country was a business, it would have been closed down long ago. The waste that goes on is absolutely ridiculous. 

[The Kraken]

32 minutes ago, Farmer Saint said:

This guy is reminding me of another recent poster, parroting facts with little critical thinking or understanding what he is posting.

“Little” is doing some heavy lifting there. As is “facts”.  But yes, definitely a Poundland Sir Ralph, it would seem.

[Turkish]

38 minutes ago, Osvaldorama said:

The triple lock should absolutely go. As should a plethora of other benefits and welfare. I think there’s a strong case for abolishing the NHS too. It’s fucked beyond repair. 
 

There should also be a review into all government spending from the top down. 

 

If the country was a business, it would have been closed down long ago. The waste that goes on is absolutely ridiculous. 

Id be very interested to see how much gets spent on DEI roles in the public sector. You can find dozens if not hundreds of very, very well paid jobs in Pub Sec in this gravy train. I've seen jobs paying 70-90k as head of DEI in various organisation, which suggests there are also teams of people under neath them. A truly fantastic job, making sure you've got a enough non whites, women and LGBTs women working in your organisation and if anyone disagrees with you you can get them fired for being racist, homophobic or sexist. The job where you cannot fail.

Edited 1 hour ago by Turkish

[egg]

1 hour ago, Turkish said:

Id be very interested to see how much gets spent on DEI roles in the public sector. You can find dozens if not hundreds of very, very well paid jobs in Pub Sec in this gravy train. I've seen jobs paying 70-90k as head of DEI in various organisation, which suggests there are also teams of people under neath them. A truly fantastic job, making sure you've got a enough non whites, women and LGBTs women working in your organisation and if anyone disagrees with you you can get them fired for being racist, homophobic or sexist. The job where you cannot fail.

Devils advocate. How about ensuring that working class people, those without a degree, disabled people, etc, get a fair crack of the whip? Apparently the idiots throwing bins around yesterday just want the ordinary man to be treated the same as anyone else...

Done properly, diversity and inclusion goes beyond sex, sexuality and colour, and surely there's a need to make sure it happens. 

[egg]

1 hour ago, Osvaldorama said:

The triple lock should absolutely go. As should a plethora of other benefits and welfare. I think there’s a strong case for abolishing the NHS too. It’s fucked beyond repair. 
 

There should also be a review into all government spending from the top down. 

 

If the country was a business, it would have been closed down long ago. The waste that goes on is absolutely ridiculous. 

That's telling us what should go, but not what should happen instead.

A "review" isn't a policy, it's merely saying "I don't like something but haven't got a clue what I want instead". Nobody can credibly campaign, or debate, on that sort of footing. 

[The very right reverend]

13 hours ago, badgerx16 said:

Surely even naive Reform/Restore voters can see they are being taken as fools ?

They're being used but no more so than Green voters who're in a party that hasn't said anything remotely Green for months, the thing is here as opposed to the Greens and their sectarian/Islamist/feminist/extreme radical strange marriage of convenience pact (as they simply hate the state/west and establishment) there is some logic to the protests in so far they're highlighting what many have known for years, a two tier style of Governance and policy.

[Turkish]

1 minute ago, egg said:

Devils advocate. How about ensuring that working class people, those without a degree, disabled people, etc, get a fair crack of the whip? Apparently the idiots throwing bins around yesterday just want the ordinary man to be treated the same as anyone else...

Done properly, diversity and inclusion goes beyond sex, sexuality and colour, and surely there's a need to make sure it happens. 

100% agree. Maybe time for non graduate quotas in senior roles?

I speak from experience of previously working for a company who had a very expensive graduate program which saw over 80% of the people on it leave within two years. I was involved in the interviewing and management of some of them and whilst there were some fantastic, talented and humble kids, many of them were highly entitled and demanding payrises and promotions within 6 months. I will never forget how one girl described her "normal childhood" as parents who were both barristers, hobbies were looking after her horses and ambition was to be CEO. Would have loved to have seen a program like that for young kids local to the main UK offices rather than hiring the supposedly top talent in the country.