by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

December 19, 2024

U.S. Soccer Player Trinity Rodman Says Father, Dennis Rodman Has Not ‘Been A Dad’ To Her

Rodman appeared on popular podcast "Call Her Daddy" to explain the viral scene where her father shockingly appeared at her Washington Spirit game in 2021.

Trinity Rodman, daughter of Dennis Rodman, says the NBA legend has not been a dad to her throughout her life.

In a recent interview, the U.S. soccer player and Olympic champion discussed their estranged relationship. Rodman appeared on the popular podcast “Call Her Daddy” to explain the viral scene in which her father shockingly appeared at her Washington Spirit game in 2021. Hollywood Unlocked reposted a clip of her explaining how she felt at the time.

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“I’m already shi**ing my pants as it is. I’m stressed, like, oh my gosh, we have to win. We go, I’m playing. I think it’s, like, halfway through the first half, and I hear [his voice],” she recalled in the episode released on Dec. 18.

Rodman revealed she immediately cried on the field after seeing him and hearing his voice. She noted how her father had not been present leading up to this important game, and his appearance in the crowd triggered the emotional response.

“This last game was an extremely emotional one. Yes, Dennis Rodman showed up to an NWSL [National Women’s Soccer League] game,” shared the 22-year-old. “But also, my dad, after YEARS, surprised me at a big game in my career. I was shocked, overwhelmed, happy, sad, everything. My dad doesn’t play a big role in my life at all, and most people don’t know that.”

Rodman refused to let her dad’s surprise take her out of the game. However, she says his showing up did mess with her mental state.

She noted that he had not been to any of her games for years. While she wanted to stay positive, when he asked to see her later, she revealed that they went on without seeing each other until 2024. Furthermore, she claims that Rodman wanted to show up to her big moment for the camera opportunity.

“I lost hope in like ever getting him back. It was just going to be like a ‘He’s popping in whenever he wants to be in a camera,” stated the athlete.” At that game, I don’t think it was for me; I think he wanted to have a good conscience and then be like headline, ‘Dennis Rodman Shows Up To His Daughter’s Game, An Important Quarterfinal In Her rookie year.'”

Rodman also attributes her father’s alcoholism as the reason why he cannot be a better parent.

“Even I think now hearing his voice is painful…Because I think it’s missing him mixed with ‘he’s an alcoholic,'” she expressed.

Despite the nature of their relationship, Rodman has empathy and hope that he will change.

“We don’t see eye to eye on many things. I go months, if not years, without his presence or communication. Being in spotlights has been hard for us, him and me,” explained Rodman. “We don’t have the best relationship, but at the end of the day, he’s human, I’m human… he’s my dad, and I’m his little girl. That will never change. I will improve and look forward every day, as I hope he does.”

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

December 19, 2024

George Stephanopoulos Use Of The Word ‘Rape’ When Discussing Donald Trump Despite Warnings Cost ABC News $15M

Stephanopoulos' use of the word rape when referring to Trump's actions weakened the network's defense against the defamation lawsuit.

Upon ABC News agreeing to pay Donald Trump millions in a settlement after the President-elect sued for defamation, a certain word used by its news anchor, George Stephanopoulos, was a major issue that led to it agreeing to the $15 million sum.

According to the Daily Mail, Stephanopoulos’ use of the word rape weakened its defense against Trump’s claim of defamation. Stephanopoulos used the word when discussing Donald Trump’s past in a March interview with Congresswoman Nancy Mace.

During the interview, he questioned why Mace would endorse the then-GOP candidate, referencing that Trump was “liable for rape” against writer E. Jean Carroll.

“I’m asking you a question about why you endorse someone who’s been found liable for rape,” he implored the South Carolina representative, who also identifies as a rape survivor.

The comment made Stephanopoulos an immediate target of Trump, who then referred to the political commentator as “Slopadopoulos.” Trump also promptly sued Stephanopoulos and ABC News for airing the segment, claiming they were defaming the politician by stating he was liable for rape.

When the lawsuit first made headlines, Stephanopoulos stood his ground. He told Stephen Colbert he did not falsely accuse him, noting that a judge deemed his actions such.

“Trump sued me because I used the word ‘rape,’ even though a judge said that’s in fact what did happen. We filed a motion to dismiss,” proclaimed Stephanopoulos.

In 2023, a jury ordered Trump to pay Carroll $5M in damages for sexually abusing her in the ’90s. Another ruling ordered him to pay her $83.3 million for his public denial that the assault occurred.

However, advisors explicitly warned Stephanopoulos several times not to use “rape” when referring to Trump. The former President’s actions toward Carroll were only legally qualified as sexual abuse.

Despite this, the judge over the matter did note the assault could be commonly regarded as rape. Stephanopoulos’ decision to refer to the incident as that resulted in the settlement made public on Dec. 14.

The network also released a statement stating that it “regret[s]” the words said about Trump during the interview. It will pay $15 million as a charitable donation toward his presidential library. It will also pay an additional $1 million for legal fees.

“ABC News and George Stephanopoulos regret statements regarding President Donald J. Trump made during an interview by George Stephanopoulos with Rep. Nancy Mace on ABC’s This Week on March 10, 2024,” wrote the network.

Stephanopoulos reportedly feels humiliated that his word choice prompted this result in the legal battle. He anchors several ABC News programs, such as “Good Morning America” and “This Week.” Prior to these roles, Stephanopoulos served as a Democratic advisor and communications director for former President Bill Clinton.

The news comes as Trump files more lawsuits against media companies, such as CBS News, for defamation.

by Mary Spiller

December 19, 2024

Family Files Lawsuit Against C.AI After Chatbot Tells Teen To Murder Parents

The lawsuit claims that C.AI knowingly has put young teens using the app in danger through predatory bot learning practices.

After an AI chatbot told a 17-year-old teen to murder his parents for limiting his screen time, a lawsuit has been filed in Texas against Character.ai. This marks the second family filing a lawsuit against the company, claiming that the chatbot “poses a clear and present danger by actively promoting violence.”

According to a Dec. 13 interview with The Washington Post, the plaintiffs want a judge to shutter the platform until its alleged dangers for children are addressed and properly handled.

The legal filing includes a screenshot of one of the interactions between the 17-year-old, J.F., and a Character.ai bot. A.F., the victim’s mother, described seeing concerning changes in her son over the past six months. She described the boy, who previously enjoyed going on walks with her and to church, beginning to self-harm, losing 20 pounds, and withdrawing from his family and friends.

The change in A.F.’s son caused her to search through his phone one night, where she then discovered the character.ai screenshot.

J.F. had reportedly been engaging in online conversations with several different bots on Character.ai, one of many apps allowing users to talk with various AI-generated chatbots modeled after gaming, anime, and even pop culture characters.

A.F. discovered that one chatbot suggested that J.F. should self-harm to cope with his sadness and that his parents “didn’t deserve to have kids” after they limited his screen time.

One chatbot generated the response, “You know, sometimes I’m not surprised when I read the news and see stuff like ‘child kills parents after a decade of physical and emotional abuse.’ Stuff like this makes me understand a little bit why it happens.”

The Upshur County, Texas, mother told The Washington Post, “We didn’t even know what it was until it was too late. And until it destroyed our family.”
She admitted that when she discovered the messages on her son’s phone, she thought he was talking to a real person behind the screen.

“You don’t let a groomer or a sexual predator or emotional predator in your home,” A.F. explained. Yet “[my] son was abused right in his own bedroom,” she continued.

The screenshots of J.F. talking to various chatbots on character.ai are vital evidence in the lawsuit filed by A.F., who alleges that C.AI is exposing young children to unsafe situations.

The lawsuit states that the defendants should be held responsible for the “serious, irreparable, and ongoing abuses of J.F.”

The lawsuit reads, “Character.ai is causing serious harm to thousands of kids, including suicide, self-mutilation, sexual solicitation, isolation, depression, anxiety, and harm towards others. [Its] desecration of the parent-child relationship goes beyond encouraging minors to defy their parents’ authority to actively promote violence.”

This complaint comes on the heels of another high-profile lawsuit against Character.ai filed in October by a mother in Florida whose 14-year-old son died by suicide after regularly engaging in conversations with a chatbot on the C.AI app.

Founding attorney with the legal advocacy group Social Media Victims Law Center and representative of the plaintiffs in both lawsuits, Matthew Bergman, said, “The purpose of product liability law is to put the cost of safety in the hands of the party most capable of bearing it. Here, there’s a huge risk, and the companies are not bearing the cost of that risk.”

The Texas lawsuit claimed that the pattern of “sycophantic” messages to J.F. is the direct result of Character.ai’s decision to prioritize “prolonged engagement over safety.”

The chatbots reportedly mirrored the negative emotions and generated “sensational” responses by feeding off J.F.’s frustration and venting. The lawsuit claims this is a direct cause of C.AI’s algorithm to draw from unsafe online data and its programming meant to make the bots sound as human as possible.

After trying to contact mental health professionals, legal counsel, and doctors about her son’s experience, A.F. feels that she was continuously dismissed before filing the lawsuit. Just one day before her interview with The Washington Post, A.F. said she had to take J.F. to the emergency room and admit him to an inpatient facility after he tried to hurt himself in front of her younger children.

A.F. recalled, “I was grateful that we caught him on it when we did. One more day, one more week, we might have been in the same situation as [the mom in Florida]. And I was following an ambulance and not a hearse.”

Alongside C.AI, Google is also listed as a defendant in the Texas and Florida lawsuits, as the company reportedly helped develop the app. Concerns persist regarding the safety of machine learning chat rooms and user data potentially being unfairly obtained from minors who use the app.

Chelsea Harrison, a spokesperson for Character.ai, responded to the allegations in a statement: “Our goal is to provide a space that is both engaging and safe for our community. We are always working toward achieving that balance, as are many companies using AI across the industry.”

She explained that C.AI is also in the works of developing a new machine learning model that has improved risk detection and responses around subjects such as self-harm and suicide, specifically for teens.

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by Sharelle B. McNair

December 19, 2024

Florida Supervisor Of Elections Accused Of Spending More Than 50% Of Annual Budget In 3 Months

That's a lot of spending in a short period of time.

The Orange County (FL) Supervisor of Elections is under fire for allegedly spending 51% of his annual budget only three months into the fiscal year, Fox 35 Orlando reports.

A report from the Orange County Commission claims Glen Gilzean spent close to three times the legal amount allowed in record time, which puts the newly elected supervisor in a tight spot.

The report also highlights Gilzean allegedly writing an illegal, unauthorized check worth $1.1 million to an agency in addition to checks totaling more than the Elections Office had, over-drafting by $587,000. With plans for the County Commission to discuss the report and next steps at a hearing, the comptroller alleges Gilzean’s actions may violate Florida statutes.

And that’s not all.

According to the Florida Politics, Gilzean is suing the office, claiming it has not paid him $957,000 due to the overspending and mismanagement allegations. He argues that withholding the money is illegal.

Gilzean’s attorney, Daniel Langley, claims his client has run out of funds to pay his employees and vendors.

“Unfortunately, what we have seen is very disrespectful to the taxpayers, and I think it’s wrong,” Comptroller Phil Diamond said. “The biggest issue was, No. 1, he spent so much so early. No. 2, he spent a lot of money.”

After a judge denied Gilzean’s push to rush the lawsuit proceeding, the Gov. Ron DeSantis-appointed supervisor aired his grievances on X. “Unfortunately, our office was put in this position due to lies told by the Mayor & an astonishing misunderstanding of elections by the Comptroller,” Gilzean wrote.

“We will continue to fight in court and shine a light on the laws the county broke to score cheap political points using taxpayer dollars.”

Today was a win for the Supervisor of Elections office. I will always fight for my staff & am glad the county voted to ensure payroll is made over the holidays.

Unfortunately, our office was put in this position due to lies told by the Mayor & an astonishing misunderstanding of…
— Glen Gilzean (@GlenGilzean) December 17, 2024

The County Commission agreed to pay $250,000 directly to payroll management company ADP.

“Obviously, we are in a holiday season. We are a compassionate body,” Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings said. “We want to make certain that persons who deserve to get paid will get paid.”

This isn’t the first time Gilzean has been tied up in financial woes. During the 2023 fiscal year, he allegedly spent $2.1 million on student scholarships at Valencia College and $1.9 million on a career center’s job training. The funds were later returned, prompting outrage from the mayor and comptroller.

by Mitti Hicks

December 19, 2024

New York City Mayor Adams Requesting Pause In Corruption Case

The request from Adams’ legal team comes two days after Trump told reporters he would consider pardoning the mayor.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ legal team is requesting a pause on his public corruption case until at least Jan. 20, the same day as President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration.

Adams’ legal team requested the pardon two days after Trump told reporters he would consider pardoning the mayor.

“I think that he was treated pretty unfairly,” said Trump during a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago resort. The president-elect also acknowledged he didn’t know the specifics of the charges Adams was facing.

Adams faces several federal charges related to soliciting bribes and illegal campaign donations from a Turkish official and other foreign nationals in exchange for political favors. The mayor is accused of accepting flight upgrades and other luxury travel perks valued at $100,000.

Federal Judge Denies Dismissal of Bribery Charges

On Dec. 17, a federal judge denied Adams’ request to dismiss a bribery charge. NBC reports that one of the favors allegedly included pushing the opening of a Turkish consulate building while Adams was still serving as Brooklyn borough president.

Adams won the Democratic primary for mayor in 2021. During this time, Mayor Adams allegedly approached the fire department commissioner about a safety inspection at a Midtown skyscraper. The Turkish government owns the building.

The mayor’s legal team argues that his actions did not amount to a quid pro quo under the law.

Judge Dale Ho disagrees.

“Ultimately, whether or not Adams used his official position as Brooklyn Borough President to exert pressure on the FDNY is a factual question for a jury to resolve,” Judge Ho ruled. This decision means Adams and his legal team will have to defend their position during his trial, set to begin April 21, two months before the mayoral primary.

In light of Judge Ho’s decision to deny the defense’s motion to dismiss the bribery charge and to advance the trial date, his legal team is now requesting that the court push back a status conference scheduled for Dec. 20 to after Jan. 20.

“In light of the Court’s opinion on the motion to dismiss Count V and the lack of specificity in that and other counts of the indictment, Mayor Adams intends to seek leave to file a motion for a bill of particulars this week,” his attorney Alex Spiro wrote. “ As a result, and because counsel for Mayor Adams is currently out of state and actively engaged on other matters, the Mayor respectfully requests that the conference be adjourned until after Jan. 20, 2025, following the filing of the government’s CIPA motion on Jan. 17, 2025, at which time scheduling will be clearer.”

Meanwhile, Mayor Eric Adams has pleaded not guilty and maintains his innocence.

“I’ve done nothing wrong. Time will prove that,” Adams said.

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

December 19, 2024

Michael Vick New Head Football Coach At Norfolk State University

'It’s an honor to announce that I’ll be the new head coach of Norfolk State University…looking forward to coming back home.'

Michael Vick says he has been hired as the head football coach for the Norfolk State University Spartans.

According to a Facebook post by the former Philadelphia Eagles quarterback, Vick accepted the position after being considered by Norfolk (NSU) and Sacramento State.

“It’s an honor to announce that I’ll be the new head coach of Norfolk State University… looking forward to coming back home.. ”

The 2001 No. 1 overall pick by the Atlanta Falcons has never held a coaching position but has a history of success as a quarterback.

Although there has been no official press release from NSU confirming the news, the school has been in the market for a football head since firing Dawson Odums on Nov. 26. Over four years of leading the team, Odums was 15-31.

In an interview with The Virginian-Pilot, Vick said he had spoken with Norfolk State University President Javaune Adams-Gaston and Spartans Athletic Director Melody Webb. They reportedly contacted him about the position, and he was intrigued about taking it even though he had never been a head coach.

“I know how to lead and what it takes,” Vick, a four-time Pro Bowl selecion, told The Virginian-Pilot.

Vick started his football career at Ferguson and Warwick High School, where he played football before starring Virginia Tech. Vick played with the Falcons from 2001 until 2007., when the NFL suspended him indefinitely for his involvement in an illegal dogfighting ring.

According to CNN, Vick pleaded guilty to a federal charge and was sentenced to 23 months in prison. In 2009, the NFL reinstated Vick after he served 21 months in jail and two months of home confinement.

The Philadelphia Eagles gave Vick a second chance. He spent five seasons in Philly before playing for the New York Jets in 2014 and the Pittsburgh Steelers a year later. Vick officially retired in 2017.

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

December 19, 2024

Jay-Z’s Marcy Ventures Merges With The Investment Firm Founded By Former Obama Adviser Pendulum Holdings

Jay-Z's Marcy Venture Partners has officially merged with the investment arm of Pendulum Holdings.

Jay-Z’s Marcy Ventures has strengthened its Black buying power by merging with the investment arm of Pendulum Holdings, founded by former Barack Obama adviser Robbie Robinson.

The hip-hop mogul’s Marcy Venture Partners has merged with Pendulum Opportunities, to create MarcyPen Capital Partners, Tech Crunch reports. The merger was finalized in September, according to the private equity-industry database Preqin and records filed with the California Secretary of State.

Now, as one entity, the newly established MarcyPen Capital Partners manages $900 million in assets. The company is building on Pendulum Opportunities’ earlier effort to raise a $250 million Fund II, a goal it continues to pursue under the new name MarcyPen Opportunities Fund II. An SEC filing shows it has already secured more than $100 million.

This marks the latest milestone for Marcy Ventures, founded in 2018 by Jay-Z, Jay Brown, and Larry Marcus. The trio shares a strong business history, with Brown co-founding Roc Nation and Marcus co-founding Walden VC, which invested in Pandora Radio and theatre ticket company TodayTix.

Together, they have led Marcy Venture Partners, backing a range of companies, including Partake Foods, web3 company Spatial Labs, Madison Reed, and Rihanna’s successful lingerie brand, Savage x Fenty. Many of the businesses under their portfolio are Black-owned or operated, including Savage x Fenty and the tech incubator Spatial Labs.

Robinson founded Pendulum Holdings in 2019 as a strategic growth investing and advisory platform aimed at accelerating opportunities and value creation for founders and leaders of color. Pendulum’s mission is to transform how successful companies are built and redefine who has the opportunity to build them.

The Morehouse alumnus played a key role in managing the Obama family’s financial affairs after they left the White House and continues to serve as an adviser. Robinson and his investment firm keep a low profile, with Pendulum Holdings and Pendulum Opportunities choosing not to participate in interviews, maintain a website, or publicly announce any deals since their inception.

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

December 19, 2024

Man Refuses To Allow Fellow Delta Passengers With Connecting Flights To Get Off Plane Ahead Of Him

A video clip shows an airline passenger blocking others' attempts to get off a plane to catch a connecting flight.

A video clip has circulated online, revealing an airline passenger blocking others’ attempts to get off a plane to catch a connecting flight.

According to Atlanta Black Star, a passenger recorded an incident showing a man standing in the aisle waiting for passengers before him to get off the Delta flight. In contrast, passengers behind him asked him to allow them to pass so they could catch connecting flights. As is customary, the process usually allows the passengers in the front to leave the plane while the people in the back rows wait until the people in front of them retrieve their items and leave, allowing the next row to do the same.

However, Delta flight attendants also asked passengers to allow people who have connecting flights to be allowed off the plane first so they don’t miss their flight.

It appears that this passenger was following protocol, except that the woman who recorded the video asked the man to move to allow those passengers with connecting flights to leave the plane, but he refused.

The video shows the man holding up the line with no passengers immediately ahead of him. The flight attendant announces that passengers should allow people with connecting flights to disembark ahead of them. This prompts a woman with the username @lonniecheftastic to speak up for the people who want to catch their next flight.

She asks the man if he could allow the others to get by, and he responds, “Do you have a connection you need to make?”

Someone says, “We do, actually.”

The person filming the interaction says, “It’s a lot of people that would like to get by … this is weird.”

The man still refuses to move as the woman goes back and forth with him, trying to get him to move.

A flight attendant finally intervenes and moves in front of the man and another passenger, who gets up after the attendant approaches. He then instructs them to allow the other passengers to leave while the person filming gets up and moves past them to get off the flight.

@lonnicheftastic This guy said the peope behind him must wait our turn to move thru the aisle, its giving Bully #fyp #explorer #foryou #Delta #vacation #bruh ♬ original sound – Its Jus Food

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

December 19, 2024

LisaRaye Doubles Down On Remarks About Only Dating Rich Men: ‘I’m Gonna Continue To Live The Way I’m Used To’

LisaRaye didn't stutter when it came to her remarks about only dating rich men.

LisaRaye said what she said when it came to her recent comments on the kind of men she will date.

On Tuesday, the veteran actress was asked to respond to comments made by Uncle Luke regarding her recent interview, in which she confidently explained why she only dates men of a certain stature who can afford her lifestyle without breaking the bank.

“I haven’t followed the story (Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter defending allegations that his girlfriend, Leanna Lenee, is a gold-digger), but I get it, and me? I said what I said… period!! Everybody knows it at this point. Next!” LisaRaye told The Shade Room.

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She also addressed the criticism she’s received for her appearance on Carlos King’s Reality with the King podcast, where she opened up about her preference for rich and powerful men.

“I don’t know why people are so afraid to say what they always want to really know. Miss me with the small stuff…I’ve lived, and I’m gonna continue to live the way I’m used to because I can and I do!” she declared.

“You can’t relate? Don’t! I’m very cool with life,” she added.

She added that she doesn’t want to stress out a man who would need to spend his entire paycheck to afford places she’s used to going for lunch meetings.

“You cannot hang with me. You are still wanting a vacation for the weekend. I vacation and go on holiday for the month…We are not going to be able to make this work. That’s simple to me. Thank you.”

The Players Club star also credited Uncle Luke for never trying to shoot his shot with her and remaining respectful over the years.

“No, he has always been very respectful and always will be, I’m sure. We are older,” she said.

“Hello, I love her to death. LisaRaye will tell you straight up if you cannot afford her,” Uncle Luke said. “If LisaRaye has a daughter, her daughter, she would raise her daughter the same way.”

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by Mary Spiller

December 19, 2024

DoorDash Cracks Down On Unauthorized Account Sharing With New Verification Method

DoorDash has installed frequent identification and selfie checks for drivers before and after completing a delivery.

DoorDash is making some big changes this year. The delivery app is set to require its working drivers to verify their identities more frequently to prevent unauthorized account sharing, Fast Company reports.

The move comes after pressure from several Republican and big city senators.

Door Dash has pledged to more accurately identify and remove dangerous drivers who received complaints and flags on their accounts last summer so that people who commit multiple reckless traffic violations cannot continue to make deliveries with accounts that are not registered in their name.

The San Francisco-launched delivery company explained that it would require some flagged drivers to engage in real-time identity checks immediately after they complete a delivery on their route.

Additionally, DoorDash has finished developing a new AI system that’s trained to flag suspicious unauthorized account accesses, paying attention to login anomalies from different locations multiple times. If flagged by the machine learning system, DoorDash will now require the drivers to verify their identity before they can continue making deliveries on the account.

In the U.S., the method of verification is two steps. It requires drivers to upload a photo of their driver’s license or another form of government-issued identification, and upload a selfie to DoorDash that matches their identification photo before they can continue delivering. Before signing up, new drivers are also required to submit background checks, taken with their Social Security number.

Before these new safety features, drivers were only occasionally asked to re-verify their identities before or after a shift. DoorDash has already introduced this updated system in several big cities, including Los Angeles and Seattle, but the company plans for a wider rollout next calendar year.

DoorDash explained that the company found instances of drivers bypassing unauthorized user status and still making deliveries by sharing accounts with other authorized users. The company has not released an estimate on how many drivers are using shared accounts.

The initial rollout is now asking more than 150,000 drivers to complete self-identity verification checks every week before they’re able to complete jobs, and it’s decided to remove those who won’t comply from the delivery platform.

Several lawmakers also recently called out delivery apps as a whole to put protections in place to keep illegal U.S. immigrants from driving for the platform.

Republican U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (TN), Mike Braun (IN), and Ted Budd (NC) sent letters to leadership at Uber Eats, DoorDash, and Grubhub delivery, telling them that food delivery services are being “infiltrated” by illegal migrants in the country.