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Pentagon head suggests urgent reduction in Taliban conflict

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Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, in his first news conference as Pentagon leader, said Friday that progress toward stability in Afghanistan and an end to U.S. military intervention there depends on the Taliban reducing attacks. He said, right now, “clearly the violence is too high.”

He declined, however, to say when the U.S. will determine whether it will meet the May 1 deadline for complete troop withdrawal, or whether America and its NATO allies will try to renegotiate the peace agreement with the Taliban and keep some troops there longer.

“We are mindful of the looming deadlines, but we want to do this methodically and deliberately,” Austin said. “But we’re focused on making sure that we make the right decisions, and we’ll go through this process deliberately.”

Afghanistan is shaping up as a big national security challenge for Austin and the rest of President Joe Biden’s fledgling national security team. There is little political appetite to keep U.S. troops in Afghanistan, but pulling them out risks further strengthening the Taliban and triggering a revival in terrorism.

Under the deal with the Taliban negotiated by the Trump administration one year earlier this month, the United States promised a staggered withdrawal of forces, so that by May 1, 2021, all foreign troops will be gone. For their part, the Taliban committed to beginning peace talks with the Afghan government, stopping attacks on American forces, and openly renouncing all links to al-Qaida and other militant groups.

Speaking to Pentagon reporters, Austin made it clear that the Taliban activity “must decrease now,” and that progress in talks with the Afghan government must move forward.

Austin, a former four-star Army general who led U.S. forces in Afghanistan and around the Mideast for three years during the Obama administration, said the Biden administration is evaluating the options for its next steps in Afghanistan, where U.S. troops have been stationed for nearly 20 years.

American forces make up about 2,500 of the nearly 10,000 troops training and advising the Afghans. And allies have suggested a willingness to continue the task if needed.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Friday that her government is willing to hold troops in Afghanistan longer if needed to ensure that the country does not descend into turmoil.

“Withdrawal must not mean that the wrong forces get the upper hand again,” she said.

Austin, who met with NATO defence ministers this week, said he told allies that they would be kept updated while the U.S. considers its options. And, he said he assured them that “the United States will not undertake a hasty or disorderly withdrawal from Afghanistan that puts their forces or the alliance’s reputation at risk.”

In remarks earlier Friday to a virtual meeting of the Munich Security Conference, Biden gave no hint of his strategy for troop levels in Afghanistan. He vowed to help the peace process and to ensure that Afghanistan does not return to being a launching pad for international terrorist attacks.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Thursday the allies are holding out hope for a “re-energized” peace process that could lead to a cease-fire as a step toward a final political settlement. Short of that, the options for the U.S. and NATO are complicated.

“We are faced with very hard and difficult dilemmas,” Stoltenberg told reporters after Austin and his fellow NATO defence ministers met via video teleconference. “Because, if we stay beyond May 1, we risk more violence, we risk more attacks against our own troops, and we risk, of course, also to be part of a continued presence in Afghanistan that will be difficult. But, if we leave, then we also risk that the gains we have made are lost and that Afghanistan again could become a safe haven for foreign terrorists.”

In other comments on Friday, Austin said the current Pentagon campaign to root out racism and extremism in the military would likely find only a small number of problems in the army. “But, quite frankly, they’ll probably be a little bit larger than most of us would guess,” he said. “I would just say that … small numbers in this case may have an outsized impact.”

Austin also said he spoke on Thursday with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia, who is the kingdom’s defence chief. He said he delivered the message that Biden has agreed the U.S. will no longer support aggressive Saudi military operations in Yemen.

“They heard that message loud and clear,” said Austin, who knows several important leaders in the Middle East from his years as head of U.S. Central Command from 2013 to 2016.

Emma Catherine grew up on the beautiful Southern California coast. She loves surfing, writing, and hanging out with her adorable dog, Henry. Her debut YA Contemporary, Love Letters, comes July 2017.

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How can a tax calculator simplify your tax filing process?

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Tax filing season can be a stressful time for many people. There’s a lot of paperwork to gather, and the tax code can be complex and confusing. However, a tax calculator app can help to simplify the tax filing process and make it less stressful.

Here are some of the ways that a tax calculator app can simplify your tax filing process:

  • Accurate calculations: A tax calculator app assist you to to appropriately calculate your taxes, deliberating all of your applicable income, deductions, and credit. This will let you to keep away from overpaying your taxes or making steeply-priced errors in your tax go back.
  • Easy to apply interface: Tax calculator apps are generally clean to apply and navigate, even for people without a tax revel in. This makes it easy to calculate your taxes and prepare your tax go back while not having to lease a professional tax preparer.
  • Convenience: Tax calculator apps are available from everywhere with a web connection. This approach that you could calculate your taxes at your convenience, from anywhere in the international.
  • Speed: Tax calculator apps can calculate your taxes in seconds, saving you time and trouble.
  • Tax making plans: Tax calculator apps also can assist you to plot your taxes and make informed choices approximately your finances. For example, you could use a tax calculator app to look how one of a kind tax deductions and credits will affect your tax liability.

In addition to these standard blessings, some tax calculator apps also provide capabilities which can make the tax filing manner even less complicated, together with:

  • Tax audit practice: Some tax calculator apps can help you to prepare for a tax audit by using reviewing your tax go back for capacity errors and omissions.
  • Tax coaching assistance: Some tax calculator apps can offer step-by way of-step commands and assistance with finishing complex tax forms.
  • Electronic tax submitting: Some tax calculator apps will let you to electronically file your tax return, saving you time and trouble.

Overall, a tax calculator app can be a precious device for taxpayers of all ranges of enjoy. By simplifying the tax filing procedure and making it extra efficient, tax calculator apps can assist taxpayers to save money and time.

Here are a few suggestions for selecting a tax calculator app:

  • Look for a comprehensive tax calculator app that can calculate all sorts of taxes, including profits tax, income tax, and property tax.
  • Choose an app with an smooth-to-use interface and accurate tax calculations.
    Make certain the app is up to date regularly with the cutting-edge tax laws and regulations.
  • Consider the usage of an app that offers additional capabilities which include tax audit preparation, tax education help, and digital tax submitting.

By following those guidelines, you could pick a tax calculator app that will help you to simplify your tax submitting procedure and make it less annoying.

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Live match blog – India vs Australia Final 2023/24 – Cricket Insights

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Live match blog - India vs Australia Final 2023/24 - Cricket Insights

Australia need 241! That’s the same total England and New Zealand made in the 2019 final.

The key to bowling on a slow pitch is to keep to your discipline and limit the damage. Australia chose to bowl knowing the margin of error was less than zero. They came face to face with that when Rohit Sharma was going bonkers at the start. And they survived it because their fielding has been unreal.

Travis Head pulled off a catch that may well rival the one Kapil Dev took in 1983.

India went 97 balls without a boundary; they managed just four since the end of the 10th over. They thought they were consolidating. But in came Pat Cummins, dismissing Virat Kohli. He is the first fast bowler to complete his full 10 overs in this World Cup and not concede a boundary. Later Mitchell Starc found reverse swing. In the knockouts he’s taken six wickets at an average of 14.

Adam Zampa saw the pitch being slow and he too took pace off, going down to 84 kph once. He gave away just one four in his 10 overs. Australia sized up the conditions and responded to them perfectly.

Head and David Warner and Cummins and Zampa were saving boundaries all over the place. The field placements were excellent too. They had an offside sweeper out for Rohit because they guessed he would try to hit them off their lines and lengths by making room to the leg side. They had deep third man very fine to Suryakumar Yadav because his V is behind the wicket, not in front, and along with that gave him no pace to play his ramps and scoops.

This game, if they win it, and there’s still a long way to go, especially if there’s no dew, was made back in the drawing board.

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Tim Henman suggests Carlos Alcaraz is the greatest of all-time in one key area

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Carlos Alcaraz in action


We may be a little too early to suggest Carlos Alcaraz could get into the discussion over who is the greatest male player of all time, but the Spaniad is certainly excelling in one key area.

Having lost his opening match to Alexander Zverev, Alcaraz knew only victory over previously unbeaten Medvedev would be enough to qualify for the semi-finals.

He achieved the feat in style, wrapping up a 6-4 6-4 victory to join the Russian in the last four on his debut in Turin.

Alcaraz’s superior sets record means he tops the group and will face Djokovic in a rematch of their unforgettable Wimbledon final, while Medvedev meets fourth seed Jannik Sinner, the only player yet to lose a match.

It was an impressive performance from Alcaraz after he lost his first match of the event against Alexander Zverev, as he continued an alarming slump in form that started with a defeat against Medvedev at the US Open.

Now the 20-year-old Spaniard is roaring back to his best, with his win against Andrey Rublev backed up by a victory against his great friend Medvedev.

During his commentary stint on the Alcaraz vs Medvedev match, former British No 1 Henman suggested the young Spaniard has separated himself from the greatest players the game has ever seen with his movement on the court.

“Is he the best mover to have ever played the game?” asked Henman.

“There have been some phenomenal movers, but from where I am sitting, I haven’t seen many quicker.

“We have had some great movers in the sport, but Alcaraz is right up there.

“There have been plenty of great movers in tennis, but his flexibility and control at the end of it is exceptional. His movement is just phenomenal.”

Novak Djokovic fans will argue their man has redefined how to move on a tennis court in the modern era, with his ability to slide on hard courts and contort his body into unnatural positions a skill that has helped him dominate the men’s game.

Roger Federer was also a divine mover when he was at his best, with his graceful presence on the court giving the impression that he was moving through the gears with relentless ease.

Rafael Nadal has also been a remarkable mover, with his dominance on clay courts helped by his sliding ability that has taken the sport on that surface to a while new level.

Now Henman may have started the ball rolling on a movement debate that will have no definitive answer, with Alcaraz admitting his movement was a big issue as he tried to find his feet on grass this summer.

The young Spaniard struggled on the surface in his first match at The Queen’s Club tournament in June, but quickly master the art of moving on grass as he lifted the trophy at that event and then went on to win Wimbledon.

“The most difficult part is to move well on grass,” said Alcaraz. “You need to be more careful than other surfaces, so for me to move on grass is the most difficult.

“The most comfortable (thing) is going to the net and playing aggressively all the time. For me it is similar to other surfaces with my style. Playing that style is comfortable and I like it.

“There are a lot of players who slice on grass. I am not one of them, so I have to think about the movement. I have to be focused on every movement and shot. For me it is more tiring when you are moving on grass. It is totally different, so you have to be really specific.”

Alcaraz’s youthful body allows him to be dynamic on court and that helps his movement, with the genius he can display on court helped by his ability to get to the ball quicker than his rivals.

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