FILE - In this file photo released on May 20, 2015, provided by the Kurdish fighters of the People's Protection Units (YPG), which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, Kurdish fighters of the YPG, flash victory signs as they sit on their pickup on their way to battle against the Islamic State, near Kezwan mountain, northeast Syria. A two-pronged advance to capture key urban strongholds of the Islamic State, and the extremist group's self-styled capital of Raqqa has underlined a convergence of strategy between Washington and Moscow to defeat the extremist group, with Syria's Kurds emerging as the common denominator. (The Kurdish fighters of the People's Protection Units via AP, File)
FILE - In this file photo released on May 20, 2015, provided by the Kurdish fighters of the People's Protection Units (YPG), which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, Kurdish fighters of the YPG, flash victory signs as they sit on their pickup on their way to battle against the Islamic State, near Kezwan mountain, northeast Syria. A two-pronged advance to capture key urban strongholds of the Islamic State, and the extremist group's self-styled capital of Raqqa has underlined a convergence of strategy between Washington and Moscow to defeat the extremist group, with Syria's Kurds emerging as the common denominator. (The Kurdish fighters of the People's Protection Units via AP, File) Credit: Uncredited

Advances on ISIL Strongholds Underlines U.S., Russia Convergence

Beirut — A two-pronged advance to capture key urban strongholds of the Islamic State group and its self-styled capital of Raqqa has underlined a quiet convergence of strategy between the U.S. and Russia to defeat the extremists, with Syria’s Kurds emerging as the common link.

The dual advance toward Raqqa by the Syrian army from the southwest and the predominantly Kurdish Syria Democratic Forces from the north and west puts further pressure on the militants as they fend off simultaneous attacks on bastions such as Fallujah, and potentially Mosul, in neighboring Iraq.

The Kurdish involvement is proving vital to the interests of Washington and Moscow.

For the U.S., the predominantly Kurdish SDF has proven the most capable actor in northern Syria in defeating the extremist group, a point it made when its predecessor, the Kurdish YPG, held off the militants in Kobani, in 2015. That battle was seen by many as a turning point in the war on the IS group.

For Russia, the SDF advance has drawn IS fighters away from the front with the Syrian government and allowed the Kremlin’s allies in Damascus to advance, showing that Moscow is participating in the battle against the IS group.

While the media has focused on the battles between Iraqi government forces and IS militants in the city of Fallujah, west of Baghdad, the Syrian army on Saturday reached Raqqa province for the first time in almost two years. The Syrian government has had no presence in Raqqa since August 2014, when IS overran the Tabqa air base and killed scores of government soldiers in a massacre they documented on video. The provincial capital, Raqqa, became the militants’ first captive city.

Backed by intense Russian airstrikes, Syrian troops began their advance toward the province Wednesday, the same day that U.S.-backed SDF forces launched an attack on the IS stronghold of Manbij, which is 72 miles to the northwest of Raqqa and lies on a key supply route linking Raqqa with the Turkish border.

“In terms of direct coordination of activities on the ground, that is not happening,” Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook said. “I know there have been discussions about changing that, but at this point, our position is the same.”

Officer Who Faces Most Serious Charge In Freddie Gray’s Death Waives Jury Trial

The Baltimore officer who faces the most serious charge in the death of Freddie Gray in police custody waived his right to a jury trial on Monday, opting to instead have a judge decide his fate.

Police van driver Caesar Goodson Jr. and his attorneys made the change in a pre-trial hearing the day before jury selection was to begin in his case.

Goodson’s trial is now scheduled to begin Thursday morning in Baltimore City Circuit Court.

Of the six officers charged in Gray’s arrest and death, Goodson is the only one to face a murder charge. The most serious count against him — second-degree depraved-heart murder — carries a penalty of up to 30 years in prison. He has also been charged with manslaughter, assault and misconduct in office.

Goodson, 46, is the third officer to go to trial in the case. His trial follows last month’s acquittal of Officer Edward Nero, who also chose a trial by judge instead of jury. The trial of Officer William G. Porter ended in a hung jury in December.

University of Maryland law professor Doug Colbert said it is a “tried and true” strategy for police officers facing trial to elect to come before a judge instead of a jury because they believe judges are more aware of the nuances of the job.

Yellen’s View of Economy: Solid but Laced with Uncertainties

Washington — Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen went out of her way Monday to stress that the U.S. economy appears fundamentally solid.

The job market has rebounded. Consumer spending is picking up along with confidence. Higher home prices have lifted household wealth. Low energy prices have strengthened spending power.

Yet the Fed chair also sent a contrasting message in a speech in Philadelphia: So many uncertainties surround the economy that it’s impossible to sketch any timetable for when the Fed might raise interest rates again. Thirteen times Yellen mentioned some variation of the word “uncertainty” — starting with a question raised by a dismal jobs report the government issued Friday: “Is the markedly reduced pace of hiring in April and May,” Yellen asked, “a harbinger of a persistent slowdown in the broader economy?”

She didn’t claim to know the answer. The Fed, she said, “will be wrestling” with that question in the months ahead — just as it will be studying other uncertainties she pointed to.

— Wire reports