• The attempted Clinton-CIA coup against Donald Trump
• The transformation of the American left and why Hillary Clinton would have destroyed the world
• Modern Operation Mockingbird: "Everyone Who Disagrees with Me Is a Russian Propagandist"

As The Washingtonian notes, the implicit concession follows intense and rising criticism of the article over the past two weeks. It was "rife with obviously reckless and unproven allegations," Intercept reporters Glenn Greenwald and Ben Norton wrote, noting that PropOrNot, one of the groups whose research was cited in Timberg's piece, "anonymous cowards." One of the sites PropOrNot cited as Russian-influenced was the Drudge Report.

The piece's description of some sharers of bogus news as "useful idiots" could "theoretically include anyone on any social-media platform who shares news based on a click-bait headline," Mathew Ingram wrote for Fortune.

But the biggest issue was PropOrNot itself. As Adrian Chen wrote for the New Yorker, its methods were themselves suspect, hinting at counter-Russian propaganda - ostensibly with Ukrainian origins - and verification of its work was nearly impossible. Chen wrote "the prospect of legitimate dissenting voices being labelled fake news or Russian propaganda by mysterious groups of ex-government employees, with the help of a national newspaper, is even scarier."

Now, at least, the "national newspaper" has taken some responsibility, however the key question remains: by admitting it never vetted its primary source, whose biased and conflicted "work" smeared hundreds of websites, this one included, just how is the Washington Post any different from the "fake news" it has been deriding on a daily basis ever since its endorsed presidential candidate lost the elections?

When the New Yorker pressed the anonymous spokesman (a curious position) for ProporNot, he struggled to explain why conservative sites like Drudge were put on the list.

Yet, when pressed on the technical patterns that led PropOrNot to label the Drudge Report a Russian propaganda outlet, he could point only to a general perception of bias in its content. "They act as a repeater to a significant extent, in that they refer audiences to sort of Russian stuff," he said. "There's no a-priori reason, stepping back, that a conservative news site would rely on so many Russian news sources. What is up with that?"

Now there is hard journalistic work. The Post insists that it had other sources, but what would prompt the reliance on this anonymous band of obvious amateurs?

I have been highly critical of sites like The National Report, a group of truly juvenile idiots who get a thrill by just placing false news stories. Those sites are the Internet version of graffiti and should be addressed by servers. I have also encouraged lawsuits for defamation and false light when available. However, there are thankfully few adults who actually get a kick out of tricking people into posting false stories. They are the same type of people who love to watch fire departments rush to false alarms. It gives some weird sense of worth to degrade others by tricking them.

The current controversy is different. Many people in Washington are irate over Wikileaks — not because the email were untrue but because they proved what many had long suspected . . . that Washington is a highly corrupt place full of truly despicable people. For people who make their living on controlling media and information, it was akin to the barbarians breaching the walls of Rome. So the answer is to call for government regulation to combat what will be declared "fake" news or propaganda. It is only the latest effort to convince people to surrender their rights and actually embrace censorship.

• Syria on brink of final victory in Aleppo
• French humanitarian workers shed light on terrible situation in besieged Eastern Aleppo

Almost 18,000 residents have left the rebel-held parts of eastern Aleppo in the past 24 hours, the Russian Center for Reconciliation in Syria says.

"The Russian Center for Reconciliation of the warring parties continues to assist local people leaving the areas that remain under militant control in eastern part of Aleppo. In the past 24 hours, some 17,971 residents, including 7,542 children, left the militant-controlled area with the assistance of the Russian Center for Reconciliation," it said in a statement.

A total of 28 militants laid down their weapons and crossed into the western part of the city to surrender to Syrian government troops. In accordance with the Syrian president's decision, they were amnestied.

Russian Army bomb disposal specialists continue to demine areas of the eastern neighborhoods of Aleppo that have been liberated from rebel forces.

"In the past 24 hours, they demined a total area of 8 hectares. In addition, 24 buildings have been cleared from explosive objects, including one bakery, two schools, two mosques, one power substation, and some 4.5km of roads," the Center for Reconciliation said.

Konashenkov also addressed those who, over the past few months, have declared their readiness to send humanitarian aid to Aleppo.

"Representatives of the US, UK, France, Canada, the European Union, and international organizations: Over the past two days, nearly 50,000 civilians have been evacuated by the Russian Reconciliation Center from the eastern parts of Aleppo. They are in need of the humanitarian assistance you promised. It is time to check the validity of your intentions."

There have been media reports that Daesh fighters have reentered Palmyra after they were ousted from it by government forces months ago with air support from Russia.

"The Syrian army and militias are fighting fiercely against IS on the outskirts of the [villages of] Jazal and Shaer, the situation around the Attar mountain ridge remains tense," the military source said. "Army forces have regrouped and left several positions along the ridge."

The Syrian army managed to repel a Daesh attack on Syrian Palmyra, regaining full control over the embattled city, a source in a militia reported.

Earlier, it was reported that the Syrian armed forces along with local militias were engaged in fierce fights against the Daesh militants on the outskirts of the ancient city. Prior to that, media reports emerged alleging that Daesh has reentered Palmyra after being ousted from the city by Syrian troops with air support from Russia earlier in the year.

"Let me repeat that Palmyra is under control of the army and militia. Daesh militants are carrying out intense attacks, but they have been repulsed," the military source told RIA Novosti.

According to Al Masdar news agency, the Daesh terrorists that entered the city were forced to flee after the Syrian Air Force's jets supported by Russian aviation bombshelled them.