def METHOD_NAME(url):
    """
    Retrieve a file from an URL
    Args:
        url: The URL to retrieve the file from.
    Returns:
        The absolute path of the downloaded file.
    """
    try:
        alias_source, _ = urlretrieve(url)
        # Check for HTTPError in Python 2.x
        with open(alias_source, 'r') as f:
            content = f.read()
            if content[:3].isdigit():
                raise CLIError(ALIAS_FILE_URL_ERROR.format(url, content.strip()))
    except Exception as exception:
        if isinstance(exception, CLIError):
            raise
        # Python 3.x
        raise CLIError(ALIAS_FILE_URL_ERROR.format(url, exception))
    return alias_source