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Prince Philip was in top form in his top hat and long tailcoat as he met guests at a garden party alongside Queen Elizabethat their Scottish palace, Holyroodhouse on Tuesday.

The royal, 96, was all smiles as he chatted to former Wrens members of theWomens Royal Naval Service about their experiences during WWII. The annual party is a key event during the royal couples week-long stay in the Scottish capital of Edinburgh.

Philip appeared to be in good spirits just two weeks after being released from the hospital, where he was treated for an infection.

FROM PEN:Raising a Little Princess: All About Charlottes Amazing Childhood

Also at the event on Tuesday was the royal couples second son Prince Andrew, 57, who, like his other siblings, has been increasingly filling their fathers role alongside their mother.In May, Philip announced his upcoming retirement in the fall from public duties on behalf of his patronages and charities. Though, the palace did say that he might periodically appear at events alongside his wife from time to time.

The royal couple, who will host the Spanish king and queen for a State Visit next week, will mark 70 years of marriage the longest in British royal history in November.

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Dapper Prince Philip (in a Top Hat!) Charms the Ladies at Scottish Tea Party - PEOPLE.com

Most Americans might consider the events occurring in Ukrainea distant conflict somewhere along the border between the Russian Federation and Western Europeto be someone elses problem. What that perspective fails to appreciate, however, is how these seemingly distant events set the stage for a new form of hybrid warfare that is already targeting Western citizens. Many of the techniques we are observing in Ukraine, especially those in the digital realm, are not meaningfully constrained by international borders; if left unchecked they could significantly undermine Western digital, physical, and political structures.

The characteristics of hybrid warfare are the flexible use of conventional, unconventional, political, and economic means to achieve strategic ends while avoiding broader international conflict. Ukraines experiences places it on the front lines of this new form of conflictit has seen kinetic operations in Crimea and the Donbas; cyber attacks; unconventional tactics like targeted assassinations; distributed hit lists against Ukrainian officials, officers, and soldiers; and information operations directed against the population.

For the past ten days, our research team from the Army Cyber Institute has been on the ground in Ukraine meeting with NGOs, businesses, journalists, government ministries, universities, the army staff, and individual soldiers and civilians across the country. When the Petya cyber attacks began to wreak havoc across Ukraines civilian and business infrastructure, we were traveling on a rail line affected by the attack.While our travel was not interrupted, the incident dominated Ukrainian news outlets, radio, and conversation, providing an indication of the psychological impact of these events. This illustrates one of the central lessons of the conflict in Ukraine: individual cyber attacks may not cause devastating physical damage, but the toll they wage on the consciousness of a nation suffering under the weight of inflation, economic stagnation, and an ongoing conventional conflict combine to create a siege mentality. What we have found illustrates how cyber attacks, as an element of hybrid warfare create effects felt broadly requiring a response that integrates multiple actors across public and private spheres.

Ukraine has experienced an impressive number of cyber attacks. In the last two years, the Ukrainian energy grid has been attacked twice. Rail, financial, aviation, security, and civilian business sectors have also sustained robust attacks. These events significantly affect the everyday lives of the countrys citizens. Cyber attacks cut off electricity to hundreds of thousands of customers, rendered ATMs inoperative, and interfered with access to medical records. In one especially disruptive incident, millions of Ukrainians were unable to access their bank accounts during the New Year holiday, one of the most important celebrations in the country. While Ukraine has been able to limit the permanent physical damage caused by these attacks, they have eroded confidence in Ukrainian President Poroshenkos administration as it tries to build democratic institutions in the midst of an ongoing conflict.

Nevertheless, Ukraine is resilient. It suffered immeasurably in the last century under the dual onslaught of Soviet and Nazi forces, losing nearly 16 million citizens to war and famine, the nuclear disaster at Chernobyl, two political revolutions, and the ongoing economic depression. Adding to its historic fortitude, polling indicates that the majority of Ukrainians possess a desirefor a Western leaning national identity. These factors indicate that Ukraine is likely to weather the current crisis as well. However, the West should not and cannot afford to ignore the reality of what is happening in Ukraine, especially within its digital infrastructure.

Its psychological fortitude notwithstanding, Ukraines resilience to recent cyber attacks also stems from its relatively early stage of digital development. When our lead researcher served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Kupiyansk Region of Kharkiv Oblast from 2005 until 2007, Ukraine had a rudimentary internet infrastructure. Over the past decade, Ukraines digital connectivity has improved from very low penetration dial-up internet and GPRS/EDGE mobile networks to high-speed cable and 3G connectivity. Despite these technological leaps, Ukraines digital infrastructure pales in comparison with that of most Western countries, including the United States. Many of Ukraines critical infrastructure systems still feature non-digital fallbacks or bypass digital systems altogether. For example, when hackers disabled seven substations during a 2015 cyber attack on the regional electricity distribution company Ukrainian Kyivoblenergo, operators were able to manually override the digital SCADA systems to restore power to approximately 225,000 customers. These analog capabilities are not intentional, but they provide Ukraine with options in the face of a digital onslaught.

We are in the process of learning the myriad ways digital weapons can achieve political effects and manipulate the digital and physical environments within nations. The United States and many Western nations lack similar analog systems to fall back on in the event of an equivalent sustained attack. Long ago, we traded the resilience of non-digital back-up systems for digital convenience and modernization. This has resulted in substantial returns on investment and created new markets and efficiencies that propel our economies and societies forward. However, we must also realize that the internet in Ukraine and the internet in America are one and the same. The very same skills and tools, whether technical or informational, being used on foreign networks are also appearing in the United States and Western Europe. And yet our systemic vulnerabilities are far more expansive.

Ukrainea nation whose name translates to on the borderland or borderlandis once again the frontier of a conflict that threatens to engulf the West. Unlike Ukraines absorption of the Mongol invasions in the 13th century, the digital invasions of the 20th century are being honed against Ukraine and then spreading into global networks. If we ignore the plight of Ukraine, we miss the opportunity to prepare to defend ourselves against future challenges that will substantially impact the political, economic, and societal structures that lie at the foundation of western culture.

The views expressed are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of West Point, the Department of the Army, the Department of Defense, or the U.S. Government.

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Don't Ignore Ukraine: Lessons From the Borderland of the Internet - Lawfare (blog)

LONDON It is time for Kiev to show political will and privatise state-owned companies, the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) mission chief to the country said on Friday, though land reform needs more discussion and it could wait until the next review.

Kiev has been trying to push contested legislation through parliament, including raising the pension age and lifting a ban on land sales, as part of a $17.5 billion bailout agreed with the IMF in 2015.

The IMF's Ron van Rooden said after adopting the new privatisation law, it was time to act.

"They have not sold any companies in the past three years so it's time to show political will and bring some state-owned enterprises to sale," he said, speaking at a conference in London.

On the land reform, he added the fund would be willing to let that go to the next review.

"We think a bit more time and discussion is needed to come up with (a solution) on how to proceed."

(Reporting by Sujata Rao, writing by Karin Strohecker, editing by Nigel Stephenson)

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Ukraine Needs to Privatise State Companies-IMF - New York Times

William Griffith, Jr. said he was just minding his own business walking home last Saturday afternoon following his job cleaning elderly peoples apartments when he got a very unwelcome greeting from a fellow pedestrian on a Cincinnati sidewalk.

Surveillance video shows a man approaching Griffith from behind and sucker punching him in the head.

The blow crumpled the victim to the pavement and knocked him out, WCPO-TV reported, citing Hamilton County court documents.

I was stunned, Griffith told WXIX-TV. I couldnt believe it. I mean, the dude came right up from behind me

He told the station he doesnt know his attacker who is seen on video walking away right after the sucker punch or why he did it.

This generation, I dont know, Griffith told WXIX. Im old school. Im 54 years old I dont know their motives I mean, just to have fun?

After the surveillance video hit social media, it was identified as the infamous knockout game, WCPO said a scary pastime in which pedestrians are randomly punched and cellphone videos of the assaults are often posted online.

Griffith suffered facial cuts, a black eye and a broken jaw and said if the attack on him was a kind of game, he doesnt find it amusing.

I mean if you wanna get a thrill, do something positive, he told WXIX.

If theres any silver lining in this situation, 29-year-old Keith Capell was arrested Wednesday and was charged with felonious assault in connection to the incident, WCPO reported, citing a complaint filed in the case.

Capell was in court Thursday morning and given a $260,000 bond, WCPO noted, adding that the presiding judge said he was frustrated by the limitations given him in setting Capells bond.

Capells attorney said the victim threatened [Capell] with a knife, WCPO reported, but the prosecutor said that wasnt true.

Capell also had less than 1 ounce of heroin in small baggies when he was arrested and was charged with possession of drugs, WCPO added, citing the complaint.

(H/T: Truth Revolt)

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Sucker punch from behind on city sidewalk knocks out man, 54: 'This generation, I don't know.' - TheBlaze.com

Its not quite the Summer of Soccer of 2016 that featured a massive Copa America and Euro 2016, but 2017 is no slouch in producing international soccer tournaments. The Confederations Cup ended not long ago, with Germanys B-team preventing Chile from winning a third straight major tourney, and the newest addition of the CONCACAF Gold Cup is coming up this July. The latter tournament is what were here to talk about.

For the uninitiated, the biennial Gold Cup includes the national teams of North America, Central America, and the Caribbean. 12 teams participate: the three North American nations (U.S., Canada, Mexico), four qualifying Central American teams from the 2017 Copa Centroamerica, four qualifying Caribbean sides from the 2017 Caribbean Cup, and another Central American team or Caribbean nation, determined through a playoff.

The United States is the host, and has hosted the large majority of Gold Cup matches since the founding of the current iteration in 1991. Canada got some games in 2015, and Mexico co-hosted in 2003 and 1993, but otherwise its always the U.S., and that is no different this year. 14 American cities will host games, the majority of which also house NFL teams.

Starting with the basics, well take you through everything you need to know about the 2017 Gold Cup:

With 12 participating teams, there are three groups of four squads each.

Group A:

Honduras, Costa Rica, Canada, French Guiana

Group B:

United States, Panama, Martinique, Nicaragua

Group C:

Mexico, Jamaica, El Salvador, Curacao

The top two teams from each group automatically are through to the quarterfinals, while the top two third-place sides also advance.

Notably absent squads include Trinidad and Tobago (who toppedMexico in the group stage two years ago), Guatemala (who werent allowed to participate due to FIFA sanctions), and Haiti, who were serious competitors in the 2015 competition. Trinidad and Haiti failed to qualify out of the Caribbean zone, with Haiti falling to Nicaragua in a final qualifying playoff.

Curacao and French Guiana will make their Gold Cup debuts.

As for the referees, MLS fans will recognize the names of Jair Marrufo, Mark Geiger, Armando Villareal, and Drew Fischer. MLS assistant refs include Corey Rockwell, Charles Morgante, and Frank Anderson.

Fox Sports has the rights to this tournament, and will have English-language broadcasts of every match in the US. Fox, Fox Sports 1, Fox Sports 2, and FXX all have games, and you can watch live on Fox Sports Go with TV provider authentication. Jonathan Tannenwald of Philly.com has the TV schedule here.

Many of you may not get FS2. If you dont, blame Fox and call your TV provider. You probably will get FXX, as noted in the article linked in Tannenwalds article. Even if you dont get either of those channels, you may still be able to watch the games on Univision and Unimas, who have the Spanish-language rights. In Canada, TSN (English) and RDS (French) broadcast the games.

Alberth Elis (Honduras): After a red-hot start to his MLS career for the Houston Dynamo he scored six goals and added three assists in 11 starts after signing in the winter Elis will lead a speedy Honduran team that will look to back up their Copa Centroamerica victory with a deep Gold Cup run.

Elis, alongside another Dynamo winger, Romell Quioto, will play every game with the intention of getting out on the counter and hurting opponents in transition. Another Houston player, Oscar Boniek Garcia, will distribute from central midfield, and Barcelona B forward Anthony Lozano will be the goal-scorer.

Los Catrachos are always a competitor in these tournaments, and if they are able to get out of their group and then beat (likely) one of Panama, El Salvador, or Jamaica in the quarterfinal, theyll need Elis to be in goal-scoring form.

Anthony Jackson-Hamel (Canada): The Canadians got stuck in a tough group. Theyll have to get results against Honduras and Costa Rica to have a chance of avoiding another major Gold Cup disappointment.

Their top player, Orlando City No. 9 Cyle Larin, will not be participating this year, a tough break for a team that is just now seeing a talented young MLS-based core emerge. Players like 21-year old Raheem Edwards, 16-year old Alphonso Davies, and, notably, the 23-year old Jackson-Hamel will enter the fray alongside Jonathan Osorio, Tosaint Ricketts, and others.

Montreals Jackson-Hamel has found a consistent role in MLS this season, playing consistently scoring and multiple goals, often as an attacking super-sub. Hell likely be Larins direct replacement, playing alongside the speedy channel-runner Ricketts up top. His ability to grab some goals be something close to the active No. 9 Larin is will be crucial to Canadas chances of scoring a quarterfinal spot.

Joel Campbell (Costa Rica): It was a disappointment for Costa Rica not to win the Copa Centroamerica, considering they are pretty clearly the best national team in the region, but its all too big of a deal, as they are safely into the Gold Cup and should have no problem scooting into the quarterfinals, even with a relatively tough group.

Real Madrid goalkeeper and international star Keylor Navas is not on their squad this year, but Arsenal sensation Joel Campbell is, and we can expect him to play a big role in Los Ticos quest to win a trophy this summer. He is a dynamic, fast attacker with more of an international pedigree than most other players participating in this tournament.

When you play for Arsenal, youre expected to be pretty good. Campbell should be note should be in contention for the Golden Boot. But other attacking stars are on Costa Ricas squad as well, like Johan Venegas and Rodney Wallace, that could steal his spotlight.

The success of the minnows: The Gold Cup is notorious for the opportunities it provides smaller CONCACAF nations, and with two newcomers and a couple more lesser-known entrants, the 2017 edition will be no different.

Curacao, a Dutch overseas territory in the Caribbean, have spent less than a decade as their own national team, playing as the Netherlands Antilles for years along with Bonaire and Aruba before the dissolution of the territory, allowing Curacao to compete on its own in sporting competitions. They are a talented baseball country producing a few MLB stars, like Andrelton Simmons and Jurickson Profar and are now growing into a potent soccer nation, winning the Caribbean Cup in June.

The other newcomers, French Guiana, feature a number of French-based and former French-international players, including former Chelsea star Florent Malouda. Martinique, another French overseas territory, saw their Francophone counterparts Guadeloupe make a run to the semifinals in 2007, and will be looking to emulate that in their fifth Gold Cup appearance.

Nicaragua are the other clear minnows. Baseball is the most popular sport in the impoverished Central American country, and this is only their second Gold Cup appearance, having dropped out in the group stage in 2009. They are grouped with Martinique in Group B, so its entirely possible that either of them could sneak out of the group stage.

A Mexico team in disarray: El Tri are led by their own (possibly worse) version of Jurgen Klinsmann: consistent tinkerer Juan Carlos Osorio. They managed a semifinal appearance at the Confederations Cup, but that mostly was thanks to the fact that they didnt have too much competition (Cameroon, New Zealand, Australia, Russia), and once they got to the semifinal, Germany flattened them. Make no mistake: this is not a team in an especially good place right now.

Because most of Mexicos big guns were in Russia in June, JCOs Gold Cup roster is a youth-oriented, experimental B team. Of course, the U.S. squad is far from a first team as well.

Their final 23-man roster includes 22 Mexico-based players. Only one, Houston Dynamo breakout goal-scorer Erick Cubo Torres, plays outside of Liga MX, and he was just recently added as an injury replacement for Chivas Guadalajara forward Alan Pulido.

In addition, Osorio isnt even going to be in the Gold Cup. An outburst with the fourth official at the Confederations Cup resulted in a six-match suspensionand will miss the Gold Cup. So this brings up an interesting catch-22. If Mexico loses, this may actually help Osorios case because it would show hes needed. If they now win, hes non-essential and Mexico may realize theyre better off without him.

Central American dark-horses: As is common in Gold Cups, the U.S. and Mexico enter as the clear favorites. Only once has a country other than those two rivals won this tournament, and that was 17 years ago, when Canada beat Colombia in the final.

The team with the best chance to buck the trend is Costa Rica, a team with plenty of world-class talent and enough stars to run a shorthanded Mexico or the US out of the water in a knockout game just look at what they did to the Americans last November in World Cup qualifying, in Klinsmanns final disaster.

But also look at Panama and Honduras, counter-attacking CONCACAF teams with a rough-and-tumble and skillful Central American pedigree. They both feature a number of MLS players, and each should have no trouble advancing out of their groups. From there, who knows what could happen?

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Experimental Mexico and USMNT squads make the 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup wide open - The Comeback (blog)