Venus Williams marked a significant return to competitive tennis at the age of 45, reaching the quarterfinals in women’s doubles at the DC Open. Partnering with Hailey Baptiste, the duo triumphed over compatriots Clervie Ngounoue and Eugenie Bouchard with a decisive score of 6-3, 6-1. This victory represents Williams’ first win on the WTA Tour since August 2023, when she defeated Veronika Kudermetova in the opening round of the Cincinnati Open.

After the match, a visibly delighted Williams took a moment to embrace the crowd’s enthusiasm, performing her signature twirl. “It’s just nice to be able to play,” she said in an interview, as reported by the Associated Press. “Where I am at this year is so much different from where I was at last year. It’s night and day, being able to be here and prepare for the tournament as opposed to preparing for surgery a year ago.”

In a gradual return to the sport, Williams had not participated in any official match since her first-round loss to Diana Shnaider at the Miami Open in March 2024. Notably, her last doubles match took place nearly three years prior. Williams, currently unranked in both singles and doubles, has a storied career, including seven grand slam singles titles, 14 doubles titles with her sister Serena Williams, and two mixed doubles titles from 1998.

Reflecting on her journey, Williams shared her experience with health challenges, including surgery to remove fibroids that had impacted her career and life. “At the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter if your health is not there,” she stated. “It definitely put it in perspective for me and maybe made it easier to make the decision to come back out here and play even freer.”

Williams humorously noted that she and Baptiste should have teamed up sooner, suggesting that their chemistry was evident from the start. “I think, from the first point, I could see that we were going to be a good team,” she remarked. “We just should have started playing earlier, years ago, right? I think Serena was just in the way.”

As she prepares for her singles return, Williams has accepted wild cards to compete in both singles and doubles. Her next challenge will be against American Peyton Stearns in the opening round on Tuesday, signaling her full-circle comeback to the sport she has passionately represented for decades.

Mathieu van der Poel has officially withdrawn from the Tour de France after being diagnosed with pneumonia. The announcement came just hours before Stage 16, which was set to take the riders to Mont Ventoux. The decision was made by the Alpecin-Deceuninck team following a series of medical examinations at the Centre Hospitalier de Narbonne.

Van der Poel participated in a short coffee ride on the rest day, where he showcased a commemorative jersey honoring his grandfather’s charity, Merci Poupou. Despite his efforts to engage with fans, it was evident that he was struggling with health issues. The team stated, “Mathieu had been experiencing symptoms of a common cold over the past few days. Yesterday afternoon, his condition began to worsen significantly.”

The team doctor closely monitored van der Poel throughout the day. By the evening, his condition deteriorated further, and he developed a fever. Medical assessments at the hospital confirmed the pneumonia diagnosis, compelling the team to prioritize his health over his participation in the race.

Alpecin-Deceuninck emphasized the importance of recovery, stating, “It was decided that he can no longer continue the race. His health is the top priority, and rest and recovery are now essential.” Following the diagnosis, van der Poel will need to rest for at least one week. After this period, he will undergo further medical evaluations to gauge his recovery and outline the next steps in his rehabilitation process.

The Tour de France is widely regarded as the premier event in professional cycling, attracting international attention and participation from the best riders in the world. Van der Poel’s withdrawal is a significant loss for the competition, as he was a strong contender known for his resilience and competitive spirit.

As the race progresses, fans and competitors alike will be following updates regarding van der Poel’s health and potential return to the sport. The cycling community is rallying around the athlete, wishing him a swift recovery as he navigates this challenging moment.

Recent cyber incidents have underscored the growing threat to organizations worldwide. Notable attacks have been recorded against luxury retailer Louis Vuitton, UK retail giant Co-op, and Thailand’s Ministry of Labor, among others. These breaches highlight vulnerabilities across various sectors, impacting millions of customers and critical infrastructure.

Significant Attacks and Breaches

Louis Vuitton has confirmed a cyber-attack that compromised the personal data of customers from several countries, including the UK, South Korea, Turkey, Italy, and Sweden. The breach, attributed to the ShinyHunters extortion group, exposed sensitive client information but did not include payment details. The attack was linked to unauthorized access through a third-party vendor’s database.

In another incident, Co-op disclosed a cyber-attack impacting approximately 6.5 million customers. This breach followed a major system shutdown in April that caused food shortages across its stores. Although no financial information was compromised, customer contact details were exposed. The Scattered Spider threat group, known for using DragonForce ransomware, is suspected to be behind this intrusion.

The NovaBev Group, a prominent Russian spirits producer, faced a ransomware attack that disrupted critical IT infrastructure. The incident severely affected operations across more than 2,000 stores, with sophisticated techniques reportedly bypassing existing security measures. As of now, no group has taken responsibility for this attack.

Thailand’s Ministry of Labor also fell victim to a cyber-attack, resulting in the defacement of its website and the alleged theft of 300GB of sensitive data. The attack reportedly encrypted 2,000 laptops and dozens of servers, risking the exposure of citizen data and classified documents. The Devman ransomware group has claimed responsibility, demanding a ransom of $15 million.

In Singapore, critical infrastructure experienced targeted cyber-attacks aimed at systems delivering essential services, particularly in defense, technology, and telecommunications. These ongoing threats are thought to be linked to the China-affiliated espionage group UNC3886, with potentially significant implications for national security.

Emerging Vulnerabilities and Threat Insights

Recent findings from Check Point Research unveiled a critical vulnerability in Microsoft SharePoint, referred to as “ToolShell” (CVE-2025-53770). This vulnerability allows unauthorized access and exploitation attempts have already been detected. The research highlighted that threats were particularly prevalent in government and telecommunications sectors across North America and Western Europe.

Additionally, a high-severity flaw in Google Chrome (CVE-2025-6558) has been actively exploited, allowing attackers to escape the browser’s sandbox, posing risks of arbitrary code execution. The flaw affects versions prior to 138.0.7204.157 and has been addressed with a patch.

In a broader context, Check Point Research reported a 21% year-over-year increase in global weekly cyber-attacks per organization for Q2 2025, totaling 1,984 attacks. The education sector has emerged as the most targeted, with Europe experiencing the highest growth in attacks, at 22%. Ransomware incidents alone totaled around 1,600, primarily affecting business services, manufacturing, and construction.

The report also revealed new tactics employed by threat actors, including the misuse of Microsoft Teams calls to impersonate IT support and deliver malware. This evolving landscape underscores the critical need for continued vigilance and robust cybersecurity measures across all sectors.

As organizations grapple with these threats, the importance of proactive security strategies and timely updates cannot be overstated. The incidents serve as a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities that exist in today’s interconnected world.

The development of the application .NETpad has taken a decisive turn as its creator transitions from the Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) to the Windows App SDK with WinUI 3. This shift is driven by the need to modernize the app and enhance its functionality, particularly for multi-document and tab-based interfaces. After extensive exploration of the capabilities offered by WinUI 3, the decision to move away from WPF has become clear.

The Windows App SDK and WinUI 3 present several advantages that WPF struggles to match. For instance, the TabView control in WinUI 3 provides essential features for a tabs-based application that are either absent or challenging to implement in WPF. These include a tab strip header for the app icon, customizable “Close tab” button behaviors, and advanced functionalities like dragging and rearranging tabs. Additionally, WinUI 3 offers a unique tab overflow feature that automatically manages tab display as users add more of them, a capability that WPF lacks entirely.

Creating a modern application requires not just aesthetic appeal but also functional depth. While WPF supports basic Windows 11 aesthetics, it often falls short in providing the seamless user experience that WinUI 3 promises. The limitations of WPF compel developers to create custom solutions for features inherently supported by WinUI 3, such as Content dialogs for confirmations and notifications. In the past, the developer of .NETpad had to create two distinct Content dialog types to cater to various needs, highlighting the inefficiencies experienced with WPF.

Despite the challenges faced during the transition, there is a sense of optimism about the potential for .NETpad to evolve. The creator acknowledges the difficulties encountered while learning the intricacies of WinUI 3 but remains committed to leveraging the framework’s strengths. With WinUI 3, the development process is expected to become more streamlined, ultimately leading to a more robust and user-friendly application suited for Windows 11.

As the industry moves forward, the emphasis on modern frameworks like WinUI 3 illustrates a broader trend in software development, where adaptability and user experience are paramount. The decision to move away from WPF signifies a commitment to innovation and a recognition that the future of application development lies within the capabilities of the Windows App SDK. This strategic shift may not only enhance the functionality of .NETpad but also set a precedent for developers facing similar choices in the evolving landscape of Windows application development.