TOKYO — Japan’s Nikkei 225 climbed 506.45 points, or 0.74%, to 69,220.25 as of 3:45 p.m. local time Monday, extending a recovery from Friday’s pullback and pushing the benchmark back toward the record territory it briefly touched last week, even as investors weighed fresh signals that the Bank of Japan may raise interest rates as soon as next month.

Monday’s session opened essentially flat, with the index starting near 68,713.80, unchanged from Friday’s closing level, before gaining momentum through the day. The advance came despite a report from Reuters indicating that the Bank of Japan is considering an interest rate hike as early as September, alongside a potentially faster pace of monetary tightening than markets had previously priced in, a development that carries significant implications for Japan’s export-heavy equity market through its effect on the yen.

The rate-hike signal matters most for Japanese equities through the currency channel. A stronger yen, particularly if reinforced by any coordinated effort between U.S. and Japanese authorities to push back against yen speculators, would tend to compress the value of overseas earnings that Japan’s major exporters convert back into domestic currency, potentially weighing on the profitability of companies whose sales are heavily weighted toward international markets.

Monday’s gains followed a volatile end to the previous week. The Nikkei touched a fresh intraday record high of 69,639.00 on Thursday before retreating through the afternoon session, ultimately closing at 68,732.00 on Friday, down 0.65% for the day. That pullback came after the index had opened Friday at 69,338.00, its highest opening level in recent trading, before steadily giving back gains as the session progressed. The day’s trading range, spanning from a low of 68,471.50 to the intraday record above 69,600, illustrated the scale of the reversal that unfolded within a single session.

Despite Friday’s retreat, the Nikkei has remained one of the standout performers among major global equity indices in 2026, having gained more than 58% over the trailing twelve months as of the most recent full-year comparison. The index has traded within a 52-week range of 41,835.17 to 72,831.73, with the upper end of that range representing a record high reached in June, underscoring both the scale and volatility of the rally that has carried Japanese equities sharply higher over the course of the year.

The broader Japanese market’s underlying strength has extended beyond the technology sector that has often driven headline gains. The TOPIX index, a broader gauge of the Tokyo Stock Exchange, set its own fresh record during the same week the Nikkei pulled back from its intraday high, suggesting the rally has drawn support from a wider base of sectors including financials, materials, energy and industrials, alongside the more closely watched technology and semiconductor-related names that have dominated recent market coverage.

Individual stock performance in recent sessions has reflected that broader participation. Gains on Friday were led by Nintendo, which rose 6.80%, followed by Sony, up 5.38%, and Furukawa Electric, which gained 5.33%, according to data compiled by Trading Economics. On the downside, Isetan Mitsukoshi fell 3.92%, DIC declined 3.84% and Toppan dropped 3.52% during that session, illustrating the uneven performance across sectors even as the broader index posted a moderate loss.

The rally in Japanese equities through the summer has been supported by a combination of factors, including a weaker yen earlier in the year that boosted the competitiveness and repatriated earnings of Japan’s export-oriented companies, alongside broader global enthusiasm for technology and artificial intelligence-related investment that has lifted markets in Japan alongside other major economies. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s earlier expressed reservations about aggressive Bank of Japan rate increases, along with her nomination of academics viewed as favoring continued monetary easing to the central bank’s policy board, had previously reinforced market expectations that the BOJ would take a cautious approach to tightening, a dynamic that had helped support the yen’s weakness and, by extension, Japanese equity valuations.

The latest reporting suggesting a possible September rate hike represents a notable shift in that narrative, raising questions about whether the central bank’s approach to monetary policy may be evolving more quickly than markets had anticipated earlier in the year. Investors are likely to scrutinize upcoming commentary from Bank of Japan officials closely in the coming weeks for further clarity on the timing and pace of any prospective policy tightening, given the significant implications such a shift could carry for both the currency and the broader equity market.

Monday’s advance also came against a backdrop of generally positive sentiment across Asian markets, with Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index opening 1.3% higher the same day even after Beijing signaled it would support economic growth without introducing a major new stimulus package, according to Reuters reporting cited by market commentators. That broader regional risk appetite appeared to provide additional support for Japanese equities as they extended their recovery from Friday’s session.

Looking ahead, the Nikkei’s ability to reclaim and sustain levels above 69,000, and ultimately challenge its June record high of 72,831.73, is likely to depend heavily on how the balance between continued corporate earnings strength and the emerging shift in Bank of Japan policy expectations plays out in the coming weeks. Should the central bank move forward with a rate increase in September as recently reported, the resulting effect on the yen could test the durability of the export-driven gains that have powered much of the Nikkei’s rally so far this year, even as the broader strength evident across financials, materials and industrial sectors suggests the market’s advance has not been narrowly dependent on currency dynamics alone.

The company’s consolidated net profit for the June quarter stood at Rs 12 crore, sharply lower than Rs 41 crore reported in the corresponding quarter last year.

Revenue from operations, meanwhile, rose around 5% YoY to Rs 651.4 crore, compared with Rs 621 crore in Q1FY26. The company attributed the relatively moderate revenue growth to project execution timelines and the phased conversion of recent order wins into sales.

Profitability takes a hit

The sharp decline in earnings was largely reflected at the operating level. EBIT fell to Rs 32.1 crore in Q1FY27 from Rs 66.7 crore a year earlier. According to the company, profitability was impacted by commodity price volatility and delays in passing on higher input costs on certain legacy orders.
Despite the near-term pressure on earnings, Schneider Electric Infrastructure continues to maintain a strong order book, which could provide visibility for future revenue growth.

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While the quarterly profit numbers disappointed investors, the company delivered a strong performance on the order front. Schneider Electric Infrastructure recorded its highest-ever quarterly order intake of Rs 915 crore in Q1FY27. Its order backlog stood at Rs 2,169 crore as of June 30, 2026, up 32.7% YoY.
The robust order book indicates healthy demand and provides the company with a strong revenue pipeline, although the pace of conversion into sales and the ability to pass on higher input costs will remain key factors to watch.Udai Singh, Managing Director & CEO of Schneider Electric Infrastructure, said Q1FY27 reflected the company’s strong market position, supported by record quarterly order intake, steady revenue growth and a robust expansion in its order backlog.

He added that while profitability was affected by commodity cost volatility and delays in passing through cost increases on certain projects, the company remains focused on operational excellence, project execution and improving business quality.

Stock performance and Technical outlook

The sharp Monday decline adds to the stock’s recent weakness, with shares having remained under pressure for some time. However, the longer-term performance remains impressive. The stock has delivered around 40% returns over the past one year, while it has surged nearly 265% in three years.

The company currently commands a market capitalisation of around Rs 29,146 crore, while its 52-week high stands at Rs 1,548.

On the technical front, the stock’s 14-day Relative Strength Index (RSI) stands at 51.1. An RSI below 30 is generally considered to indicate an oversold zone, while a reading above 70 is viewed as overbought. With the RSI currently near the middle of the range, the indicator does not point to an extreme oversold or overbought condition.

(Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of Economic Times)

LONDON — King Charles III and Kate, the Princess of Wales, came together at a reception celebrating the 125th anniversary of Cancer Research UK, marking one of their joint public appearances centered on a cause that carries deep personal significance for both royals following their respective cancer diagnoses in 2024.

The reception, held at St. James’s Palace in London, was hosted by the king and Queen Camilla and launched Cancer Research UK’s 125th anniversary year. According to Buckingham Palace, the event also included the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester and brought together researchers, clinicians, volunteers and partners involved in the charity’s work to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer. Guests viewed exhibits highlighting the organization’s impact and ongoing innovations, including displays demonstrating how advances in technology are transforming cancer research.

For the occasion, Princess Kate wore a red dress featuring a white heart print. During the reception, she met with Sebastian Bowen, the husband of the late Deborah James, the journalist and cancer awareness advocate known publicly as “BowelBabe.” James died in 2022 after living with incurable bowel cancer and was awarded a damehood during a personal home visit from Prince William shortly before her death, an honor that underscored her prominent role in raising public awareness of the disease in Britain.

Cancer Research UK traces its roots to predecessor organizations founded in 1902 and 1923 and has played a significant role in advancing cancer prevention, detection and treatment across the United Kingdom. Charles has served as patron of the charity since 2024, while the Duke of Gloucester and Princess Alexandra hold the position of joint presidents.

The reception followed a difficult stretch for both royals. Charles announced in February 2024 that he had been diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer and has continued treatment since. A month later, Kate revealed she was also receiving cancer treatment following abdominal surgery earlier that year, a diagnosis that prompted her to step back from public duties while she focused on her recovery. She later announced she had completed chemotherapy in September 2024 and confirmed in January 2025 that she was in remission.

Since her remission announcement, Kate has periodically offered candid reflections on the lingering emotional and physical effects of cancer treatment. During a visit to Colchester Hospital in Essex, she described the difficulty of adjusting to life after active treatment ends. “You put on a sort of brave face, stoicism through treatment,” she said. “Treatment’s done, then it’s like, ‘I can crack on, get back to normal,’ but actually, the phase afterwards is really, really difficult.” She added that patients are often no longer under the direct care of a clinical team but still struggle to return to their previous routines, describing the adjustment as something that requires time and support. “You have to find your new normal and that takes time… and it’s a roller coaster, it’s not smooth, like you expect it to be,” she said.

In June, Kate visited the Christie NHS Foundation Trust in Manchester, where she met with a cancer patient and her family and was present as the patient rang a bell traditionally used to signify the completion of cancer treatment. Kate has continued to make public appearances tied to cancer awareness and treatment support throughout the year, gradually expanding her public schedule since returning to official duties.

King Charles, meanwhile, has continued his own course of treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer, a process that has occasionally required adjustments to his public schedule. He was briefly hospitalized in March for side effects related to his treatment, prompting a temporary pause in his royal engagements. An aide told reporters at the time that the king was doing “incredibly well” despite the setback, describing it as a minor bump in what remained a positive overall trajectory. Charles offered a rare personal update on his condition in December, announcing that his treatment schedule would be reduced in 2026, a development palace officials characterized as an encouraging sign in his ongoing care.

Prince William has occasionally spoken publicly about the toll the past two years have taken on the family, describing the period in which both his wife and father were diagnosed with cancer as among the most difficult of his life. In one televised exchange, when asked directly about Kate’s health, William confirmed she remained in remission, offering a brief but clear update on her status.

The reunion at St. James’s Palace came during a period when other developments within the royal family, including the fallout from Prince Andrew’s loss of his royal titles and continued scrutiny connected to his past associations, have dominated much of the recent public attention on the monarchy. Even so, the health journeys of Charles and Kate have remained a subject of sustained public interest, given both the scale of their public roles and the relatively rare instances in which either has spoken directly and personally about their experiences with cancer treatment.

Neither Buckingham Palace nor Kensington Palace has released detailed medical information regarding the specific types of cancer either royal has faced, a decision consistent with the family’s general approach to maintaining privacy around personal health matters while still acknowledging the diagnoses publicly. Officials have periodically provided general updates on treatment progress without disclosing further clinical detail, a pattern that has continued through the most recent public appearances by both Charles and Kate.

As Cancer Research UK begins its 125th anniversary year, the charity is expected to continue highlighting new research initiatives and technological advances aimed at improving cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment outcomes across the UK, with royal patronage from Charles expected to continue supporting the organization’s public profile throughout the coming year. Both Charles and Kate are expected to maintain a gradually expanding schedule of public engagements as their respective treatment plans progress, according to statements from palace officials in recent months.

The company, in its exchange filing, said it had a strong start to FY27, supported by improved realisations and disciplined execution across its residential and commercial portfolio.

Puravankara reported a consolidated Profit After Tax (PAT) of Rs 25 crore in Q1FY27, compared with a loss of Rs 69 crore in the year-ago quarter. EBITDA margin also improved sharply to 25% from 15% in Q1FY26.

Also Read |Listed developers eye Rs 1.82 lakh crore pre-sales in FY27 as housing demand holds firm: Report

Total revenue for Q1FY27 stood at Rs 877 crore, up 63% YoY from Rs 539 crore in Q1FY26. Operating inflows for the quarter stood at Rs 1,423 crore, against operating outflows of Rs 1,078 crore, resulting in an operating surplus of Rs 345 crore.

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The company handed over 745 homes covering 0.94 msft during the quarter, up from 667 units in Q1FY26, sustaining the execution momentum built through FY26. In the quarter that ended in June, the company recorded pre-sales of Rs 1,439 crore, up 28% year-on-year, on sales volume of 1.36 million sq. ft. across 1,017 units.
The average sales realisation was recorded at Rs 10,589 per sft, up 18% year-on-year and the collections were recorded at Rs 1,199 crore, up 40% year-on-year. As of June 30, 2026, 3.20 msft of completed inventory (2,777 units) is pending revenue recognition.The gross debt stood at Rs 3,942 crore as of June 30, 2026, reduced by Rs 74 crore during the quarter even as the company deployed Rs 574 crore towards land payments, advances and deposits.

The net debt stood at Rs 2,836 crore, with a net debt-to-equity ratio of 1.57 for Q1FY27 and the cost of debt stood at 11.12% as of June 30, 2026.

The company completed 1.72 msft across ten towers and phases during the quarter: 1.00 msft in Goa (Provident Adora De Goa, Phases VIII to XI), 0.51 msft in Pune (Emerald Bay Towers B-2 and B-3, and Purva Aspire) and 0.21 msft in Mumbai (Purva Clermont, Wings A, D and E).

As of June 30, 2026, the total estimated surplus from ongoing projects stands at Rs 8,976 crore. The estimated surplus from commercial projects is Rs 2,220 crore. The estimated surplus from pipeline projects is Rs 8,636 crore. The overall estimated surplus across all categories stands at Rs 19,831 crore over the next three to five years.

In Q1FY27, Puravankara announced four land transactions in Bengaluru spanning approximately 41.93 acres, with a cumulative development potential of around 4.23 msft – Mandur, Doddagubbi, Sarjapura and Sanna Ammanikere.

The company has 20.48 msft of planned launches across the Southern and Western markets, with an approximate GDV of Rs 27,300 crore, with the majority of the pipeline concentrated in Bengaluru and Mumbai. The estimated future cash flow potential from total new launches (excluding new phases) is around Rs 8,636 crore. The pipeline is supported by a redevelopment portfolio of five projects in Mumbai, representing 2.23 msft of saleable area on the company’s share.

Also Read | Realty developer Puravankara acquires 9.73-acre land parcel in north Bengaluru

According to the filing, Purva Zentech, Bengaluru entered into a definitive agreement with ICICI Prudential AMC for the sale of the commercial property at an enterprise value of Rs 625.94 crore. Of the total consideration, Rs 145 crore will be received through the sale of shares of the SPV, while the balance will be realised through agreed balance sheet adjustments in accordance with the transaction structure.

In the past one month, the stock went up 1.09% and nearly 4.25% in the past one year. The stock went up 41.35% in the last three years.

(Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of The Economic Times)

WASHINGTON — Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said Sunday he has received no response from Sen. Mitch McConnell following repeated formal requests for updates on the Republican senator’s health, escalating a monthslong standoff over McConnell’s prolonged absence from Capitol Hill.

“I’ve heard absolutely nothing back from Mitch McConnell,” Beshear, a Democrat, said Sunday on CBS News’ “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan.” The comment echoed remarks he made days earlier. “I’ve received absolutely nothing, and that’s the same that the people of Kentucky have received,” Beshear told MS Now on Friday.

McConnell, 84, was hospitalized on June 14 after suffering a fall. He was briefly unconscious before being taken to the hospital, according to a statement he released at the time. “My doctors have confirmed that I didn’t break any bones or suffer a concussion,” McConnell said in that statement. “I didn’t have a heart attack or a stroke. I don’t have any tumors or hemorrhages. But I was briefly unconscious and was taken to the hospital.” Weeks into his hospitalization, McConnell disclosed he had also developed a case of mild pneumonia.

After nearly two months in a rehabilitation center, McConnell was discharged to continue his recovery at home. “Earlier today, I was discharged from the rehabilitation center to continue my recovery at home,” McConnell said in a statement announcing his release. He said he and his wife, former Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, were grateful for the support he had received from constituents, colleagues and medical staff during his recovery, and said he would continue an intensive physical therapy regimen at home while remaining engaged with Senate business remotely. The statement did not include a specific timeline for his return to the Capitol.

Beshear’s frustration with the lack of communication from McConnell’s office predates Sunday’s remarks. The governor first sent a formal letter on July 8 requesting information on the senator’s condition, writing that Kentuckians had grown increasingly concerned about McConnell’s health and his capacity to continue serving in the Senate. In a follow-up letter later that month, Beshear pressed further, calling on McConnell to publicly and directly address his constituents. He urged the senator to “directly and verbally address the people of Kentucky and provide proof of your capacity to serve, or resign.”

Beshear reiterated that demand during Sunday’s CBS appearance, suggesting McConnell could quickly put concerns to rest with a brief public statement. “All he needs to do is call into this show for two minutes, or Fox News for two minutes, or do a video for two minutes to the people he’s supposed to serve,” Beshear said, adding that McConnell had so far declined to do so. “But you know what? He absolutely refuses to do it,” he said.

Despite his pointed criticism, Beshear said he hoped McConnell’s health was improving and noted the two have known each other for years. “I do hope that he is getting better,” Beshear said on CBS.

The governor also directed criticism toward Senate Majority Leader John Thune, arguing that Thune had failed to independently assess McConnell’s capacity to serve, instead relying on updates from McConnell’s own staff. Beshear said such deference raised questions about whether the Senate seat should be considered effectively vacant, a determination that could trigger a special election under certain circumstances. “As the leader of the Senate, you’ve got a duty to make sure all of your senators have the capacity to serve, and what is he saying?” Beshear told CBS. “Not my job.”

Republican lawmakers and conservative commentators have pushed back on suggestions that McConnell is unable to fulfill his duties, saying they have remained in contact with him and that he continues to be capable of serving in the Senate despite his extended physical absence from Washington.

McConnell’s prolonged recovery has intensified a broader national conversation about the age of members of Congress, a debate that gained additional urgency following the recent death of South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, 71. A CNN/SSRS poll conducted in July found that 58% of Americans view the number of elderly lawmakers currently serving in Congress as a major problem, reflecting growing public unease about the health and longevity of aging political leaders across both parties.

McConnell, a survivor of childhood polio, has served in the Senate since 1985 and previously led Senate Republicans as majority and minority leader for nearly two decades before stepping down from that leadership post last year. His current term extends through January 2027, and questions about his ability to serve out the remainder of that term have grown alongside his extended absence from the chamber.

As of Sunday, McConnell’s office had not issued a public response to Beshear’s renewed calls for direct communication with Kentucky constituents, and no timeline has been provided for the senator’s return to active duty in Washington. The standoff underscores a broader tension playing out in state capitals and Washington alike, as governors, party leaders and the public grapple with how transparently aging or ailing lawmakers should be required to communicate about their health and fitness for office while still holding elected positions of significant national responsibility.

In her first months of freelancing, Jesuena Estoque Reimer was writing proposals and hearing nothing back. Today the agency she founded serves more than 300 businesses across 14 countries. On Tuesday she is running a free masterclass with Shanine Velarde, her chief operating officer, where they will show exactly how it happened — including the proposals that failed — and answer questions live.

Everyone who has tried to build a career online remembers the silence.

You write the proposal. You read it twice. You send it, and then you wait, checking your phone more often than you would admit to anyone.

That was Jesuena Estoque Reimer’s 2022. A laptop, an account on a freelancing platform, and nobody in the industry who knew her name.

“I wrote so many proposals in those first months,” she says. “Most of them went nowhere. I was not lazy and I was not stupid. I just had no idea what I was doing wrong.”

Four years later, the agency she built from that account is ranked the number one Softr partner in the world. Mindflows has delivered more than 11,000 hours of work to over 300 businesses across 14 countries, building the internal systems that property firms, clinics, schools and logistics companies run on every day. Her freelancing profile carries Expert-Vetted status with a 100 percent job success score. In 2025 her team won the Softr Showdown, a global competition among builders on the platform, and this year she was invited to speak at Berlin AI Day.

And she no longer writes proposals.

“The clients come to us now. That did not happen by accident, and it did not happen because I got lucky. Something specific changed, and I can explain exactly what it was.”

She is Filipina. She began at home, alone, with no connections whatsoever.

One of her earliest hires took a similar road. Shanine Velarde, now Mindflows’ chief operating officer, started freelancing during the pandemic by handing out calling cards to find her first client. No portfolio, no network, nobody to vouch for her either. She reached Top Rated with a 100 percent job success score, then moved out of client work altogether to run operations across the whole agency.

“We came from the same place,” Velarde says. “That is why we talk about this the way we do. Neither of us was discovered. We figured it out slowly, and we got a lot of it wrong first.”

The reputation is real. The job is changing under it.

Reimer is quick to point out that Filipino virtual assistants did not arrive at their global reputation by accident.

“Filipinos are genuinely among the most sought-after VAs in the world, and that is earned. The communication, the reliability, the care for the client’s business. I have worked with people who caught problems before the client did, and who stayed through the parts of a project nobody enjoys. That reputation took years to build and it is deserved.”

What concerns her is not the reputation. It is that the job underneath it has quietly changed.

“Two or three years ago, a client hiring a VA wanted someone organised who could take work off their plate. That was the role. Now the same client assumes you already know how to use AI tools properly, that you can set up the systems their business runs on, and that you can figure out a new platform without being walked through it.”

Those expectations, she says, are not always written into the job post. They show up in who gets shortlisted.

“Nobody announces it. You just notice that the replies stop coming, and you cannot work out what changed. It is not that you got worse. The role moved.”

For people trying to start now, she believes the entry point has genuinely narrowed.

“Starting today is harder than when I started, and I want to be honest about that. There are more people applying, and clients expect more technical ability from day one. The good news is that the skills involved are far more learnable than they sound. Most of them are not coding. They are knowing which tool does what, how to work with AI without letting it embarrass you in front of a client, and how to build something a business can actually use.”

The part nobody teaches

Ask what actually turned her career around and Reimer does not say she started working harder.

“Filipinos already work hard. That was never what was missing. I was replying to messages at midnight and taking calls at four in the morning, and it moved nothing.”

Two things changed. The first was what she could build. The second, which she insists mattered just as much, was how she approached people.

“My early proposals were terrible. Polite, sincere, and entirely about me. Hardworking, detail-oriented, available immediately. I sent that message again and again and heard nothing, and I could not understand why.”

The one that finally worked looked nothing like it.

“It was shorter. It was about their business instead of mine. And it asked for something small enough that a stranger could say yes without having to think about it.”

That difference — between asking for a job and starting a conversation about a problem — is what she believes separates the freelancers who stay stuck from the ones who move past it.

“There are a thousand tutorials on tools. There is almost nothing honest about how you actually find the person who will pay you.”

Velarde says the same gap nearly stopped her at the beginning.

“I was handing out calling cards because I genuinely did not know there was another way. Nobody explains where clients actually are, or what to say when you find them. You just guess, and you waste months guessing.”

Opening the whole thing up

On Tuesday, Reimer is running a free masterclass through JobTayo Academy, which she founded with Velarde. Velarde will be on the call with her.

They intend to go through it properly. The proposals that got replies, placed next to the ones that were ignored. Where they found clients and where they lost months looking in the wrong places. What they charged at the beginning, what they charge now, and what they would do differently starting again this year.

The last part of the session is reserved for live questions.

“People can ask us anything,” Reimer says. “How to price. What to do when a client goes quiet. Whether their situation is too far behind. We will answer it on the call, not in a follow-up email.”

“Everything we know, we learned by getting it wrong first,” Reimer says. “There is no reason the next person should lose a year the way I did.”

They will also go through which specific skills clients are now asking for, and which ones have quietly stopped being enough on their own.

“It is not that one group of Filipinos is more capable than another,” she says. “One group found out what changed and adjusted. The other has not been told yet. That is the whole gap, and it closes faster than people expect.”

What comes next

The masterclass is free, and Reimer is clear that it is a beginning rather than a one-off.

JobTayo Academy is being built to give Filipinos a way to prove what they can do — not a certificate for watching videos, but assessed work and a portfolio a client can open and judge for themselves.

The name was chosen with care. In Filipino, kami means us, but not you. Tayo means us, and you are included.

“Filipinos are already trusted for this work. I want us to be trusted for the harder, better-paid version of it too,” she says. “We are more than capable of that. What is missing is the training, and access to it.”

Asked what she hopes people leave with on Tuesday, her answer is not about tools.

“That being behind is not the same as being incapable. Most of the people I meet are a few months of the right learning away from doubling what they earn. Nobody has ever sat them down and told them which few months.”

How to join

JobTayo Free Masterclass — Freelancing in 2026

When: Tuesday, 18 August 2026, 7:00 PM Manila time
Where: Online, live, with Q&A
Cost: Free

Open to Filipinos at any stage — those who have never worked online, and those who have been virtual assistants for years.

Register here: www.jobtayo.com

JobTayo Academy is run by the team behind Mindflows, the world’s number one Softr partner, serving 300+ businesses across 14 countries.

Business News Philippines was launched in October 2015 as a portal for readers to learn more about operating a business in the Philippines.

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Moderators of the WNBA subreddit, r/WNBA, have restricted users from posting content that names Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham, according to screenshots shared online showing an exchange between a Reddit user and the forum’s moderation team, a decision that has drawn criticism from fans who argue the restriction unfairly limits discussion of an active WNBA player.

The screenshots, first reported by OutKick, show a user asking moderators directly why posts mentioning Cunningham were being filtered. “Why do you ban people from posting about Sophie Cunningham, who’s a WNBA player?” the user wrote. A moderator responded that the subreddit had chosen to filter content related to Cunningham because mentions of her tend to attract users who are not regular fans of the league. “We filter content based on Sophi [sic] because it tends to bring out trolls and people who aren’t fans of the W,” the moderator wrote.

The user pushed back, noting that Cunningham has an active fan base within the league regardless of the moderation policy. “But she’s a WNBA player that does have actual fans,” the user replied, adding that restricting discussion of a player fans wanted to follow seemed unreasonable. Moderators maintained their position, telling the user that those wishing to discuss Cunningham freely should seek out other WNBA-focused communities. “We have chosen to filter content. If you want to post freely about Sophie you can go to a different sub,” the moderator wrote, later warning the user that continued questioning of the policy could result in a ban from the subreddit. “You aren’t even a contributor to this sub, so I suggest you go back to the other WNBA subs. This is our decision. If you keep messaging about this you will be banned,” the moderator wrote.

The moderation decision comes amid a period of heightened public attention on Cunningham, who has drawn both support and criticism in recent weeks for comments regarding participation standards in women’s sports. Cunningham has publicly expressed support for policies that would keep transgender women out of women’s sports competitions, a position that has made her a polarizing figure within parts of the WNBA’s fan base, players and coaching ranks, even as public polling has generally shown broad support for such positions among the wider American public.

The reaction to Cunningham’s stance has extended beyond online discourse. She has faced booing from opposing arenas and organized protests at some games, according to prior reporting, and has been the subject of pointed criticism from other players in the league. During a recent game between the Indiana Fever and the Chicago Sky, Cunningham was involved in a physical altercation with Sky guard DiJonai Carrington, during which Carrington made contact with Cunningham’s face, an incident that drew additional attention to the friction surrounding Cunningham within the league.

The controversy surrounding the subreddit’s moderation policy adds to a broader ongoing conversation within the WNBA regarding gender eligibility standards. According to prior coverage, WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert and league officials have convened discussions on the topic following public remarks from Cunningham and the WNBA draft declarations of former NBA players Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White for the 2027 WNBA Draft, though the league has not issued a definitive policy statement on the matter as of this report. The league has previously said it has faced external “hate and vitriol” in connection with the debate, according to statements attributed to league officials in earlier reporting, though it did not immediately provide further detail on a formal policy timeline.

Cunningham’s rising profile has coincided with a broader surge in popularity for the WNBA over the past two seasons, a trend widely credited to the arrival of Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark, whose presence in the league has been associated with substantial increases in television ratings, attendance figures and player compensation, according to prior league and media reporting. Cunningham, a teammate of Clark’s on the Fever, has benefited from some of that increased attention, even as her public comments on sports eligibility policy have made her a more polarizing figure among sections of the league’s fan base than some of her teammates.

The subreddit in question, r/WNBA, operates independently of the league itself and is moderated by volunteer administrators rather than WNBA staff or Reddit corporate employees, a structure common across most team- and league-specific communities on the platform. Reddit’s platform-wide rules generally grant individual subreddit moderators significant discretion over content policies within their communities, including the ability to filter specific keywords, restrict certain topics, or limit posting privileges for users who violate community-specific guidelines, provided such policies do not violate Reddit’s overarching site-wide content rules.

Neither Reddit nor representatives for the WNBA have issued public statements specifically addressing the r/WNBA subreddit’s moderation policy regarding Cunningham’s name as of this report. The league itself does not typically comment on the moderation practices of independently operated fan communities on third-party platforms.

The episode has renewed broader commentary about tensions between the WNBA’s expanding fan base — bolstered in part by newer viewers drawn to the league by high-profile players such as Clark and Cunningham — and segments of the league’s more established online fan communities, some of which have expressed friction over the increased attention and differing viewpoints that have accompanied the league’s recent growth in popularity. It remains unclear whether the moderation policy will change in response to the public criticism it has generated since the screenshots began circulating online.

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