Thomaston Gardens Apartments - Where Community and Convenience UniteEverybody was so scared In 1985, Singapore reported its first case of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. At that point in time, little was known about the virus or how to manage it. It was widely seen as a precursor to Aids and, without a cure, a certain death sentence. It did not help that it was spreading disproportionately among already marginalised groups: men who had sex with men, sex workers and drug users. In Singapore, as in many parts of the world, fear of contagion and the unknown led to widespread discrimination against and stigmatisation of people living with HIV (PLHIV). “There was no information, we didn’t know how it spread and everybody was so scared,” recalls retired Singaporean nurse Iris Verghese, 78, who counselled Singapore’s first HIV patient as a health adviser. Nurses and doctors were resigning because they were scared of getting infected, she says. Taxi drivers refused to ferry passengers to and from the old Communicable Disease Centre at Moulmein Road, where patients with HIV and Aids were treated. “In those days (the late 80s and 90s), people with HIV had a poor prognosis,” says Professor Roy Chan, the founding president of Action for Aids (Singapore), or AfA. Founded in 1988, the charity was the first support group for PLHIV in Singapore, advocating their welfare, rights and access to treatment. According to the latest statistics released by the Ministry of Health in July 2024, there have been 2,457 HIV-related deaths in Singapore since 1985. The few patients who survived those early years were the ones who managed to obtain the first generations of anti-HIV medication, and those with resilient immune systems. “They were the fortunate ones,” adds Prof Chan, a doctor specialising in skin diseases and sexually transmitted diseases. Fast forward four decades. While there is still no definitive cure for HIV, major medical advancements in antiretroviral therapy have revolutionised its management. In the US, more than 30 such types of medication have been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. Treatment can reduce the amount of virus so much that it is undetectable in blood tests. PLHIV with undetectable viral loads will not infect their sexual partners even if they have unprotected sex, and can have children without passing on the virus. Gone are the days when they needed up to 36 pills a day that caused severe side effects such as nausea, diarrhoea and insomnia. Today’s medication is more effective in suppressing the virus, can be delivered in just one or two pills a day and has fewer side effects, allowing patients a better quality of life. These developments mean HIV is no longer a death sentence, but a manageable chronic condition – one whose treatment has become more financially accessible as well. For decades, HIV patients in Singapore had to fork out more than $1,000 a month for patented drugs. “Due to the cost of the medication, quite a number (of patients) underwent suboptimal treatment – taking only part of the drug regimen, or taking the medication on and off to save money,” says Dr Ho Lai Peng, a medical social worker who has been working with PLHIV for 30 years. Even when treatment was available, she saw patients dying from HIV-related complications. In those days (the late 80s and 90s), people with HIV had a poor prognosis. Many turned to Thailand or India for generic antiretroviral medication, either travelling themselves or getting “couriers” to bring the medicine home. A month’s supply of generic medication cost just over $100, and was not always guaranteed. Deductions through MediSave to pay for some HIV antiretroviral medications were gradually increased over the years, from $200 a month in 1992 to the current limit of $550 a month today. The scope of coverage has also been enhanced to cover all HIV antiretroviral drugs registered in Singapore. Between 2006 and 2009, the cost of HIV medication here fell by about 10 per cent to 40 per cent, in line with global trends. Subsidies were also introduced. In 2010, the Government extended the use of MediFund to help needy Singaporeans pay for HIV treatment. In 2014, under the Medication Assistance Fund, subsidies of up to 75 per cent were given on a case-by-case basis to patients who required HIV antiretroviral drugs. In September 2020, after years of advocacy efforts, 16 antiretroviral drugs were included in MOH’s list of subsidised drugs. This meant that Singaporeans and permanent residents can get between 50 per cent and 75 per cent subsidies for their HIV prescriptions. “Now, patients on initial HIV medications pay between $100 and $200 after subsidies. They can also use their MediSave to pay for the medication,” says Dr Ho. Despite these positive breakthroughs, social stigma and misunderstandings about the virus remain a big challenge for PLHIV, and most choose to keep their condition secret. Of the eight individuals living with HIV whom The Straits Times spoke to, only one is publicly living with it. Two of them, who shared their stories with ST back in 2008 and 2011, say that despite growing awareness that has improved things since, they still live with the fear that their identities will be exposed. From the shock of diagnosis to managing the virus, and their hopes for a more inclusive future, here are their stories. ‘We are as special as you are’ Mr Calvin Tan, 28, recalls when he told his mother he was gay. He was 15 years old. Her response was curt: “Continue this lifestyle, and you’re going to get Aids.” “That will never happen to me,” he replied. By the time he was 19, he was regularly engaging in unprotected sex and having one-night stands with strangers. Looking back, he says this was coping behaviour, as he was confused about his sexuality. “As a gay boy whose likelihood of impregnating females was zero, and who was indifferent about sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), I thought I had a free pass when it came to consequences,” says Mr Tan, who was then a student in Singapore Polytechnic. In March 2015, he found himself bedridden for a month, battling a high fever. He connected the dots, thinking that he might have caught an STD. When his fever subsided, he decided to go to AfA’s anonymous test clinic. There, preliminary results of an HIV test indicated he could be infected. “I felt like the world just stopped,” recalls Mr Tan. It would take two more weeks for the diagnosis to be confirmed. Without an income, he questioned how he would afford treatment. Should he tell his family and friends? Would he even be able to find a job with his diagnosis? “I remember feeling that I had let myself down, because it was something that could have been prevented,” he adds. He decided to keep his diagnosis from his family. His medication cost $600 a month, but as a student, he was able to apply for financial assistance under MediFund and had to pay only $60. He received a weekly allowance of $100 then. “I set the money aside once I got my pocket money. Even in months when it was tight, I just had to find the money for the medication,” he says. That period felt extremely isolating for him. Even though he had the phone number of an AfA staff member, he did not confide in anyone. “I had no one I felt I could trust to talk to. I told myself that this happened because of my decision. So I didn’t really contact anyone, I just kept my thoughts to myself.” A few months after he got his diagnosis, he chanced upon an advertisement for a campaign called Paint The Town Red. It was a final-year project by a group of university students who wanted to spread awareness about HIV. “Though I had yet to fully process my condition, I felt this pull to reach out and share my story,” he says. Sharing his story with the students lifted a weight off his chest. It was the first time he had told anyone other than his doctor that he had HIV. He found it cathartic. After that, he looked online and asked around the AfA network for closed-door sharing sessions for PLHIV. There, he started sharing his story with more people. Thanks to antiretroviral medication, Mr Tan has been able to live a more or less normal life for the past nine years. He takes a pill called Triumeq, which used to cost him around $600 a month. Thanks to subsidies, it now costs him $200 a month. His viral load is so low that a standard lab test cannot detect it. “Whenever it is time for my daily medication, I open my pill case, take a second to look at it, and remind myself that I am taking charge and care of my own health. It’s a daily affirmation that I’ve followed since day one, and it has helped me tremendously.” While medication kept the virus in check, he still struggled initially with how to break the news to those closest to him. It took him a year to tell his close friends, and another year before he told his family. He braced himself for a negative reaction when telling a school friend, but was taken aback when she reacted with a mix of surprise and concern about his well-being. “I guess for her, to see someone of a friendly disposition go through an ordeal all by himself was worrying. Shortly after, I selectively shared my diagnosis with acquaintances. I began to need some support – some validation that I deserved to be around, to live on this earth.” He decided to tell his parents when he found out he was exempted from national service, as he did not want them to learn about his HIV status from the exemption letter that would be sent to their home. He told his father first. “I was already prepared for him to scream the words ‘get out of my house’. What surprised me was how knowledgeable my father was about it. For one thing, he knew that with treatment, the virus could be kept in check.” He told his mother a few months later. “She was devastated by the news, as she thought I was going to die. Then came the ‘I told you so’ and the ‘I knew your lifestyle was going to kill you’ remarks.” He decided to bring his mother along for a doctor’s appointment to assuage her fears. As his doctor began talking to her about HIV, and how he had been diligent with his treatment, she said: “Thank you so much for taking such good care of my son.” From the cost of treatment to the lack of awareness surrounding how HIV is transmitted, today’s PLHIV still face many challenges, says Mr Tan. “A routine check-up costs around $200, and a working adult can afford that, but what about those who aren’t working? Those in the army can’t. Students can’t.” He adds that many PLHIV do not disclose their status to their family members. This means some are unable to get the necessary documents to apply for assistance under MediFund. “I wanted things to change. I had to suffer through my diagnosis alone because I was ashamed of myself.” In 2018, he decided to do an interview with media outlet Mothership, which ran his name and photo. He wanted to put a human face to HIV while sharing what the journey is like for PLHIV, from the point of diagnosis to daily routines. “If even my parents, who are of the older generation, can accept my condition, maybe society no longer sees HIV as a stain. Maybe all my worries were unfounded,” he reasoned then. He adds: “Medical advancements today have allowed us to live longer and healthier lives, so it would be great to be seen as human too.” We are as special as you are. It has been six years since Mr Tan started being publicly open with his diagnosis. He has noticed less stigma around PLHIV in recent years, along with greater understanding of how the virus is transmitted. Previously, his sexual partners often ended things as soon as he revealed his status, reacting with visible discomfort, while some friends distanced themselves. In recent years, new partners he meets have been more understanding, asking about his experiences. They are also aware of the fact that he would not transmit the virus to them, even without the use of a condom. “However, we are still treated differently,” he says. Today, Mr Tan is one of just six openly HIV-positive individuals who have become AfA ambassadors, out of the 7,083 PLHIV recorded here at the end of 2023. Since 2018, he has been working full time in AfA’s outreach programmes department, and is currently a programme executive. He helps to plan HIV prevention and safer sex programmes for marginalised communities. A person’s health is their private responsibility, and it is their choice how much and whom they want to share their health condition with, so being an ambassador is not for everyone, Mr Tan adds. After his interview with Mothership was published, he was targeted by an anti-LGBT group and criticised for “wasting taxpayers’ money”. Online trolls have sent him hate messages through his social media profiles. “You slot yourself into a position that greys in between being human proof of modern medicine and being an attention seeker for validation. You get recognised by people you don’t know. Your friends and loved ones become targets of serophobia,” he says, referring to an extreme or irrational fear of people living with HIV. ‘I can manage it alone’ In October 2023, Cherry (not her real name) found herself suddenly losing a lot of weight. Within a month, she became a gaunt 55kg from her usual, slightly plump 68kg. She also started shedding hair in clumps. “I was thinking: ‘What the hell is it? Old age or what?’ I couldn’t understand what was happening. I was eating normally,” says the manager, who is in her early 50s. She declined to disclose what industry she is in. She went to see a doctor, did a full medical check-up, had scans from head to toe and even saw a specialist. Nobody could tell her what was wrong with her. At a doctor’s suggestion, she went for an anonymous HIV test. She was shocked when the results came back positive. Her last relationship, which lasted six months, had ended more than 10 years ago. “I didn’t know he was HIV-positive, I also did not check. I haven’t had sex with anyone since then,” Cherry says. The virus had remained undetected even though she went for regular health check-ups. “I was very normal, you know? I was like, going around the world. I was doing my work, I worked long hours, and I exercised every day. I never had any serious illness, I was in perfect health.” Everything felt like a blur in the wake of the discovery. But she recalls a doctor giving her some hope: The condition was treatable, medical advancements were on her side, and she could likely have a normal lifespan. “I had heard so many scary stories of people, including famous singers, dying... After much education from the hospital and the doctors, I realised that it is actually a treatable condition.” The doctor prescribed her Triumeq, which she needs to take at a specific time once a day. “After one week on medication, suddenly, it was like the whole world became a rainbow. I felt so different. There were no side effects for me,” she says. Thanks to the medication, her immune system bounced back – before she was diagnosed, she often caught Covid-19, sometimes even monthly. Her HIV viral load is undetectable. “The medication is really very wonderful, it’s like a miracle drug,” she says. Cherry, who lives alone, barely even took any time off from work. She takes just a few hours off to go for a check-up every few months. In the year since, she has gained back the weight she lost, and her CD4 count has improved. HIV attacks white blood cells called CD4, reducing the body’s ability to fight infections. A low number of CD4 cells indicates a weakened immune system. Aside from her doctors and her medical social worker, she has not told anyone about her diagnosis, including her elderly parents and brother. “I don’t think I will tell anybody,” she says, wanting to avoid gossip and questions about how she got infected, as well as making people apprehensive about being around her due to their misconceptions. I think I can manage it alone, you know? AfA’s Prof Chan says that even now, recently diagnosed PLHIV are still hesitant to openly reveal their HIV status to friends and family. “They don’t want to be discriminated against at home, in the community and at work. They are afraid to lose their social support network,” he says. “Generally speaking, the younger generation of PLHIV is less frightened to come out to their families and friends, and even to the public. We have several who have become the faces of HIV in Singapore. “While it can be very empowering, it does take a lot of courage for anyone to do that.” ‘Why tell people? It’s nothing to be proud of’ Nestled in a quiet corner of Thomson is a residence with a spacious garden in the back. Here, the Catholic Aids Response Effort (Care) charity – a member of Catholic social organisation Caritas Singapore – operates a shelter for homeless PLHIV, and has provided a safe haven for more than 100 men since 2002. The shelter can house up to 20 people at a time. Paul (not his real name) is one of 11 current residents there. A slight man with a buzz cut, the 68-year-old has lived with HIV for more than half his life. When he was in his 20s, he worked odd jobs – such as at a petrol kiosk and as a painter – and never stayed in one job for more than a few months. “I was a womaniser. When I was young, all I thought about was partying and clubbing. Carefree life lah, that time,” he says. One day in the late 1980s, he suddenly fell sick with a high fever. Rashes developed all over his body and spread rapidly. He went to a clinic and then to a hospital, where he had a blood test. A few days later, he was asked to return to the hospital. “Before he told me the results, the doctor said, ‘You must be mentally prepared.’ Why? Why must I be mentally prepared?” Paul says, recalling his reaction. “Then, he told me I was HIV-positive.” At that point, he had heard of the virus, but it had never crossed his mind that he would get it. For about a week, he could not eat or sleep. He heard there was no cure for HIV, and thought about dying by suicide. Then, a counsellor from the hospital told him there was medication he could take to prolong his life and manage the condition, and he was not doomed. But the medicine was expensive, as there were no subsidies then, and cost Paul up to $500 here. “I had to buy it from Thailand,” he says. Both his parents, first-generation migrants from China, had died before his diagnosis. He has some living relatives here, but has since lost contact with them. “Actually, we were very close, but I don’t want to let them know all this.” Younger people who were more recently diagnosed with HIV may be more open about their status, but he prefers to keep his a secret. In all his decades living with HIV, he has told only two close friends. This thing, why would I tell people? It’s nothing to be proud of. In 2004, he was unemployed and did not have a place to stay. His social worker referred him to Care, where he has lived since. For the past two years, he has been working as a cleaner. He takes Dovato, a fixed-dose combination antiretroviral medication, which he gets from a Singapore hospital. It costs him about $250 a month after subsidies, paid with his MediSave and around $50 out of pocket. He gets along well with the other residents and sometimes joins outings organised by the shelter. Aside from providing a roof over their heads for as long as they need, the shelter takes care of residents’ food and clothing, monitors their medical appointments, and helps them find employment. When a resident is mentally and financially able to, the shelter works with him to find a permanent housing solution. “We journey with them in what you might think are simple ways: buying them their favourite food, talking to them, listening to their stories without judgment, treating them like a friend,” says Miss Jacinta Rajoo, 58, secretary of Care. She has been volunteering with the Catholic organisation since 2004, and served two terms as president. “The biggest need in the 80s and 90s was to make sure that people were not dying on the streets,” says Miss Rajoo, adding that the shelter used to house more residents with late-stage HIV infection and Aids, and took care of them until they died. “Back then, anything to do with HIV was taboo. It was something that came with judgment. It was almost like saying, ‘Well, you caused this, and now you’re on your own.’ “You could lose your friends, your family, your home, your job and your health in an instant. Especially in Singapore, where we live in close quarters and people get worried. You may then be out of a home,” she says. Over time, Care evolved from being just a shelter and now offers a more comprehensive range of services and support for PLHIV. The Dum Spiro Spero “While I Breathe, I Hope” programme, for example, encourages residents to appreciate the joy of work, handmaking items like candles using recycled wax and rosaries for sale. Being in an environment where they feel accepted and have a sense of belonging has helped residents improve their overall health, adds Miss Rajoo. Are you living happily? In January 2016, Emerson and his Taiwanese boyfriend of two years, Lance (not their real names), celebrated New Year’s Day together in Taipei, before he flew back to Singapore. In March, Emerson received a call from his boyfriend. He was in hospital, bedridden. He had advanced HIV infection, as well as tuberculosis, pneumonia and syphilis. He urged Emerson to get tested too. “So many things were going through my mind. I picked up the courage to go to the Action for Aids evening clinic to get tested,” says the 51-year-old graphic designer. His worst fears came true. The clinic manager said he had tested positive for HIV, but needed another test to confirm it. “I couldn’t even cry,” he says, recalling his state of mind at the time. “So what am I supposed to do next? What do I have to plan for? Do I have to make a doctor’s appointment?” While Emerson went for health check-ups and started getting treatment for himself, his boyfriend appeared to be getting better. But things took a turn when Lance developed an opportunistic infection in hospital. HIV attacks the immune system as it progresses, and patients become vulnerable to infections that can normally be fought off by a healthy immune system. Within weeks, he was dead. “His death really shocked me,” says Emerson, who flew to Taiwan in April 2016 to attend his boyfriend’s funeral. “I couldn’t tell his parents who I was. My emotions didn’t hit me until I got to the columbarium. I just started crying.” For about a year after that, Emerson was in so much grief that he isolated himself. Finally, a friend on Facebook who was also a PLHIV messaged him, encouraging him to join a support group. His friend told him that what he needed most was emotional support to prevent him from spiralling. Emerson is now a regular in AfA’s peer support group, as well as a volunteer. Every week, he visits popular night spots frequented by gay men to spread awareness about HIV prevention and encourage people to go for regular testing. He tells them: “If you step up and take the test, you won’t be left behind. And you get all the necessary help. You need to make the first move.” Emerson has been living with HIV for eight years, and sees a doctor every seven months. Since 2023, he has been taking a combination of Lamivudine and Dolutegravir, two of the 16 antiretroviral drugs that were added to MOH’s list of subsidised HIV medication in September 2020. He now pays half of the $453.70 he used to fork out, and pays for the medicine using his MediSave. Since his diagnosis, he has become very attuned to his body’s signals, especially when he is about to fall sick. He wears a mask as often as he can, especially when commuting on public transport or when in crowded, confined spaces. He has not told his mother, whom he lives with, about his sexual orientation or his diagnosis. “Maybe one day she will question me about why I am always at the hospital,” he adds with a laugh. At work, however, he is much more open. His boss and colleagues know about his HIV status and have been supportive and caring, even reminding him not to overwork himself. However, he suspects that his boss still has misconceptions about HIV transmission. Sometimes when we dine together, if there is no common cutlery, he will ask for it. It’s very subtle, and it could be a hygiene thing, so I don’t really take offence. Although he does not wear his sexual orientation or his HIV status on his sleeve, he feels it “becomes very clear that I am a PLHIV” from what he shares on social media. “I want to share certain things, like about the U=U campaign,” he says, referring to the Undetectable = Untransmittable global health campaign. The community-led movement, started in 2016 by Mr Bruce Richman, the founder of the non-profit Prevention Access Campaign, aims to spread the message that people with HIV cannot pass the virus through sex if they are on treatment and have an undetectable viral load. “While it is a clinical fact, it is still very hard for most people to digest,” says Emerson, who finds U=U empowering, as it means that PLHIV can be seen and treated normally and have a clear conscience. Previously, PLHIV here were legally required to disclose the risk of contracting the virus to their sexual partners, irrespective of whether they were on optimal treatment or if they used condoms. Those who failed to do so could be fined up to $50,000 and jailed for up to 10 years, or both. This is no longer the case, following the amendment of the Infectious Diseases Act in March 2024. PLHIV who are on effective anti-HIV treatment and have documented undetectable viral loads for at least six months need not disclose their HIV status to their sexual partners. AfA’s Prof Chan says the legal reform had been “a long time coming”. “It has been shown conclusively that people with an undetectable viral load in the blood cannot infect their sexual partners. I think the law was counterproductive. It discouraged some from wanting to know their HIV status, as it could be and was used against people who did not disclose their HIV status to their sexual partners.” Emerson feels that many people, while well-meaning, can be patronising in daily conversations with PLHIV, “interrogating” them about whether they have taken their medication or are keeping up with their doctor appointments. That, he says, is a given. Instead, he wishes people would ask him: “Are you living well? Are you living happily?” ‘What really threatened my life wasn’t HIV, but my mental health’ For a month, she contended with fever, flu-like symptoms, and a rash that looked like a severe allergic reaction. Sarah (not her real name) dismissed this at first, as she was often sickly. But when the symptoms did not fade, she saw a doctor, who immediately advised her to go to the hospital. It was 2021, when the Covid-19 pandemic was at its peak. The hospital staff kept swabbing her, and she kept testing negative for Covid. “It didn’t occur to the doctors and nurses that it could be HIV,” says the 29-year-old, who currently works in the social services sector. She was sent to the National Centre for Infectious Diseases for more comprehensive tests, and the results showed that she was HIV-positive. She took it well at first, nodding and smiling while the doctor explained what the diagnosis meant. Later that day, however, she had a psychological breakdown that lasted for two days. Time ground to a stop for her, and words on her phone seemed to float, disconnecting her from reality. “I didn’t realise how much of a shock it was to my system. I couldn’t process it.” The hospital asked her if she knew who infected her. After contacting her exes and past sexual partners so that they would get checked and not risk infecting their current partners, she found out who passed the virus to her. “It was actually from a non-consensual sexual experience.” She and her colleagues had gone to a party to celebrate her birthday a year prior, only for a more senior colleague to take advantage of her. “I was drunk, and I don’t remember if I said yes or no,” she says. After her diagnosis, she was warded for about a month. Her CD4 count was found to be dangerously low, indicating that her immune system was severely weakened. Sarah was prescribed a pill to take every day. For the first two months, the medication gave her terrible side effects – nausea, rashes and hair loss. But after some trial and error, like taking her medication at night instead of in the morning, and switching to medicine that gave her fewer side effects, she has found it much easier to manage the virus. “I think what really threatened my life wasn’t HIV itself, but my mental health after that,” she says. For the first year, she struggled with significant self-stigma, which contributed to depression and mental health struggles. At her lowest point, she almost attempted suicide. She had been working in hospitality for three years, but was told she could no longer continue in her role – due to concerns that she might have to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation while on the job – and was offered a different position instead. I lost a job that was a very big part of my identity. After leaving the hospitality industry in 2021, Sarah pivoted to the social services sector, focusing on mental health. When she attended support group meetings for PLHIV, she found that she was the only young female. “I felt very dismissed. When we shared our stories of how we got it, I felt others couldn’t really empathise,” she says. In the three years since her diagnosis, Sarah has told the people in her immediate circle – family, close friends and trusted colleagues. She credits her family and friends for supporting her and helping her overcome her mental health struggles. She also reconnected with her faith by going to church. What also really helped her, she recalls, was a doctor telling her: “If I could choose between diabetes, cancer or HIV, hands down I would choose HIV”, because among the chronic conditions, the virus was considerably easier to manage, and she is unlikely to die from HIV-related complications. “As you can see, I’m very good now, lah. Two years ago, I could not have imagined where I am now,” she says. “I’m very blessed. The people who are in my life are amazing.” She has been in a relationship for two years, but had to take a leap of faith in telling her now boyfriend about her HIV status before they made their relationship official. “I was like, ‘Okay, there’s something you need to know. You go and think about it and consider whether you are okay with it.’ His only concern was, ‘Will you die early? Because I want to live a long life with you,” she says, smiling at her boyfriend seated next to her during this interview. “Honestly, when this happened to me, I was forced to change and grow and adapt. I think I’m prouder of who I am now than the person I was before it happened to me.” There are many things Sarah is thankful for today, but her one regret is not doing more for herself after getting sexually assaulted. She did not know then about post-exposure prophylaxis, a type of medicine that can be taken within 72 hours after possible exposure to HIV to prevent transmission. “It’s difficult for sexual assault victims. You want to pretend it didn’t happen, so you wouldn’t think to get preventive medication. Like, I don’t get pregnant, very happy already! “If I ever have the guts to actually be an ambassador for PLHIV, then yeah, I think that’s something I want to push for,” she says. ‘I have nothing else to hide’ His 20s and 30s were a hedonistic ride of drugs and unprotected sex, but the consequences caught up with him. “With that kind of lifestyle I lived, it was just a matter of time,” says Christopher (not his real name), now 52. He was diagnosed with HIV in 2010, after feeling unwell for about a month. “I had no appetite, I was losing weight, I was having diarrhoea and coughing my lungs out. I wasn’t functioning any more,” says Christopher, who was working up to 12 hours a day in retail then. He saw a general practitioner, who conducted a blood test. When he came back for the results, the doctor told him he was HIV-positive and that he had to be immediately admitted into the Communicable Disease Centre. “When he told me that, I was like, okay, I’m going to die,” he says. At that point, he had been in a 10-year-long relationship. “He was fine, I was fine, so we didn’t do regular checks.” His then partner also tested positive for HIV. They are no longer together. Ironically, Christopher had been a volunteer with AfA since 1989, but it had not occurred to him to get himself tested. He was hospitalised for three months and received antiretroviral therapy, but remained in denial about the severity of his HIV diagnosis. For the first few weeks, he refused to take the medication, instead slipping the pills into the pockets of his patient pyjamas. “The nurses found all the medication in my pocket and told my sister. I told my sister I had a difficult time swallowing the pills,” he says. He refused to talk to any of the doctors or volunteers. Fortunately, he met a doctor who was patient and sat in his room with him until he decided to open up. To this day, she is still his doctor. He recovered after taking his medication, and was discharged after three months. Eventually, his viral load fell to the point where it was undetectable, and he regained the weight he lost. His health woes, however, were not over. In 2018, he was diagnosed with stage 1 lymphoma. “When I got my cancer diagnosis, I was in my late 40s. It was stage 1, so it was still quite okay, very isolated,” he says. After several rounds of chemotherapy, Christopher is currently in remission. He is currently working as a volunteer manager at a mental health charity, a job he got through the Yellow Ribbon Project. He is also pursuing a degree in counselling. Most of the people in his life – including his younger sister, nephews, father, colleagues and friends – know about his HIV status. However, his elderly mother is still in the dark. Christopher is unsure how she would react, and feels that it is better not to burden her with this information. Jovial and candid, he shares openly with others in the PLHIV community and members of his church about his past – from his HIV diagnosis and cancer to his year-long incarceration at a drug rehabilitation centre in 2020 after he was caught doing methamphetamine. He says he became more relaxed once he was no longer hiding his sexual orientation, his HIV status and his past drug abuse. The more I had to hide, the more I wanted to do drugs. Now, he is an open book. “I have nothing else to hide.” He often reminds others that just because they are not currently infected with HIV, it does not mean that they should continue risky sexual behaviour. “You don’t get flu now, doesn’t mean you don’t get flu later, right?” While he empathises with PLHIV who are afraid to reveal their status and seek support, he says it is important that they seek help. “For example, you have diabetes, but you cannot tell anyone. What happens if you miss an insulin shot and crash? Imagine if nobody knows what you're going through – how do people help you?” ‘I’ve lived through it all’ There are many ways to tell that Mark (not his real name) is “more of a feeler than a thinker”, as he describes himself. He pauses between words to process his emotions. He is acutely aware of the needs of those around him. When someone in the room is seized by a coughing fit, he immediately offers the person some lozenges. Being HIV-positive and having two stints in jail for drug use and trafficking have heightened his sensitivity to others, possibly stemming from his own fear of being judged. Mark, who is in his mid-60s, was first interviewed by The Straits Times in 2008 – a year that saw a record high in HIV diagnoses, driven partly by more people stepping forward to get tested. In the same year, there was a surge in HIV cases among gay men, too, showing how the virus has disproportionately affected homosexual individuals like himself. Mark was diagnosed in 2001 after being advised to do an HIV test while checking if he had contracted syphilis from his former partner. Asked how he has been since, he pauses again before replying: “Not as bad as before.” Still, in today’s society, you can’t openly say that you are HIV-positive. His words, seemingly simple and matter-of-fact, carry the weight of the harsh realities he has endured: discrimination, costly treatment and losing peers who could not afford medication. Some incidents linger sharply in his memory, like how his sister-in-law quietly separated his cutlery from the rest of the family when he returned home after his first release from jail. “I felt very sad at that point,” Mark says. He also remains scarred to this day by an incident in 2008, when he visited a polyclinic for a tooth extraction. He says it was clear to him that the dentist’s attitude changed when she saw he was HIV-positive on his referral letter. “She sent me for an X-ray and told me to come back six months later,” Mark recalls, adding that he inferred the dentist did this knowing she would be rotated out by then and not have to treat him. This was despite him having a stable undetectable HIV viral load, which made him non-infectious. As his pain was unbearable, a friend took him to a private clinic, where he did not have to declare his HIV status. He was so anxious about encountering the same treatment again in a recent dental appointment that he needed reassurance from his medical social worker. In the end, his worries proved unfounded. Prison brought its own form of trauma. Mark befriended other inmates who also had HIV and remembers witnessing the rapid decline of their health as they could not afford treatment. Back then, the cheaper generic drugs were not allowed in prison due to patent restrictions, which meant many inmates with HIV could not afford life-saving treatment. Mark considers himself fortunate that he did not require medication in the early years after his diagnosis, as his CD4 cell count was normal. He started medication only in the 2010s. He is grateful for support from those closest to him, including his sister, who offered him a job to keep him close and ensure he does not “fall apart”. His mother was also a pillar of comfort, and they were very close until her passing just a few months ago. His family, including his grown nephews and nieces, knows about his condition, and they share a warm, affectionate relationship. He says losing track of time while in jail has left him feeling as though he is still in his 40s. Pausing again to gather his thoughts, Mark adds that he has “lived through it all”, and life has been anything but easy. But he is sensitised to feelings of judgment from others. For instance, he decided to cut ties with some of his pre-university classmates – who remain unaware that he has HIV and has served time in prison for drug offences – after they met up once. “They have not been in your life journey, so they are not here to care,” he reasons. “When you come to this age – 60 plus – they just want to know what you have achieved. If you tell them what has happened to you, they will leave. So, what’s the point?” Living with HIV since birth Vanessa (not her real name) has lived with HIV her whole life. She was infected in the womb of her mother, an Indonesian who contracted HIV from contaminated needles while seeking fertility treatment in Batam. Her mother found out they had the virus only when Vanessa was three. Much has changed since Vanessa shared her story with ST as a 10-year-old in 2011. She no longer keeps a diary in which she professes her love for “everything in Old Chang Kee”. She did not become a lawyer or work in fashion, as she had dreamed of then. Now, 13 years on, she is confident, mature and works in the creative industry. She wants to be financially stable so she can take her parents on holidays overseas. Beneath these layers of self-assurance, Vanessa still harbours the same secret that she has since she was four, when her parents told her about her condition. “I have never told anyone about my HIV status,” she says frankly. “I live just like a normal person.” If you see me on the street, you wouldn’t think I am HIV-positive, right? She longs to confide in her best friend. “There are moments when I feel I have been through so much with this friend, maybe I should tell her. “But I will pull myself back and wonder: Can we still enjoy the same friendship? Will she distance herself or treat me differently once she knows?” While Vanessa’s condition is under control, she fears others would not understand. “When you declare, you cannot add that you are stable, with an undetectable viral load,” she says. Vanessa has been receiving treatment since she was three. “People won’t focus on that. They will choose to see that I am an HIV patient.” While she channels her energy into building a career and enjoys the freedom of young adulthood, she keeps the idea of dating, marriage and children at an arm’s length. Fear, she admits, is a large part of her hesitation. “If I ever have a partner, when will I tell him about my condition? Do I say it at the start and risk him walking away immediately? Or wait until things are serious, and then he may feel I have lied to him all along?” She adds: “There is no right time to say it, and I can never be sure if he is the right person to understand.” Vanessa believes people today are much more informed about HIV compared to the past, when the condition was mostly feared and misunderstood. But she remains deeply uncertain about whether others will receive her normally if she were to disclose her HIV status. Because of this, she would rather keep it a secret. Nonetheless, she hopes that she can eventually live openly with her condition. “I am not ready now, but maybe one day, if I know living with HIV won’t change the life I have built, I will tell my friends, ‘Look, we have been close for years – sharing meals and travelling together – but nothing happened to you.’” Dr Ho, the medical social worker, notes there is some progress towards acceptance of people with HIV. “As people with HIV live longer with better health outcomes, we hope for greater acceptance towards people with HIV in Singapore so that having HIV becomes a non-issue, like the way people share that they have diabetes.”

20 Hotels That Will Elevate Your HolidaysTORONTO — Canada's main stock index moved lower Monday, weighed down by weakness in energy stocks, while U.S. stock markets were mixed on the first trading day of December. Tech stocks rallied south of the border as the bullish sentiment that marked November continues into the final month of the year, said Ryan Crowther, portfolio manager at Franklin Templeton Canada. “I think it’s just continued optimism in the market,” he said. “It feels like the sentiment of the market right now is, if there’s nothing to worry about, then it’s a green light for stocks to keep moving higher.” Both the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq posted new records, with the latter gaining almost one per cent. The Dow Jones industrial average was down 128.65 points at 44,782.00. The S&P 500 index was up 14.77 points at 6,047.15, while the Nasdaq composite was up 185.78 points at 19,403.95. Meanwhile, Canadian markets took on a different tone Monday as tech darling Shopify saw its stock drop almost two per cent. The S&P/TSX composite index closed down 57.67 points at 25,590.33. Shopify’s Black Friday numbers seemed pretty good, said Crowther, but perhaps some investors thought they weren’t strong enough. The company’s real-time map of sales showed a new record for Black Friday, with global sales reaching US$5 billion. However, Crowther noted Shopify shares have been riding high recently, so “there’s room for it to take a breather.” This week, Canada’s biggest banks are set to cap off earnings season. “As far as the credit situation for Canadian banks, we should be nearing the peak for loss provisions at this point and so far, things haven't been as bad as some would have feared,” said Crowther. “The investor outlook for 2025, if market strength continues, could include an improved capital markets backdrop, a potential return of IPOs into the picture, so that would be something that people will be thinking about this week as we digest the Canadian bank earnings.” Both the U.S. Federal Reserve and the Bank of Canada are set to announce one more interest rate decision this month. Markets in the U.S. are currently leaning toward expecting a quarter-percentage-point rate cut from the Fed, according to CME Group. Meanwhile, “I think the conditions in Canada are still amenable for further rate cuts,” said Crowther, with an outsized half-percentage-point cut still in the cards for this month. The Canadian dollar traded for 71.14 cents US compared with 71.38 cents US on Friday. The January crude oil contract was up 10 cents at US$68.10 per barrel and the January natural gas contract was down 15 cents at US$3.21 per mmBTU. The February gold contract was down US$22.50 at US$2,658.50 an ounce and the March copper contract was down a penny at US$4.13 a pound. — With files from The Associated Press This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 2, 2024. Companies in this story: (TSX:GSPTSE, TSX:CADUSD) Rosa Saba, The Canadian Press

Michigan upsets No. 2 Ohio State 13-10 for Wolverines' 4th straight win over bitter rivalOttawa customers turning to couriers to get holiday packages shipped as Canada Post strike continues

Canada's top military commander calls out US senator for questioning a woman's role in combat

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Will Howard passed for two touchdowns and rushed for another, TreVeyon Henderson ran for a score and No. 2 Ohio State beat previously undefeated No. 5 Indiana 38-15 on Saturday. All Ohio State (10-1, 7-1 Big Ten, CFP No. 2) has to do now is beat Michigan at home next Saturday and it will earn a return to the Big Ten championship game for the first time since 2020 and get a rematch with No. 1 Oregon. The Ducks beat Ohio State 32-31 in a wild one back on Oct. 12. The Hoosiers (10-1, 7-1, No. 5 CFP) had their best chance to beat the Buckeyes for the first time since 1988 but were hurt by special teams mistakes and disrupted by an Ohio State defense that sacked quarterback Kurtis Rourke five times. “In life, all good things come to an end,” Indiana coach Curt Cignetti said. Late in the first half, Indiana punter James Evans fumbled a snap and was buried at his own 7-yardline with the Buckeyes taking over. That turned quickly into a 4-yard TD run by Henderson that gave the Buckeyes a 14-7 lead. Early in the second half, Caleb Downs fielded an Evans punt at the Ohio State 21, raced down the right sideline, cut to the middle and outran the coverage for a TD that put the Buckeyes up 21-7. It was the first time a Buckeye returned a punt for a touchdown since 2014. Howard finished 22 for 26 for 201 yards. Emeka Egbuka had seven catches for 80 yards and a TD. “Our guys just played with a chip today, and that’s the way you got to play the game of football,” Ohio State coach Ryan Day said. Indiana scored on its first possession of the game and its last, both short runs by Ty Son Lawson, who paced the Hoosiers with 79 rushing yards. Rourke was 8 for 18 for 68 yards. “We had communication errors, pass (protection), every time we dropped back to pass, something bad happened," Cignetti said. Indiana's 151 total yards was its lowest of the season. And it was the most points surrendered by the Hoosier's defense. Indiana: Its special season was blemished by the Buckeyes, who beat the Hoosiers for the 30th straight time. Indiana was eyeing its first conference crown since sharing one with two other teams in 1967. That won't happen now. “Ohio State deserved to win,” Cignetti said. “They had those (third quarter scores), and we just couldn’t respond.” Ohio State: Didn't waste the opportunities presented by the Hoosiers when they got sloppy. The Buckeyes led 14-7 at the break and took control in the second half. An offensive line patched together because of multiple injuries performed surprisingly well. “We know what was at stake," Day said. “We don't win this game, and we have no chance to go to Indianapolis and play in the Big Ten championship. And that's real. We've had that approach for the last few weeks now, more than that.” Some voters were obviously unsure of Indiana because it hadn't played a nationally ranked team before Ohio State. After this one, the Hoosiers will drop. Howard made history by completing 80% of his passes for the sixth time this season. No other Ohio State quarterback has done that. He completed his first 14 passes in a row and finished with a 85% completion rate. “I think Buckeye nation is now seeing, after 11 games, that this guy is a winner, he's tough, he cares about his teammates, he's a leader,” Day said. Indiana hosts Purdue in the regular-season finale next Saturday. Ohio State hosts rival Michigan on Saturday. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

Qatar tribune Tribune News Network Doha Doha has won the UNESCO Learning Cities Award for 2024, in recognition of its outstanding achievements in promoting lifelong learning. The award was received by Mansour bin Ajran Al Buainain, director-general of Doha Municipality, during an honouring ceremony held on the sidelines of the opening of the 6th International Conference on Learning Cities (ICLC 6) in Jubail, Saudi Arabia. Maha Zayed Al Qaqa Al Ruwaili, assistant undersecretary for Educational Affairs at the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MoEHE), said that Doha’s winning of the UNESCO Learning Cities Award for 2024 highlights Qatar’s commitment to enhancing lifelong learning opportunities and achieving Qatar National Vision 2030, which focuses on comprehensive and sustainable education in order to build a knowledge-based society capable of adapting to emerging challenges. She explained that the ministry seeks, through many initiatives and programmes, to ensure that education is available and comprehensive to all, which enhances opportunities for continuous learning and motivates individuals to develop their skills and capabilities. She said, “This achievement embodies the national efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, especially the fourth goal to ensure quality education for all, and the 11th goal related to building sustainable and safe cities capable of adapting to future challenges. We are proud of this global recognition that reflects Qatar’s leadership in education and sustainability.” Mansour bin Ajran Al Buainain, director-general of Doha Municipality, said Doha’s winning of the UNESCO Learning Cities Award this year comes as a result of its efforts to enhance lifelong learning opportunities through partnerships with the public, private and civil society sectors, in addition to increasing 15 percent of its budget allocated to developing learning cities. He added that Doha has introduced a number of programmes dedicated to promoting sustainability, health and healthy practices for diverse groups, including students, workers, the elderly and food establishments, in addition to major initiatives such as establishing community learning platforms in cooperation with local educational institutions, which has led to an increase in the rate of adult learning to 25 percent over the past two years, which enhances inclusiveness in lifelong learning. For his part, Ali Abdul Razzaq Al Maarifi, secretary-general of the Qatar National Commission for Education, Culture and Science, stressed that Doha’s winning of the UNESCO Learning Cities Award is a global achievement that reflects Qatar’s commitment to promoting lifelong learning as a fundamental pillar of sustainable development. He said, “The Qatar National Commission for Education, Culture and Science affirms its role as an active partner in supporting these initiatives in cooperation with international organisations, in a way that enhances the position of Qatar and its leadership in achieving the goals of the Qatar National Vision 2030.” Isabelle Kempf, director of the UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL), said: “The UNESCO Learning Cities Award will promote lifelong learning through the ability of residents to adapt, innovate and collaborate in finding solutions to the world’s greatest challenges.” The UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities (GNLC) consists of 356 cities from 79 countries. The ability to connect educational, training and cultural institutions while engaging diverse partners, including public sector representatives, civil society organisations and employers, is a hallmark of UNESCO Learning Cities. These cities mobilise resources across sectors to promote inclusive and quality learning at all levels, from basic to higher education. They also foster learning within families and communities, support workplace learning, and expand the use of modern learning technologies. Members meet every three years at the International Conference of Learning Cities (ICLC) to assess progress, address challenges, and formulate joint solutions for the future. Copy 03/12/2024 10Rams prepare for primetime Eagles game as NFC West heats up

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Nico Iamaleava threw for 209 yards and four touchdowns to lead No. 10 Tennessee to a 56-0 victory over UTEP on Saturday. The Volunteers (9-2) overcame a sluggish start to roll up the impressive win. Both teams were scoreless in the first quarter, but Tennessee found its rhythm. Grad student receiver Bru McCoy, who hadn't caught a touchdown pass this season, had two. Peyton Lewis also ran for two scores. Tennessee's defensive line, which had no sacks in last week's loss to Georgia, had three against the Miners. UTEP (2-9) struggled with two missed field goals and three turnovers. Tennessee's offense came alive with 28 points in the second quarter. In the final four drives of the quarter, Iamaleava completed 11 of 12 passes for 146 yards and touchdowns to Squirrel White, Ethan Davis and McCoy. UTEP was the dominant team in the first quarter. Tennessee managed just 37 offensive yards and, thanks to an interception near the end zone and a missed field goal by the Miners, both teams were scoreless after 15 minutes. POLL IMPLICATIONS Tennessee’s convincing victory, coupled with losses by Mississippi and Indiana, should put the Volunteers in a good position when the next College Football Playoff poll is released. The Vols were ranked No. 11 going into this week’s games. THE TAKEAWAY UTEP: The Miners will head into a very winnable game against New Mexico State having won two of their last five games. First-year coach Scotty Walden will try to build on that success in the offseason to help enhance his roster. Tennessee: Even a lopsided win won’t carry much weight where it means the most — in the College Football Playoff rankings. The Vols will have to rely on a convincing win against Vanderbilt next week, a team that has shown a lot of improvement this season, to help their standing for those coveted spots. UP NEXT UTEP: The Miners will finish their season at New Mexico State Saturday. Tennessee: The Vols will finish their regular season at Vanderbilt next Saturday. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-footballLegendary St. John's basketball coach Lou Carnesecca has died at the age of 99, News 4 sports reporter Bruce Beck has confirmed Saturday. Carnesecca, a two-time National Coach of the Year and three-time Big East Coach of the Year, was enshrined in the National Basketball Hall of Fame in 1992. In addition to his tenure at St. John's, he also coached the New York Nets of the ABA. The legendary coach own more than 500 games in his 24 seasons at St. John's, taking the team to the Final Four in 1985. He also helped pave the way for the BIG EAST as it is now known. "A founding father of the BIG EAST Conference and an international ambassador for the game worldwide, Coach Carnesecca was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1992. In addition to his legendary coaching career, he has touched the lives of countless individuals and has made a positive impact on the St. John’s University community for the last eight decades," the school posted in September. Beck posted a tribute to Carnesecca on social media: "With tears in my eyes - I say goodbye to Lou Carnesecca. What a run - 99 years of living life to its fullest. What a coach. What a man. What a friend. I was so honored to host his TV show for 7 years on @msgnetworks & so blessed to have him in my life for 46 years. RIP Louie. I have lost a second father - the world has lost a Saint. 💙💜 @StJohnsBBall @StJohnsU @naismith_hall ."

The cancellation of Canada's SDS visa program, which expedited study permit applications for Indian students, was discussed in the Lok Sabha on Friday. However, the Indian government reassured the House that this change would make the admission process more affordable, especially for students who had struggled to meet the higher costs associated with the SDS requirements. As per the SDS programme, which was launched in 2018, the Canadian government allowed eligible international students from India and many other countries to expedite their study permit application process. However, according to junior external affairs minister Kirti Vardhan Singh, the fast-tracking process involved meeting specific requirements like paying one year's tuition fee in advance, providing a mandatory Guaranteed Investment Certificate (GIC) worth $20,635 as proof of funds, and meeting language proficiency levels. ALSO READ: Students express concern as Canada ends fast-track SDS visa program On November 8, 2024, Canada ended the SDS programme. "The Canadian govt conveyed that its objective in doing away with the SDS programme is in line with its efforts to strengthen the programme's integrity, address student vulnerability, and give all students equal and fair access to the application process, as well as a positive academic experience. Following the cancellation of the SDS scheme, all international students would now have to apply for 'regular study permits' for studying in Canada," said Singh, in response to a written question in the lower house of Parliament on the likely impact of Canada's move on Indian students. (Join our ETNRI WhatsApp channel for all the latest updates) ALSO READ: Canada closes its fast-track Student Direct Stream, effective immediately Marketing Digital Marketing Masterclass by Neil Patel By - Neil Patel, Co-Founder and Author at Neil Patel Digital Digital Marketing Guru View Program Web Development A Comprehensive ASP.NET Core MVC 6 Project Guide for 2024 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Finance AI and Generative AI for Finance By - Hariom Tatsat, Vice President- Quantitative Analytics at Barclays View Program Data Science SQL Server Bootcamp 2024: Transform from Beginner to Pro By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Web Development Advanced Java Mastery: Object-Oriented Programming Techniques By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Strategy Succession Planning Masterclass By - Nigel Penny, Global Strategy Advisor: NSP Strategy Facilitation Ltd. View Program Entrepreneurship From Idea to Product: A Startup Development Guide By - Dr. Anu Khanchandani, Startup Coach with more than 25 years of experience View Program Web Development Intermediate Java Mastery: Method, Collections, and Beyond By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Office Productivity Mastering Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and 365 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Office Productivity Microsoft Word Mastery: From Beginner to Expert By - CA Raj K Agrawal, Chartered Accountant View Program Astrology Vastu Shastra Course By - Sachenkumar Rai, Vastu Shashtri View Program Office Productivity Excel Essentials to Expert: Your Complete Guide By - Study At Home, Quality Education Anytime, Anywhere View Program Data Science MySQL for Beginners: Learn Data Science and Analytics Skills By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Tabnine AI Masterclass: Optimize Your Coding Efficiency By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) AI and Analytics based Business Strategy By - Tanusree De, Managing Director- Accenture Technology Lead, Trustworthy AI Center of Excellence: ATCI View Program Web Development C++ Fundamentals for Absolute Beginners By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Entrepreneurship Validating Your Startup Idea: Steps to Ensure Market Fit By - Dr. Anu Khanchandani, Startup Coach with more than 25 years of experience View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Java Programming with ChatGPT: Learn using Generative AI By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Finance Crypto & NFT Mastery: From Basics to Advanced By - CA Raj K Agrawal, Chartered Accountant View Program Entrepreneurship Marketing & Sales Strategies for Startups: From Concept to Conversion By - Dr. Anu Khanchandani, Startup Coach with more than 25 years of experience View Program Marketing Performance Marketing for eCommerce Brands By - Zafer Mukeri, Founder- Inara Marketers View Program Leadership Business Storytelling Masterclass By - Ameen Haque, Founder of Storywallahs View Program Artificial Intelligence(AI) Mastering C++ Fundamentals with Generative AI: A Hands-On By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program "Under the regular route, students are no longer required to pay full one-year tuition fee upfront, but only for six months and demonstrate that they have sufficient funds to cover their living expenses. This makes the admission process more affordable for students, particularly those who were previously unable to meet the more costly SDS requirements," he added. ALSO READ: Is Canada cutting the number of visas issued to Indians? What MEA says According to the Ministry of External Affairs, there are approximately 4,27,000 Indian students in Canadian colleges and universities. "All issues facing Indian students in Canada are regularly discussed and raised with Canadian authorities. Govt of India places high emphasis on the well-being of Indian students pursuing education in Canada," said the minister. (With TOI inputs)

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Dominic Zvada kicked a 21-yard field goal with 45 seconds left and Michigan stunned No. 2 Ohio State 13-10 on Saturday, likely ending the Buckeyes ’ hopes of returning to the Big Ten title game. Kalel Mullings broke away for a 27-yard run, setting up the Wolverines (7-5, 5-4) at Ohio State's 17-yard line with two minutes remaining in the game. The drive stalled at the 3, and Zvada came on for the chip shot. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get updates and player profiles ahead of Friday's high school games, plus a recap Saturday with stories, photos, video Frequency: Seasonal Twice a week