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Straits Times
4 days ago
- Business
- Straits Times
TV host Lee Teng and wife welcome rainbow baby after 2020 miscarriage
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Home-grown TV host Lee Teng and his Taiwanese wife Gina Lin are now first-time parents to a girl named Ellison. SINGAPORE – Home-grown TV host Lee Teng and his Taiwanese wife Gina Lin are now first-time parents to a baby girl named Ellison. Announcing the good news on Instagram on Aug 13, he joked about how he should now be called 'Ellis' dad'. The Taiwan-born Singaporean, 41, thanked his wife, 32, for her unwavering perseverance in her journey to becoming a mother. Calling their newborn a 'rainbow baby', Lee recounted how the past five years had been anything but easy for the couple after they lost their first child in July 2020. Lin was six months pregnant when she suffered a miscarriage after returning to Taiwan to prepare for the birth of their baby boy, nicknamed Xiao Dou Ya (Little Bean Sprout). Lee was then in Singapore for work and could not leave the country to be with Lin because of Covid-19 travel restrictions. He managed to reunite with her i n August that year, and they subsequently spent three months in Taiwan to heal from the grief together. He apologised to his followers for keeping their second pregnancy a secret. He said: 'My wife and I have faced countless setbacks, and there were moments when I couldn't bear to see her disappointed . At times, I asked if we should give up, simply because I couldn't stand watching her suffer. 'The wait has been long, but the moment I saw the smile on our rainbow baby's face, I knew every second was worth it.' Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Business Singapore banks face headwinds in rest of 2025, but DBS is pulling ahead: Analysts Asia Southern Taiwan shuts down ahead of Typhoon Podul's arrival, hundreds of flights cancelled Business Singtel Q1 profit soars 317.4% to $2.9 billion on exceptional gains of $2.2 billion Asia Diamonds, watches and shoes: Luxury items at heart of probe into South Korea's former first lady World AI eroded doctors' ability to spot cancer within months in Lancet study Singapore Yishun man admits to making etomidate-laced pods for vaporisers; first Kpod case conviction Sport New Hui Fen becomes first Singaporean bowler to win PWBA Tour Player of the Year Singapore SG60: Many hands behind Singapore's success story Lee also apologised for turning down work over the past year to be with his wife. Lin also shared her heartfelt post on Instagram on Aug 13, writing in Chinese that the past few years had been 'incredibly challenging'. 'Facing physical, mental and emotional strain, and concerns from everyone, I've managed to appear calm and composed. But in reality, I've become incredibly sensitive and insecure,' she admitted. She added that she had been living under a constant barrage of repressed emotions and spent almost the entire pregnancy at home. Addressing her daughter in her post, Lin said: 'Thank you for choosing me to be your mother, thank you for working so hard to grow up, thank you for giving me the courage to face my birthday and thank you for piecing together the broken me bit by bit.' She added: 'From the moment I heard your first cry, it felt so unreal. I wake up every morning and ask myself, 'Is this true?' Thank you for coming safely to us. Your father and I only hope you will be healthy and safe.'
Straits Times
4 days ago
- Business
- Straits Times
Unwed mom's childcare subsidy rejection sparks debate in China
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox The subsidies are part of a national cash subsidy programme announced in late July for parents of young children. BEIJING - A post by a Shenzhen resident claiming she was denied new childcare subsidies because she was unmarried has sparked a wave of debate across Chinese social media, drawing thousands of comments and reigniting discussions on whether benefits should extend to single parents. In the widely shared post, the resident said local health authorities had informed her via text message that her child's birth did not meet the legal criteria for receiving the subsidy, as the parents had not registered their marriage. The subsidies are part of a national cash subsidy programme announced in late July for parents of young children, marking a significant step in the country's efforts to reverse its declining birthrate. The programme will offer annual cash payments of 3,600 yuan (S$630) for each legitimate child under age 3, and applies retroactively from Jan 1, 2025. Although the application was rejected on the basis of marital status, the resident noted that the child's birth had been lawfully registered. Citing Guangdong's population and family planning regulations, as well as its birth registration management measures, the resident expressed confusion over the decision, arguing that births out of wedlock can still be officially registered. 'My child is registered according to the law,' the resident wrote, adding that she had used maternity insurance for childbirth and received maternity benefits. 'It means the childbirth is fully recognised.' Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Business Singapore banks face headwinds in rest of 2025, but DBS is pulling ahead: Analysts Asia Southern Taiwan shuts down ahead of Typhoon Podul's arrival, hundreds of flights cancelled Business Singtel Q1 profit soars 317.4% to $2.9 billion on exceptional gains of $2.2 billion Asia Diamonds, watches and shoes: Luxury items at heart of probe into South Korea's former first lady World AI eroded doctors' ability to spot cancer within months in Lancet study Singapore Yishun man admits to making etomidate-laced pods for vaporisers; first Kpod case conviction Sport New Hui Fen becomes first Singaporean bowler to win PWBA Tour Player of the Year Singapore SG60: Many hands behind Singapore's success story In response, a staff member from the health commission of Shenzhen said the current policy defines 'legally compliant childbirth' as requiring a marital relationship. They added, however, that the final rules for the subsidies will depend on guidance from Guangdong's provincial health authorities. The official said the current interpretation is based on existing regulations, but whether a marriage certificate will ultimately be required will be determined by the forthcoming province-wide childcare subsidy application system, which is scheduled to be launched by the end of August. At a news conference on July 30, Mr Wang Haidong, director of the Department of Population Surveillance and Family Development at the National Health Commission, said applicants would only need to submit essential documents proving the child's identity and the parent-child relationship such as the birth medical certificate and household registration booklet to claim the subsidies. The national and local governments have completed the construction of the childcare subsidy information management system and are currently conducting full-process testing. According to the work plan, application channels for the subsidy will gradually open across regions in late August, with full access expected nationwide by Aug 31, Mr Wang said. The post has sparked widespread discussion among netizens, with most arguing that the childcare subsidies should be given to parents without marriage certificates. 'The subsidy is for childbirth, not marriage. Why can't it be claimed?' said a netizen, citing the number of single parents raising children has increased significantly in recent years. 'If the policy is aimed at boosting the birth rate, the subsidy should be given to the child, not tied to marriage,' the netizen added. CHINA DAILY/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
