Thousands of farmers have held a public meeting in India's capital -- the first such gathering since a protest began in the north of the country last month. Farmer unions said more than 15,000 farmers attended the gathering that was allowed to be held for only four hours. The gathering was held amid very tight security. Farmers have been calling for legal guarantees or floor prices for their produce sold at state-run markets. The government has said, with elections due to be announced any day now, they cannot meet these demands at this time. Priyata Brajabasi reports from New Delhi.

US House lawmakers have cleared a bill that could lead to a ban of social media app TikTok in the country. The move has sparked fierce backlash from China, TikTok, as well as content creators who make a living on the platform. Washington has given the social media giant's Chinese parent company ByteDance just six months to sell its controlling stake, or TikTok will disappear from app stores across the country. The vote saw overwhelming support -- with 352 members of the House voting in favour of the proposed law, while 65 voted against it.

If TikTok is banned in the United States, the video-sharing app’s Chinese owner ByteDance might choose to focus more resources on Southeast Asia, where it has more than 325 million monthly users, says founder and CEO of Singapore-based consultancy Momentum Works. He tells CNA’s Asia Now, however, that even collectively, the region will not be as big as the US in terms of advertising dollars e-commerce goods sold. Subscribe to our channel here: https://cna.asia/youtubesub Subscribe to our news service for must-read stories: Telegram - https://cna.asia/telegram WhatsApp - https://cna.asia/whatsapp Follow us: CNA: https://cna.asia CNA Lifestyle: http://www.cnalifestyle.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/channelnewsasia Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/channelnewsasia Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/channelnewsasia TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@channelnewsasia

The United States House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed a Bill on Wednesday (Mar 13) that would give TikTok's Chinese owner ByteDance about six months to divest its US assets or face a ban. However, with the fate of the legislation resting with the US Senate, “it’s anyone’s guess” whether it will be passed, says Professor of Law and Technology at Georgetown University Law Center Anupam Chander. He tells CNA’s Asia First that US President Joe Biden’s indication that he will sign the Bill will put pressure on Democrats to pass the legislation. He notes that a smaller proportion of Democrats were in support of the Bill, compared to Republicans in the House. Subscribe to our channel here: https://cna.asia/youtubesub Subscribe to our news service for must-read stories: Telegram - https://cna.asia/telegram WhatsApp - https://cna.asia/whatsapp Follow us: CNA: https://cna.asia CNA Lifestyle: http://www.cnalifestyle.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/channelnewsasia Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/channelnewsasia Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/channelnewsasia TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@channelnewsasia

Former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra visited the Bangkok City Pillar Shrine on Thursday (Mar 14) in his first public appearance since being freed early from a jail sentence for graft and abuse of power. Scores of media camped out in front of the shrine where Thaksin, wearing a blue shirt and a neck brace, prayed from around 5am. He later took a private jet to Chiang Mai for a three-day trip. (Video: APTN) Read more: https://cna.asia/3IzxRvx Subscribe to our channel here: https://cna.asia/youtubesub Subscribe to our news service for must-read stories: Telegram - https://cna.asia/telegram WhatsApp - https://cna.asia/whatsapp Follow us: CNA: https://cna.asia CNA Lifestyle: http://www.cnalifestyle.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/channelnewsasia Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/channelnewsasia Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/channelnewsasia TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@channelnewsasia

A bill that could ban TikTok in the US has passed the House of Representatives and goes to the Senate next. TikTok's CEO Chew Shou Zi vows to not stop fighting a possible ban.

The House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed a bill on Wednesday (Mar 13) that would force TikTok's Chinese owner ByteDance to divest the US assets of the app or face a ban. In a video posted on the platform on the same day, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew stressed that the company will "not stop fighting" and will exercise its legal rights to prevent a ban in the United States. More details: https://cna.asia/49OyWLV Subscribe to our channel here: https://cna.asia/youtubesub Subscribe to our news service for must-read stories: Telegram - https://cna.asia/telegram WhatsApp - https://cna.asia/whatsapp Follow us: CNA: https://cna.asia CNA Lifestyle: http://www.cnalifestyle.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/channelnewsasia Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/channelnewsasia Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/channelnewsasia TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@channelnewsasia

Germany says it would like to see the European Union conclude free trade agreements with ASEAN members. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz made the remark during a news conference with the visiting Thailand's Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin. Mr Scholz adds that Germany also supports Thailand's bid to become a member of the OECD. CNA's Trent Murray has more from Berlin. Subscribe to our channel here: https://cna.asia/youtubesub Subscribe to our news service for must-read stories: Telegram - https://cna.asia/telegram WhatsApp - https://cna.asia/whatsapp Follow us: CNA: https://cna.asia CNA Lifestyle: http://www.cnalifestyle.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/channelnewsasia Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/channelnewsasia Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/channelnewsasia TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@channelnewsasia

Climate change is already wreaking havoc on the weather and food supplies. But now dermatologists worldwide are blaming it for an uptick in skin issues such as cancer, dermatitis and premature skin ageing. Kesh Gunasinghe, head of R&D Asia Pacific at Kenvue, shares his tips on how to better protect the human body's largest organ.  See omnystudio.com/listener (https://omnystudio.com/listener) for privacy information.

Hue’s tranquil atmosphere, rich imperial heritage, magnificent palaces and rich food culture are perfect for those seeking a peaceful getaway. Read more: https://cna.asia/3Tv4wIO #destination #vietnam Subscribe to our channel here: https://cna.asia/youtubesub Subscribe to our news service for must-read stories: Telegram - https://cna.asia/telegram WhatsApp - https://cna.asia/whatsapp Follow us: CNA: https://cna.asia CNA Lifestyle: http://www.cnalifestyle.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/channelnewsasia Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/channelnewsasia Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/channelnewsasia TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@channelnewsasia

Challenges abound in the Herculean task of cleaning up the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant and thousands of hectares of land surrounding it. Estimates put the time needed at decades and experts emphasise that caution is paramount in getting each of the three compromised reactors fully decommissioned.

A Duke-NUS Medical School study is hoping to better support caregivers by understanding their different needs to come up with more targeted training. Associate Professor Rahul Malhotra from the Centre for Ageing Research and Education at Duke-NUS Medical School, and Susana Harding, Director of the International Longevity Centre Singapore at the Tsao Foundation, shared more details of the study.

More than 14,000 maritime professionals are in Singapore for Asia Pacific Maritime 2024. Jill Neubronner and Loke Wei Sue spoke to Punit Oza, founder of Maritime NXT and International Vice President of the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers, as well as Ashish Mediratta, Head of Crewing at A.P. Moller - Maersk, for a closer look at what discussions could centre around to take the industry forward.

The new Surbana Jurong campus aims to drive innovation to make urban living more resilient and sustainable. It is a collaborative space for firms in the built environment sector to test bed innovation under one roof. Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong added that these solutions can also be exported globally and keep Singapore relevant to the rest of the world. Claudia Lim reports.

Singapore's Changi Airport saw passenger movements beat pre-pandemic levels for the first time in February. It recorded 5.35 million arrivals, departures and transits, four per cent more compared to the same period in 2019. The travel industry said the draw is Singapore's ability to organise unique events for visitors. Nadirah Zaidi has more.

In India, Hindus and Muslims are locked in a series of lawsuits over a mosque located in one of the country's most sacred cities. Ishan Garg takes us to Varanasi, located on the Ganges River, to speak to those in the middle of this fight over the Gyanvapi Mosque.

A close aide of the late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was assaulted at his home in Lithuania. Leonid Volkov is accusing Russian President Vladimir Putin of the attack and has vowed to continue the struggle against his regime.

In another round of nuclear sabre rattling, Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned the West that Moscow is technically ready for nuclear war. Putin gave an interview to state TV just days before a presidential election in which he is expected to win with a vast majority. Dasha Chernyshova reports from Moscow.

Companies here have to take advantage of government initiatives to help them go green, or risk losing out as these grants and subsidies will not be available forever, said Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu. She was speaking at a dialogue aimed at addressing businesses and accountants on their changing roles in a world where sustainability is a priority. Subscribe to our channel here: https://cna.asia/youtubesub Subscribe to our news service for must-read stories: Telegram - https://cna.asia/telegram WhatsApp - https://cna.asia/whatsapp Follow us: CNA: https://cna.asia CNA Lifestyle: http://www.cnalifestyle.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/channelnewsasia Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/channelnewsasia Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/channelnewsasia TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@channelnewsasia

When Indonesian President Joko Widodo first got elected, he pledged to hit 7% GDP growth. As his term in office ends, is he leaving Indonesia's economy better than when he was voted in?