Garment workers protest in Myanmar and the Lion Air plane crash tragedy

Garment workers in Yangon, Myanmar, are calling on the government to protect their labour rights. Authorities are investigating the crash of Indonesia’s Lion Air flight JT-610, and Typhoon Yutu hits Luzon in the Philippines

In Yangon, about 120 workers from Fu Yuen garment factory gathered and sought help from the regional government to protect their labour rights after their employer fired about thirty labour leaders from their factory. The factory currently employs over 900 workers in the Dagon Seikkan Industrial Zone in Yangon. The protesters secured a late-night meeting with Phyo Min Thein, the chief minister of Yangon Region and Yangon Region Parliament, resulting in the protesters agreeing to disperse in return for a second meeting next week.

Typhoon Yutu made landfall on Tuesday in Isabela province, in the northeastern tip of the Philippines, with heavy rainfall and sustained winds of 140 km/h and gusts of up to 230 km/h, state meteorologist Pagasa reported. It was forecasted to affect large parts of Luzon Island, the area which was hit by Typhoon Mangkhut in September. In Isabela province, more than 11,000 people have been evacuated and 6,900 survival kits distributed, provincial governor Faustino Dy said in statements to the local media. The Guardian reported that at least 15 people have been killed and dozens are missing.

Lion Air flight JT-610 lost contact with air traffic controllers soon after take-off in Jakarta on Monday, and then crashed into the sea. The flight was en route to Pangkal Pinang, Indonesia, and reportedly had 189 people onboard. None are expected to have survived the crash. The cause of the crash is unknown, and the Indonesian authorities are currently searching for the aircraft in the sea.

Samantha Williams was charged Tuesday for the alleged murder of her husband John William Jones, who was found on the floor of their house in Malaysia with a stab wound to the chest. Williams confessed in court to stabbing her husband during a heated argument. The next court hearing is on 29 November. Murder in Malaysia carries the mandatory death penalty of hanging, but there has been a moratorium on all executions pending government plans to abolish the death penalty.

Thailand is set to host the final competition of the Miss Universe 2018 beauty pageant for the third time in Bangkok on 17 December. The official organiser of the competition, TPN 2018, announced its readiness to host the pageant with a press conference on Monday at the Dusit Thani Hotel, which was attended by the 2017 Miss Universe Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters from South Africa, among others. The CEO of TPN 2018, Somchai Cheewasutthanon, said that the swimsuits for this year’s contestants will be designed by HRH Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana.