YANBU, 31 March 2007 — A landlord decided to take a novel approach to making a tenant, who was several months late on paying rent, cough up the cash, the daily Al-Madinah reported yesterday. The plan was simple: The landlord sent a carpenter by to tell the tenant that he was going to paint the door. The worker removed the door and said he would return later after the paint dried. The landlord than informed the tenant that he would get his apartment door back only after he paid the money owed.
Trumpeting Unfair Labor Conditions
KOCHI, 31 March 2007 — An unusually steamy heat-wave in the southern Indian state of Kerala coupled with insufficient food and water led a group of workers to rise up against their bosses. The laborers in three different areas of Thrissur district went on a rampage, knocking over fences and striking out at their managers. The labor riot led to the death of at least one person. After the unrest was brought under control, advocates for the workers said the bosses need to provide them with adequate provisions — including the 300 liters of water per day they need for their bodies to stay hydrated. It’s probably worth noting that the angry workers in question were elephants, who have a reputation for trumpeting unfair labor conditions by stomping around angrily — just like humans are known to do. Animal rights advocates criticized the elephants’ handlers for causing the unrest by making them really thirsty.