DINNER PARTY INTEL...

The topics you have to be able to discuss this week

1. Fuelling protest

While South Africans are outraged over the fuel price increase that came into effect this week, other countries appear to be significantly worse off. Truckers brought Brazil to its knees over their opposition to fuel price hikes. The nationwide strike finally ended last week, but only after the CEO of

Brazil’s oil firm was forced to resign.

The strike spiralled into a bigger protest over health care, education, roads, violence and political corruption.

Of particular concern for Brazilians are protestors’ calls for “military intervention” in response to the 10% diesel hike. The reference to a return to military dictatorship — which ended in 1985 — is an alarming development.

2. Kick in the face

Apple will take steps to block Facebook’s handling of its users’ data. The next version of its IOS and Mac operating systems will make it harder for companies to automatically track Web use. Apple’s Web browser, Safari, will ask the device owner’s permission before allowing the social network to monitor his or her activity.

Apple CEO Tim Cook has previously called Facebook’s practices an “invasion of privacy”.

3. Corruption clean-up

To tackle endemic corruption, Kenya’s government has introduced screening for public servants. All procurement and accounting officers in government departments and stateowned enterprises will this week have to submit records of their assets, liabilities and previous service. As many as 500 officials are expected to step away from their desks to undergo the screening which, President Uhuru Kenyatta says, will include polygraph tests.

However, activists say there is already evidence of corruption in the public sector, but that this has not led to any arrests. They say there is a lack of political will to tackle the problem.