巴西总统罗塞夫取消访日行程 召开紧急内阁会议

Brazil’s President, Dilma Rousseff, has held an emergency cabinet meeting to discuss the country’s most widespread unrest in two decades. It comes after more than a million people are reported to have taken part in demonstrations on Thursday. Protests began more than a week ago over transport fare rises, but they are now also directed at corruption and the cost of next year’s football World Cup.

President Rousseff has called off a trip to Japan to deal with the crisis, holding an emergency cabinet meeting in the capital, Brasilia.

The meeting ended after about two hours with no official statement.

But there is speculation that Rousseff will make a national radio address soon.

Rousseff initially praised the demonstrators, saying she was proud so many people were fighting for a better country.

But she has since sought to distance herself from the protests.

On Thursday more than a million people are reported to have taken part in demonstrations in about 100 cities.

In Rio de Janeiro, at least 29 people were reported injured after clashes between riot police and groups of masked men trying to approach city hall.

Protesters also tried to storm the foreign ministry in Brasilia, but were driven back by police, who fired rubber bullets and tear gas.

Elsewhere, a man died when a car drove through a barricade in Sao Paulo state and a woman was reportedly killed after inhaling tear gas in the northern city of Belem.

The unrest is hitting the nation as it hosts the Confederations Cup football tournament.

But contrary to Brazilian media speculation, football’s world governing body, Fifa, says it has no plans to cancel the tournament.

The protests were first triggered on the 2nd of June by an increase in bus fares. But they have since grown into a much wider movement.

Protesters are angry at corruption and poor public services.

They also object to the huge cost of next year’s football World Cup, saying the government should invest in education and healthcare.