Brazilian leader Dilma Rousseff in crunch talks as protests escalate

Brazil awoke today to city centres still smouldering after a night that shocked the nation: one million protesters took to the streets in scores of cities, with clusters clashing violently with police during anti-government demonstrations.

President Dilma Rousseff, a stand-offish leader who has been virtually mute in the face of the most violent protests in recent memory, called a meeting with top Cabinet members. She faced sharp criticism in Brazil’s media for what many called her lack of any leadership.