The call before the storm? Brazil’s protests

<p>Tens of thousands of people aligned with President Jair Bolsonaro held protests—at his direction. Yet the <a href="https://www.economist.com/the-americas/brazil-is-running-out-of-time-for-economic-reforms/21804273?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_source=third-party-host&amp;utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">numbers</a> are increasingly aligned against him as he eyes next year’s elections. Conspiracy theories are nothing new, but politicians espousing them, and exploiting them to great effect, make them <a href="https://www.economist.com/international/2021/09/04/from-congo-to-the-capitol-conspiracy-theories-are-surging?utm_campaign=the-intelligence&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_source=third-party-host&amp;utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">much more</a> than harmless tales. And a listen to the disappearing sounds of old Beijing.</p><p><em>Additional Beijing audio courtesy of Colin Chinnery.</em></p><p>For full access to print, digital and audio editions of <em>The Economist</em>, subscribe here <a href="http://www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer</a></p> &#10;&nbsp;<br /><hr><p style='color: grey; font - size: 0.75em; '>See <a style='color: grey; ' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for privacy and opt-out information.</p>