In today’s newsletter: For years Jair Bolsonaro set the anti-democratic tone that fomented Sunday’s attacks. Our Latin America correspondent explains how
Good morning. Almost exactly two years after the January 6 Capitol attack in the United States, Brazil has seen a far-right coup attempt of its own.
On Sunday, as many as 3,000 extremists stormed the architectural treasures of the presidential palace, the supreme court and the Congress in Brasília. They smashed windows, threw rocks, destroyed works of art and a replica of the constitution, stole documents, beat and bloodied at least one police officer, and lit fires. “This is a historic moment,” one protester said on a livestream. “This is the invasion, no, the occupation, of the National Congress.”
NHS | Strikes by paramedics and nurses will go ahead from this week despite Rishi Sunak’s major U-turn on new pay negotiations. While the government is understood to be considering a one-off payment to health workers, unions were frustrated at ministers for not making a concrete offer in a meeting yesterday.
Environment | A United Nations report has found that the hole in the ozone layer, which was once the most feared environmental threat, is on course to be completely healed across most of the world by 2040. The areas over the north and south pole will be repaired by 2045 over the Arctic and 2066 over the Antarctic.
Conservatives | The MP Andrew Bridgen has been suspended from the House of Commons for five days after being found to have breached lobbying rules. Bridgen failed to overturn a finding that he had approached ministers and officials on behalf of a forestry company that had given him a donation.
Health | More than 100,000 people with type 1 diabetes in England are to be offered an artificial pancreas, which experts believe could become the “holy grail” for managing the disease. A world-first trial on the NHS found it was more effective at managing diabetes than current devices.
Space | A historic space mission that took off from Cornwall has ended in huge disappointment after a rocket carrying the first satellites launched from British soil failed to reach orbit.
Riots, popular uprisings and other forms of mass unrest are different from traditional coups. The police are usually the first line of response to such mass action. And that gives them tremendous power to affect outcomes, for one simple reason: They can decide whether or not to show up.
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