Brazil president vows reforms

Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff has unveiled a series of reforms in an attempt to end days of nationwide protests against bad public transport and healthcare, corruption, and the billions of dollars of spending on World Cup preparation. In a televised address on Friday, she said she had an obligation to listen to the voices on the streets but dialogue needed to be established after nearly two weeks of massive protests. Peaceful protest was a legitimate part of democracy, but condemned the violent elements of the million-strong demonstrations that have swept the country, Rousseff said. A plan to improve public transport would be drafted, and all royalties from the country's oil resources would be invested into education, she added. "We cannot tolerate this violence that embarrasses Brazil," she said in the televised broadcast. "To those who marched peacefully, I want to say: I hear you," the former left-wing guerilla said, adding that those protesters demonstrated "the strength of our democracy". But she said authorities would "maintain order" and not allow vandalism to derail "a legitimate democratic movement". "In a balanced and calm way, but also firmly, we will guarantee rights and liberty," she said, warning that "we run the risk of losing a great deal" if the violence was left unchecked. The protests broke out in Sao Paolo last week over a hike in bus fares, but have broadened their complaints to include officials' corruption and public spending policy.