Protests have erupted in Brazil over the past week. On Monday, there were tens of thousands of demonstrators on the streets of cities across the country. And again on Tuesday, demonstrations have continued. Unlike in Turkey, Brazil's leaders are adopting a conciliatory tone.

Brazil has no real history of mass protests. But disgruntled youths appeared to be learning quickly, citing demonstrators in other parts of the world.

The movement started last week against a hike in the price of public transportation, but it has snowballed into something larger. In the beginning, there were only a few thousand people participating — now there are tens of thousands of Brazilians making their voices heard.

As part of NPR's series on crime in Latin America, we're looking at Brazil's efforts to occupy and clean up Rio's crime-ridden favelas, or shantytowns, before the World Cup and the Olympics. But as a consequence, criminals have dispersed to outlying areas where there are fewer resources.

First came the day trips for foreigner tourists to the shantytowns. Now, young Westerners are living in formerly no-go areas — with yoga classes and sushi restaurants following. Business is booming in Rio de Janeiro's favelas, but some residents complain they're being priced out of the market.

New technology is changing the way cities are run, with cutting-edge urban innovations around the globe. Sprawling, chaotic Rio de Janeiro has built a state-of-the-art operations center as it gears up for two major events.

Brazil has more household workers per capita than any other country. A new law in the South American nation expanded the rights of domestic workers. But despite the law being on the books now for almost two months, there is still a long way to go in changing the social dynamic in Brazil.

Brazil's economic growth has brought about more illegal immigration and drug trafficking, so the country is hoping to make its borders more secure. But the experience in the U.S. shows that it can be a difficult undertaking.

Lourdes Garcia-Navarro is moving to Brazil in a new role as NPR's South America correspondent. With the region's growing global role, we expect you'll hear a lot from her. So here are the fun facts you won't hear on air. For example, we've got a Game of Thrones fan on our hands.

Brazil's economic boom has driven the demand for births by caesarean section. Some 80 to 90 percent of women in private hospitals deliver this way. Proponents say it allows mothers and doctors to better organize their time. Critics say the procedure drives up costs and may cause complications.

How we navigate one another's space is an important and nuanced part of communicating. Two authors observe how this dynamic plays out in Cairo and Sao Paulo.

A high-profile gang rape in Rio de Janeiro has put an uncomfortable spotlight on the sharp rise in crime committed by minors. Poverty, drugs and lack of resources are all seen as contributors to the problem.

The country is preparing to host the 2014 World Cup by refurbishing its stadiums for soccer's biggest event. But some of the venues are behind schedule, and the preparations are costing taxpayers more than they expected. Some now wonder if all of the fanfare is worth the effort.

Bolivia, a landlocked nation since 1904, is hoping to reach the sea once again by suing Chile at the International Court of Justice for the land it lost in the War of the Pacific.

Brazil's largest city is more about business than art. But a new crop of creators — who work in media as different as crochet, graffiti and poetry — is trying to change that by sprucing up public spaces.

Over the past few years, incomes in Brazil rose and unemployment plunged to record lows. But now — as the country prepares to host the World Cup and the Olympics — the numbers are changing. Growth is slowing and inflation is creeping up. Tourists and Brazilians alike are feeling the pinch.

Famous Chilean poet Pablo Neruda is to be exhumed Monday to see if he was poisoned. The official version stated he died of cancer. His former driver, however, told a Mexican magazine that he believes Neruda was murdered by the Pinochet regime as the poet was an avowed leftist.

Ali Hamdani worked for NPR in Iraq and narrowly survived a 2008 car bomb attack. He's among a relatively small number of Iraqis who have been allowed to resettle in the U.S., and he considers himself lucky.

The Gaza Strip will be unlivable by 2020 if nothing is done to alleviate the situation there, a recent U.N. report found. By almost every indicator, Palestinians in Gaza today are worse off than they were in the 1990s — squeezed by a high birthrate, dwindling resources and trade and travel restrictions.

The country has featured prominently in past campaigns, but observers say it's different this time. The shift is partially attributed to the GOP's aggressive courting of the Jewish vote and the Israeli government's perceived taking of sides, a charge it denies.