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Author Archives: Francisca Samuel

Tamara News  /  Articles by: Francisca Samuel

Author: Francisca Samuel

Francisca Samuel is an editor at Tamara News, where she covers immigration, travel, business and technology news for readers across Africa and the Gulf.

28 Sep 2026
Protest signs against evictions during the Madrid housing crisis protests

She Was Evicted at 87. Now Madrid Won’t Stop Protesting.

Categories Spain, World

Tens of thousands of people marched through Madrid over the weekend. They were protesting the eviction of an 87-year-old woman from the apartment she had lived in for 70 years. The Madrid housing crisis protests that followed have become one of Spain’s largest housing demonstrations in years, and they have pushed the government to promise new rules within days.

Court officials carried Maria del Carmen Abascal out of her Retiro-neighborhood apartment on a stretcher on September 23, 2026. Supporters had tried to block the eviction. Her rent had risen from 500 euros a month to 2,650 euros. An investment fund had bought the building in 2018, according to US News.

How the Madrid housing crisis protests grew

Marchers filled central Madrid on Saturday. Many then camped overnight at Puerta del Sol, a historic plaza in the city center. More protesters joined on Sunday. Reporting from NBC News described a crowd that spanned generations, from students to retirees, camped out with handmade signs.

Demonstrators are demanding three specific changes. They want indefinite rental contracts instead of short-term leases. They want stronger measures against fraud in the rental market. They want a ban on evictions when no alternative housing is available.

The numbers behind Spain’s housing crunch

The Bank of Spain estimates the country is short roughly 550,000 homes. Madrid, Barcelona, and Valencia face the sharpest shortfalls. Spain also ranks near the bottom of OECD countries for subsidized public rental housing, at under 2% of the total. The EU average is about 8%.

Investment funds have bought up buildings across Spanish cities in recent years. Rents have climbed well beyond what many pensioners and lower-income tenants can afford. That is true even as Spain’s overall economy has grown strongly.

Modern apartment building with balconies, the kind of housing at the center of the Madrid housing crisis protests

What the government has promised

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez responded directly to the protests. “The government is working around the clock to bring a Royal Decree on housing next Tuesday,” he said. US News cited the remark in its report. His Socialist-led government plans to unveil new measures at its weekly cabinet meeting.

The government has not published the decree yet. Its exact contents will stay unknown until the cabinet meets and releases the text.

What happens after the Royal Decree

The immediate test is whether Sanchez’s government delivers concrete rent and eviction rules, not just a promise. Tenant groups have said they will keep pressure on lawmakers until legislation is passed, not merely announced. A decree alone does not guarantee new protections become law; Spain’s parliament would likely need to approve lasting changes.

Watch for the specific text of the Royal Decree, and for how landlords and investment funds respond once it appears.

Common questions about the protests

Why are people protesting in Madrid right now?

The Madrid housing crisis protests began after court officials evicted 87-year-old Maria del Carmen Abascal on a stretcher from the home she had lived in for 70 years, after her rent nearly quintupled.

How many people have joined the protests?

Tens of thousands marched through central Madrid over the weekend, with demonstrators camping overnight at Puerta del Sol plaza.

What is driving Spain’s housing shortage?

The Bank of Spain estimates a shortfall of about 550,000 homes, worsened by low levels of subsidized public rental housing and rising rents in cities like Madrid, Barcelona, and Valencia.

What has the Spanish government promised?

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said his government would bring a Royal Decree on housing to the following Tuesday’s cabinet meeting, though its exact contents have not been published.

What are protesters asking for specifically?

Demonstrators want indefinite rental contracts, stronger fraud protections for tenants, and a ban on evictions when no alternative housing is available.

More world news from Tamara News

For more international news, see our coverage of the Falklands sovereignty dispute, the stalled Sudan peace talks, and EBRD’s Africa growth outlook.

28 Sep 2026
Fighter jets on a tarmac, symbolizing the Trump arms offer China controversy

Trump Offered China US Weapons. There’s Just One Problem.

Categories World

President Trump asked Chinese President Xi Jinping if he wanted to buy American weapons. The exchange happened during Xi’s visit to the United States last week. US Ambassador to China David Perdue described it in a Fox News interview. The Trump arms offer China story broke on September 28, 2026. It raises an immediate legal problem: China has been under a US arms embargo since 1989.

“President Trump continues to say, ‘Hey, we sell arms to other people around the world,'” Perdue said. “He actually asked President Xi if he would like to buy some, at one point.” Perdue did not say how Xi responded. The White House has not given its own account of the remark.

What Ambassador Perdue actually said

Perdue’s comments were reported by Euronews and The Hill. They came days after Xi’s trip to Washington. That trip was framed around trade talks. Photos of the two leaders together were taken on September 25, 2026. Trump later called the summit “one of Friendship, Strength, and Success,” Perdue said.

Perdue’s remarks were meant to defend the administration’s China policy. They were not a criticism of it. He argued that Trump has sold Taiwan “50% more arms” than any other president since 1979. Those figures come from Perdue himself. They have not been checked against Pentagon arms-sale data.

Why a Trump arms offer China would break US law

The United States has barred arms sales to China since June 1989. Congress and the White House imposed the embargo after the Tiananmen Square crackdown. Every administration since has kept it in place, Republican and Democratic alike. It covers weapons, defense articles, and related technology. Lifting it would require an act of Congress. No lawmaker has seriously proposed that.

That legal reality is why Perdue’s account reads like a passing remark. It does not look like a real negotiating position. Nothing in the public record shows China formally asked for US weapons. No official has described a concrete deal under discussion.

The Taiwan question hangs over the Trump arms offer China episode

The bigger worry for Taiwan is not that Washington might arm Beijing. It is that Trump has floated Taiwan arms packages as a bargaining chip before. Washington approved an $11.1 billion arms sale to Taiwan in December 2025. Perdue cited that package as proof the administration has not gone soft on Taipei. Still, analysts who track cross-strait tensions have flagged a risk. Treating Taiwan’s defense needs as leverage, even in passing, can send Beijing an unwelcome signal.

Great Wall of China winding through hills, evoking the Trump arms offer China standoff

What happens next

No legislative or executive action has followed Perdue’s remarks so far. Congress would need to act before any arms sale to China could move forward. There is no sign that process has begun. Trade talks between Washington and Beijing continue on a separate track. Those cover tariffs and technology exports, not weapons.

Watch for two things. First, whether the White House confirms or walks back Perdue’s account. Second, whether Taiwan’s government responds in public. Taipei has stayed quiet so far. A formal reaction would mark a shift in tone.

Frequently asked questions

Did Trump actually offer to sell weapons to China?

According to US Ambassador David Perdue, Trump asked Xi Jinping if he wanted to buy American weapons during Xi’s September 2026 visit. The White House has not confirmed or denied the account on its own.

Is it legal for the US to sell arms to China?

No. A US arms embargo on China has been in place since 1989, after the Tiananmen Square crackdown. Congress would have to lift that embargo before any sale could proceed.

What does this mean for Taiwan?

Nothing has changed in US arms sales to Taiwan so far. Washington approved an $11.1 billion package in December 2025. Analysts worry that Trump has floated Taiwan arms deals as leverage with Beijing, not that Taiwan’s support is ending.

When did Xi Jinping visit the United States?

Xi’s visit and meetings with Trump took place around September 25, 2026, based on photos and reporting from that week.

Has China responded to the reported offer?

No official Chinese statement has addressed Perdue’s comments as of this writing.

Related coverage on Tamara News

For more on the broader US-China relationship, see our coverage of the Trump-Xi trade summit, the Nvidia chip export loophole to China, and the Venezuela envoy’s Washington visit.

27 Sep 2026
Brazil electronic visa system travel document

Brazil Just Killed the Passport Drop-Off Line for Some Visa Applicants

Categories Immigration, Visa Updates

Brazil’s new Brazil electronic visa system took effect September 1, 2026. It ends the need for eligible applicants to physically drop off or collect their passports at a consulate when applying for a temporary visa. Applicants now upload documents through Brazil’s Integrated Consular System and receive their visa electronically by email. The change aims to cut the administrative steps and travel time consulate visits used to require.

Brazil electronic visa system delivers approvals to a traveler's smartphone

What the Brazil electronic visa system actually changes

Under the previous process, applicants for Brazilian temporary visas generally had to submit their passport in person at a consulate. They then waited for processing and returned later to collect it once the visa was issued or mailed back. The new system removes that physical handoff for eligible applicants. Applicants submit documents digitally through the Integrated Consular System instead. Once officials approve the application, the visa arrives as an electronic document by email, rather than a stamp or sticker placed in the physical passport.

Which visa types are covered

The digital process covers several temporary visa categories: temporary work visas, family reunion visas, digital nomad visas, and other approved categories. Eligibility is limited to nationals of countries that already qualify for Brazil’s visitor visa exemption. That means the streamlined process is not universal. It applies to a defined set of applicant nationalities that Brazil has determined pose lower administrative risk for remote processing.

What stays the same for applicants

Brazil’s underlying approval requirements have not changed. Applicants still need to meet the same eligibility criteria and provide the same supporting documentation as before. Only the submission and delivery method moved online. Post-arrival registration with Brazil’s Federal Police remains a required step for those who need it. Employment authorization processes for work-visa holders continue under the same rules as before. Applicants approved under the new system should print their electronic visa before traveling. They should carry both a digital and a printed copy when they arrive, since border officials will need to verify the document on entry.

Why Brazil is making the shift now

The move fits a broader global pattern: countries are digitizing visa and travel-document processes to cut both applicant burden and consular workload. Removing the in-person passport drop-off step cuts down on the logistical barriers facing applicants who live far from a consulate. It also reduces the physical handling and mailing consulates previously managed for every temporary visa application. Brazil is actively courting remote workers through its digital nomad visa category. A faster, less demanding application process gives it a competitive edge, in a market where several countries now offer similar remote-work visa options.

What happens next for applicants

Applicants should confirm their nationality qualifies under Brazil’s visitor visa exemption rules before assuming they can use the new digital process, since it does not apply universally. Those planning travel to Brazil under a temporary work, family reunion or digital nomad visa should check Brazil’s Integrated Consular System directly for the current document checklist. Digitized systems like this one are typically refined in the months after launch. Consulates work through early cases first.

Frequently asked questions

When did the Brazil electronic visa system take effect?

The new digital process began on September 1, 2026, eliminating the need to physically submit or collect a passport at a consulate for eligible temporary visa applications.

Which visa categories does it cover?

Temporary work visas, family reunion visas, digital nomad visas, and other approved temporary visa categories.

Who is eligible to use the digital process?

Nationals of countries that already qualify for Brazil’s visitor visa exemption rules.

Do applicants still need to meet the same requirements?

Yes. Brazil kept eligibility criteria and required documentation unchanged; only the submission and delivery method moved online.

Do applicants need a printed copy of the visa?

Yes. Applicants should print their electronic visa and carry both digital and printed copies when traveling.

Does this change post-arrival requirements?

No. Registration with Brazil’s Federal Police and employment authorization steps for work-visa holders remain the same as before.

How this fits Brazil’s wider visa strategy

Brazil has been steadily expanding its appeal to remote workers and skilled migrants over the past several years. It introduced its digital nomad visa category and has periodically expanded the list of nationalities eligible for visa-free entry as a visitor. Digitizing the temporary visa application process is a logical next step in that strategy. A cumbersome paper-based consular process can genuinely deter remote workers. Many are comparing Brazil against a growing list of countries with similar programs and fewer bureaucratic steps. Immigration lawyers who track the digital nomad visa market say processing speed and administrative simplicity have become real differentiators between competing countries, not just the income requirements a program sets.

More on global visa processing changes

For more on how visa processing is changing worldwide, see our coverage of the September 2026 visa bulletin’s family-based updates and Canada’s revised work permit processing times.

Sources

27 Sep 2026
nor'easter flight disruptions storm at airport

A Rare September Storm Just Grounded Hundreds of East Coast Flights

Categories Transport

A rare late-September storm system brought widespread nor’easter flight disruptions to the US Northeast from September 25 through the weekend. American, JetBlue, United, Delta and Southwest all issued travel waivers across dozens of airports, from Virginia to Maine. By Friday afternoon, roughly 600 flights were delayed at LaGuardia alone. Heavy rain and wind gusts up to 44 mph moved through Boston and New York at the same time.

Nor'easter flight disruptions left aircraft waiting on rain-soaked tarmac

How widespread the nor’easter flight disruptions became

Each major US carrier covered a different slice of the affected region. American Airlines issued waivers across 16 airports stretching from Virginia to Maine. JetBlue covered 11 airports concentrated in the Mid-Atlantic and New England. United applied waivers to 10 Northeast airports, and Delta and Southwest each covered seven airports from New York to Maine. That overlapping coverage meant travelers passing through nearly any major Northeast hub faced some risk of delay or cancellation. The storm’s disruption ran for days.

Why this storm caught attention

Nor’easters typically peak in the colder months. That makes a storm severe enough to ground hundreds of flights in late September notable on its own. Sustained winds reached 40 to 44 mph in the Boston and New York City areas, combined with heavy rain bands. Those conditions force air traffic controllers to slow arrival and departure rates well below normal capacity. That slowdown produces cascading delays, even at airports that never lose full operational capability.

What travelers were told to do

“Anyone with travel plans from or into the East Coast needs to ask themselves what their tolerance for delays and potential cancellations is,” said Katy Nastro of the flight-tracking service Flighty. Her comment captured the practical advice airlines and travel-industry voices repeated throughout the storm. Airlines’ own guidance echoed that caution. Check flight status well before heading to the airport. Rely on airline apps or independent trackers like FlightAware for real-time updates, and use fee-free rebooking waivers to shift travel earlier when possible. Travelers were also told to avoid booking late-afternoon flights, since afternoon departures accumulate the delays that build up earlier in the day.

A second disruption for the same region this month

This is not the only recent stretch of trouble for Northeast air travel. Earlier in September, a separate air-traffic-control equipment transition caused delays into Boston, Newark and Philadelphia. That disruption stemmed from a technology changeover rather than weather. The back-to-back disruptions, one technical and one meteorological, underline how little slack the Northeast’s congested airspace has. It cannot easily absorb an interruption, whether from equipment, weather or staffing.

What happens as the storm clears

Airlines typically need one to two additional days beyond a storm’s departure to fully clear the backlog of delayed aircraft and crews. Planes and pilots end up out of position relative to their normal schedules. Travelers with trips planned into the following week should still monitor their flight status even after the weather has passed. Recovery delays can linger after the rain and wind move out of the region. That recovery typically unfolds unevenly, from Virginia to Maine. Larger hub airports generally restore normal schedules faster than smaller regional airports. Those smaller airports depend on connecting traffic from the hubs to get aircraft and crews back into position.

Frequently asked questions

Which airlines issued waivers for the nor’easter flight disruptions?

American Airlines, JetBlue, United, Delta and Southwest all issued weather waivers covering airports across the Northeast.

How many airports were affected?

American covered 16 airports from Virginia to Maine, JetBlue 11 and United 10. Delta and Southwest each covered seven airports from New York to Maine.

How bad were the delays at the storm’s peak?

Roughly 600 flights were delayed at LaGuardia alone by Friday afternoon. Wind gusts up to 44 mph were reported in the Boston and New York areas.

What should travelers do during a storm like this?

Check flight status before leaving for the airport, use airline apps or trackers like FlightAware, take advantage of fee-free rebooking waivers, and avoid late-afternoon flights when possible.

Is this related to the earlier September flight delays into Boston and Newark?

No. That earlier disruption was caused by an air-traffic-control equipment transition, while this nor’easter’s delays were driven by weather.

Why late-September nor’easters are unusual

Nor’easters get their name from the northeasterly winds that blow onshore ahead of the storm. They draw their strength from a temperature contrast: cold air moving south from Canada meets still-warm ocean water off the US East Coast. That contrast is normally sharpest in the late autumn and winter months. That is why a system powerful enough to ground hundreds of flights, with wind gusts near 44 mph, stood out as notable this early in the season. Meteorologists tracking the storm noted that similar ocean-temperature and jet-stream conditions could make early, intense nor’easters more common in the years ahead. Attributing any single storm to a longer-term pattern, though, requires more data than one event provides.

More on this month’s travel disruptions

For more on this month’s travel disruptions, see our reporting on the earlier air-traffic-control delays into Boston, Newark and Philadelphia and Hurricane Nolo’s disruption of Hawaii flights.

Sources

27 Sep 2026
Korea university visa restrictions campus building

20 Korean Universities Just Lost the Right to Freely Sponsor Visas

Categories Study Abroad, Visa Updates

South Korea’s education and justice ministries imposed new Korea university visa restrictions on 20 universities in September 2026. The limits cap how many international students those schools can sponsor for a D-2 degree or D-4 language-program visa. Sixteen schools face restrictions on their degree programs, and four on language programs. The restrictions follow a government review of how well each university manages its international student population.

Korea university visa restrictions affect international students in classrooms like this

How the Korea university visa restrictions work

South Korea’s Ministry of Education and Ministry of Justice jointly run an evaluation called the International Education Quality Assurance System, or IEQAS. It scores universities on international student management, rates of illegal residency, internationalization infrastructure, and how appropriate their student selection process is. The review also weighs graduate outcomes, dropout rates, language proficiency standards, and overall student satisfaction. Universities that score poorly lose the ability to freely sponsor new international student visas for a one-year restriction period. Schools identified as “excellent certified” institutions, 39 in total, get expedited visa screening instead.

Why the government is tightening oversight

The restrictions target a specific problem South Korean authorities have flagged repeatedly. A rising number of international students arrive on legitimate study visas. Some later fall out of status, working illegally or overstaying after leaving their sponsoring university. The government now links visa sponsorship privileges directly to a university’s track record on managing this risk. That pushes the compliance burden onto the institutions themselves, not just border or consulate screening.

What it means for prospective students

Anyone applying to study in South Korea should check a university’s IEQAS certification status before applying. Admission to one of the 20 restricted schools does not guarantee a visa will be issued or that entry will proceed smoothly. Students already admitted to a restricted university may need to consider transferring to a certified institution to avoid delays. For those targeting a degree program, one of the 16 D-2 restrictions means a more difficult visa approval process. For the four schools facing D-4 restrictions, language-program applicants specifically face the added scrutiny.

How this compares with other countries’ approaches

South Korea’s move mirrors steps other popular study destinations have taken as international student numbers have grown. Australia and Canada have both tightened their own student-visa integrity checks in recent years. Both now tie visa issuance more closely to an institution’s compliance record, rather than treating every accredited university the same. The shared logic is simple: concentrate scrutiny on the institutions with the weakest oversight. That catches more of the actual problem while leaving well-managed universities largely unaffected.

What happens over the restriction period

The current restrictions run for one year. After that, the 20 affected universities can be reassessed under the same IEQAS criteria. Schools that show improved student management, lower illegal-residency rates, and stronger internationalization practices could regain full sponsorship privileges then. Continued weak performance could instead extend or deepen the restrictions. Prospective applicants should watch for updated IEQAS certification lists as the review cycle continues. Education agents who place students in South Korea are also expected to face closer scrutiny under the same broader review, since the government has flagged agent conduct as a contributing factor in some of the compliance problems the IEQAS process was designed to catch.

Frequently asked questions

How many Korean universities are affected by the visa restrictions?

Twenty universities in total. Sixteen face restrictions on D-2 degree program visas, and four face restrictions on D-4 language program visas.

Which government bodies run this review?

South Korea’s Ministry of Education and Ministry of Justice jointly administer the review through the International Education Quality Assurance System, or IEQAS.

What criteria determine a university’s IEQAS score?

Factors include international student management, illegal residency rates, internationalization infrastructure, student selection practices, graduate outcomes, dropout rates, language proficiency and student satisfaction.

What should students already admitted to a restricted university do?

They should check the school’s current IEQAS certification status and consider whether transferring to a certified institution would reduce visa-related delays.

How long do the Korea university visa restrictions last?

The current restriction period runs for one year, after which affected universities can be reassessed under the same criteria.

Are any universities exempt from extra visa scrutiny?

Yes. Thirty-nine universities identified as ‘excellent certified’ institutions receive expedited visa screening rather than restrictions.

The bigger picture for Korea’s international education sector

South Korea has actively courted international students over the past several years. The push is part of a broader strategy to offset its declining birth rate and shrinking university-age population. Government targets call for substantial growth in foreign enrollment by the end of the decade. That expansion push makes oversight mechanisms like IEQAS especially important to the government’s credibility. Rapid enrollment growth without matching quality controls has, in other countries, led to scandals involving diploma-mill institutions and visa fraud. Those scandals eventually damaged the reputation of the entire national system. By tying visa sponsorship to measurable outcomes rather than blanket approval, Korean officials are signaling their intent: grow international enrollment without repeating those mistakes.

More on studying and working abroad

For more on how study-abroad rules are shifting this year, see our coverage of the Knight-Hennessy Scholars application deadline and Australia’s working holiday visa changes.

Sources

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