Wednesday, June 10, 2026

French star Wembanyama leads Spurs fightback against Knicks

Listed height	7 ft 4 in (2.24 m)

French basketball star Victor Wembanyama scored 32 points as the San Antonio Spurs beat the New York Knicks 115-111 to relaunch their bid for the 2026 NBA crown.

TRUMP CURSED THE KNICKS

Issued on: 09/06/2026 - RFI

Victor Wembanyama scored 32 points as his San Antonio Spurs team beat the New York Knicks 115-111 to win Game 3 in the NBA Finals series.

Getty Images via AFP - NATHANIEL S. BUTLER

By:Paul Myers

After an error cost his side the second game in the best-of-seven series, 22-year-old Wembanyama atoned with a match-winning performance to help his team reduce the Knicks' overall lead to 2-1.

"We showed better poise at times," said Spurs boss Mitch Johnson after Game 3 at Madison Square Garden in New York which was attended by the US president Donald Trump.

French star Wembanyama leads Spurs into NBA finals showdown with Knicks

"I thought we finished the game still with some things that need improvement, but stronger than we did the last two games. We were in attack mode," Johnson added.

The Knicks, who host Game 4 on Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden, are searching for their first NBA Finals title since 1973 while the Spurs last won the honour in 2014 after sweeping past the Miami Heat 4-1.

'Tried to relax'

Wembanyama, who was voted the most valuable player (MVP) during his team's surge through the Western Conference finals to the title showdown series, told reporters: "I really tried to relax. It's hard to put your head out of the water. I need some time off, let my brain cool down, recover. Recover as much for the body as for the mind."

Stephon Castle added 23 points to Wembanyama's haul.

Castle scored 18 in the first half and five points late in the fourth quarter.

"I feel like we still haven't really done anything," Castle said.

"Obviously we're still down 2-1 and we're looking forward to the next game.

"Obviously it feels good to win, especially on the road after dropping two bad ones at home.

"But I think our confidence has been the same throughout this series regardless of what happens."

Jalen Brunson, who claimed the MVP accolade during the Knicks run to the Eastern Conference title, scored 32 points.

Change of tactics

"I tell the guys, it's a seven-game series for a reason," said Knicks coach Mike Brown said.

"The Spurs are a great team. They are well-coached. They have an iconic player in Wembanyama. It's not going to be easy."

French basketball star Wembanyama scoops NBA prize as best defender of 2026

It was New York's first loss since a 109-108 setback against the Atlanta Hawks in Game 3 of an Eastern Conference first-round series on 23 April.

"Didn't do what got us 13 straight wins in a row – that's how you lose a game," said Knicks pivot Karl-AnthonyTowns.

"We didn't do what we've been doing for 13 [games]. We decided to do something different, and it ain't going to work."

EU says Ebola outbreak makes ceasefire in DRC more necessary than ever

The European Union’s crisis management commissioner has called for a ceasefire between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, saying the need for peace has become even more urgent with the spread of the Ebola outbreak.

Issued on: 08/06/2026 - RFI

Congolese health workers stand at the Bunia Evangelical Medical Center during a visit by European Commissioner for Equality, and Preparedness and Crisis Management Hadja Lahbib, to assess the response to the Ebola outbreak, 7 June 2026. © Gradel Muyisa Mumbere/Reuters

By:RFI
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"A ceasefire was already a political necessity. Now t has become a health emergency," Hadja Lahbib, EU commissioner for crisis management, told journalists on a visit Sunday to DRC’s eastern Ituri province, the epicentre of the current Ebola outbreak.

The World Health Organization has declared the outbreak an international health emergency, and the virus continues to spread across central Africa, with nearly 500 confirmed cases.

Efforts to contain the spread have been complicated by the ongoing conflict between the Congolese government and the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group. Violence has displaced large numbers of people, forcing them to leave their homes, and disrupting access to healthcare.

Lahbib said a recent humanitarian airlift delivered almost 100 tonnes of emergency supplies, including medicines, tents and protective equipment. Five additional flights are scheduled to arrive in the coming weeks to Bunia airport, a key logistics hub.

Speaking during a visit to a new treatment centre near Nyakunde, Lahbib said her presence was intended to demonstrate solidarity with the affected communities, "not only through the supplies we send or the emergency funding we provide, but also by being present. This has an impact. It builds confidence".

EU commissioner for crisis management Hadia Lahbib (R) with WHO representatives at the Bunia airport, 7 June 2026. © Paulina Zidi/RFI

Lahbib said that being there shows that she trusts the scientific evidence that shows that the virus is only transmissible under certain conditions.

"If we follow preventive measures, we can protect ourselves," she said.

The two-storey treatment has a capacity to treat 50 patients. It is currently treating are 27 or 28, according to the centre’s logistics director Mikael Di Marco.

It takes two to three days to confirm a case of Ebola, he said "but we are trying to accellerate things, notably by decentralising our laboratories".

A further 18 beds will be added to the facility, along with a day care for the children of patients undergoing treatment.

Lahbib also announced an additional €5 million in support, on top of the €15 million already disbursed for humanitarian assistance, to help deploy diagnostic centres in affected areas.

Oxfam warns Europe’s corporate giants are fuelling inequality

Europe’s biggest companies are paying more than two-thirds of their profits to shareholders on average, diverting money that could otherwise support investment, climate action and workers’ wages, according to Oxfam.

Issued on: 09/06/2026 - RFI

Protestors hold banners reading "We no longer want social and fiscal inequality” at a demonstration in Bayonne, southern France, 2 October 2025. AFP - GAIZKA IROZ
By:RFI
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Oxfam France on Tuesday warned that a trend towards larger shareholder payouts was fuelling inequality and called for new limits on executive pay and dividend payments.

The charity argues that major firms have the resources to help strengthen Europe’s long-term economic future.

“While public finances run dry, companies have more than enough resources to invest in our future and Europe’s economic competitiveness, but they prefer to reward shareholders,” said Alexandre Poidatz, Oxfam's spokesperson on multinational regulation.

Oxfam said this pattern was visible across Europe’s biggest corporate players. Its report found that the 100 largest companies in Europe by turnover paid out an average of 70 percent of their profits to shareholders between 2022 and 2024.

Some companies, including Spain’s Telefónica, British oil giant BP and the Zurich Insurance Group, paid shareholders more than they made in profits over the period, it said.

Billionaire wealth on the rise, says Oxfam, warning of 'aristocratic oligarchy'

'Inequality is a choice'

Oxfam said the figures showed that Europe’s biggest firms were prioritising short-term shareholder returns over wider social and environmental goals.

According to the report, nearly half of the companies surveyed paid out 32 times more to shareholders than they invested in green transition measures.

The charity said such spending choices mattered at a time when governments across Europe were facing strained public finances, businesses were under pressure to adapt to climate targets and many workers were struggling with the cost of living.

“When regulatory measures are in place, things work out, and when they aren’t, everything goes haywire,” said Cécile Duflot, executive director of Oxfam France.

Oxfam argued that the current model was not "inevitable", but rather the result of choices made by corporate leaders and policymakers.

“Inequality is not inevitable: it is a choice. Europe’s largest companies must stop choosing a model that benefits only a minority and start acting in the interests of the many,” it said.

World's richest one percent made over $40 trillion in a decade, says Oxfam

Calls for fairer rules

Poidatz said a fairer distribution of company profits would create a more “virtuous” long-term model and, in his view, one that would also prove “much more competitive in the medium term”.

He added that rules designed to curb excessive payouts should not be seen as holding companies back.

“Regulation is not a barrier to competitiveness. On the contrary, it is the framework for a desirable future. Ambitious nations cannot wait for Brussels to set things right."

Oxfam is urging European lawmakers and business leaders to cap CEO pay at a maximum of 20 times the median employee salary.

It also wants companies to limit dividend payments until they can guarantee “decent” wages and put in place an “ambitious climate strategy”.

The NGO is also calling for quotas to increase women’s representation in senior management roles.

Oxfam said its recommendations would help ensure that Europe’s largest companies contribute more effectively to a fairer and greener economy, while still supporting competitiveness over the longer term.

French PM announces measures to combat child abuse amid Lyhanna protests

French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu on Tuesday presented initial measures to better protect children, following a meeting with key ministers, in a bid to quell public anger sweeping the country over the death of 11-year-old Lyhanna.

Issued on: 09/06/2026 - RFI

Protesters hold placards depicting Lyhanna, an 11-year-old girl found dead on 4 June in southwestern France, during a demonstration in Auch on 8 June. AFP - VALENTINE CHAPUIS

Lecornu held a 90-minute meeting with several ministers on Tuesday morning to discuss child protection and sexual violence, in the wake of a case that has shocked France.

He proposed increasing penalties for serial rapists, who could face life imprisonment instead of the current 20 years.

Regarding crimes against children, Lecornu proposed that investigations be carried out "within a maximum of three months".

These measures are in response to what is seen as the inaction of the justice system regarding the main suspect in Lyhanna's death, Jérôme B – who had been the subject of several prior complaints and reports.

Further proposals include modifying the statute of limitations, informing victims throughout the legal process, and requiring justification for decisions to dismiss sexual crimes and offences.

Other measures are being finalised and will be incorporated into the draft law on child protection, already presented to the Council of Ministers late last month and due to be examined by parliament in July.
'Overwhelming failings'

"The justice system hasn’t done its job, I don’t understand why we have to wait so long," the mother of 10-year-old Rosa, who accuses Jérôme B of rape, said speaking from Toulouse.

She had filed a complaint in August 2025, which did not result in the suspect being summoned and was not followed by sufficiently rapid investigative actions.

Many months passed between this report and the abduction of Lyhanna in Fleurance, southwestern France, on 29 May this year.

The pressure has been mounting on the government, with demonstrations held in several French cities.

A silent march in tribute to Lyhanna, an 11-year-old girl found dead on 4 June after having been reported missing since 29 May, in Fleurance, southwestern France. AFP - LIONEL BONAVENTURE

On Monday evening, more than 60,000 people protested failings in the case, and lawsuits are expected over the inaction of the public authorities.

Rosa's mother's lawyer on Tuesday announced his intention to sue the state for "gross negligence" and to bring the case against the Minister of Justice, Gérald Darmanin, before the Court of Justice of the Republic.

Although he quickly acknowledged "overwhelming failings," Darmanin has ruled out resigning.

On Monday, he ordered that the 70,000 complaints currently pending in the courts involving children be reviewed by 14 July.

He was questioned by the Senate on Tuesday morning along with his colleague, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez, who defended the way police and gendarmes handled cases of sexual violence against minors.

In a letter to his ministers made public on Monday evening, Lecornu emphasised his "horror" but also "a lack of understanding regarding the circumstances" of Lyhanna's death.
System under strain

The judicial system is "not sufficiently on the side of victims," Aurore Bergé, the Minister Delegate for Gender Equality, told France 2 television.

Meanwhile, the High Council of the Judiciary has deplored the "discrediting of thousands of judges," responding to criticism of the handling of the case and its "exploitation."

Several prosecutors described to French news agency AFP a judicial system under extreme strain, buckling under the accumulation of cases where distinguishing "a super-priority among priorities" becomes difficult.

In 2025 and 2026, prosecutors received dozens of government directives concerning drug trafficking, domestic violence, attacks on elected officials or the environment.

Franck Rastoul, the public prosecutor in Aix-en-Provence, southern France, says there are 3.6 million cases being processed nationwide but no new resources have been created.

"We will have to prioritise these cases even more, even if it obviously means processing others at a reduced pace," he says.

The Lyhanna case has also become an issue in the 2027 presidential campaign, with potential and declared candidates divided on how to respond in matters such as the resources allocated to the justice system, the accountability of judges and possible legislation to better protect victims.

Lecornu has promised that funding for combatting gender-based and sexual violence "will be maintained" in the 2027 budget and said he will meet with MPs who support a comprehensive text on sexist and sexual violence "at the end of the week".

DECRIMINALIZE DRUGS

Europe faces growing threat from synthetic opioids and new drugs, report warns

Highly potent synthetic opioids are spreading through Europe's fast-changing drug market, linked to hundreds of deaths as traffickers shift to smaller ports and new smuggling methods, the European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) has warned.

Issued on: 10/06/2026 - RFI

File photo showing counterfeit pills containing fentanyl. Synthetic opioids are emerging as a growing concern in Europe's illicit drug market, according to the European Union Drugs Agency. AP - Uncredited

The Lisbon-based agency's annual report, published on Tuesday, found that drugs are becoming more available, more diverse and more potent across Europe, while organised crime groups are adapting their trafficking networks to evade detection.

Although Europe continues to record far fewer fatal overdoses than North America, the report pointed to growing risks from synthetic opioids and a steady flow of new substances entering the market.

At least 50 new psychoactive substances were identified for the first time in Europe in 2025, based on data from the EU's 27 member states, Norway and Turkey.

"Drug markets are evolving at speed, with the variety of substances on Europe's streets becoming ever more unpredictable," said EUDA executive director Lorraine Nolan.

"This raises the risk of people taking high-potency drugs, often without knowing it."

Mounting deaths

Particular concern centred on nitazenes, a group of powerful synthetic opioids found in counterfeit benzodiazepines and street drugs including cocaine, heroin and ketamine.

Nitazenes were linked to 195 deaths in England and Wales in 2024, nearly four times the previous year's figure. In Bulgaria, fentanyl was associated with more than 100 deaths between 2024 and 2025, with fatalities spreading beyond the capital, Sofia.

The EUDA estimated that at least 7,600 people died from overdoses in the European Union in 2024, equal to 25 deaths per million people aged 15 to 64. Most cases involved multiple substances.

Opioids, often taken in combination with other drugs, remained the leading cause of drug-induced deaths in Europe.

The report said illicit drugs are now widely available across the continent, with new cannabis products continuing to appear and a growing range of opioids and stimulants being sold.

New routes

Drug trafficking networks are increasingly using smaller, less-scrutinised ports after intensified policing operations at major European gateways, the report said.

The volume of cocaine seized in Europe fell by more than 20 percent from 419 tonnes in 2023. At the same time, the number of seizures rose to 97,000 from 95,000 a year earlier, suggesting traffickers may be switching to smaller and more fragmented shipments.

New trafficking methods, including drones and speedboats, are also complicating enforcement efforts.

Cannabis remained the most widely used drug in Europe, with juste under 25 million adults aged 15 to 64 reporting use in the previous year. It accounted for 68 percent of around one million drug seizures in 2024.

Cocaine was the second most commonly used drug, with 4.3 million adults reporting use.

Drug-related intimidation and violence remain a concern, the report said, including the exploitation and recruitment of vulnerable young people by criminal groups.

(with newswires)

Former Air Canada captain accused of flying for years without the correct license

By Nathan Rennolds

Published on 10/06/2026 - EURONEWS

"Safety was not compromised by this incident because all pilots at Air Canada undergo mandatory recurrent training every six months to validate their flying competency," Air Canada said.

Police in Canada say a former Air Canada captain accused of flying hundreds of flights without an appropriate license has been arrested and charged.

Geoffrey Wall, 59, is facing several fraud-related charges after investigators alleged he used forged pilot licences over the course of his career.

Wall, who was arrested on 1 June, is said to have started his career in aviation in 1998 and worked as a captain since 2009, taking charge of more than 900 flights and earning millions of dollars.

But police said records showed that while he held a valid commercial pilot licence, he did not possess the required airline transport pilot licence - the highest level of pilot certification, needed to captain large aircraft.

"This is very similar to a doctor that is licenced to practice family medicine but is doing brain surgery in their office," deputy chief of Peel Regional Police Nick Milinovich said in a press conference.

In a statement, Air Canada said Wall was removed from active duty as soon as the discovery was made and that it had "voluntarily" reported the case to Transport Canada.

"Safety was not compromised by this incident because all pilots at Air Canada undergo mandatory recurrent training every six months to validate their flying competency," the carrier said.

Wall, who is no longer employed by the airline, "successfully met or exceeded the required recurrent training" and showed a "high level of competency to safely operate large aircraft" throughout his time with the company, Air Canada added in its statement.

The airline said it had also since carried out an audit of its pilots and found "no other instances of non-compliance".

The police investigation, dubbed Project Icarus, was launched after a regulatory review of Wall's licensing credentials and conduct by Transport Canada.

Wall has been charged with fraud over $5,000, two counts of uttering forged documents, three counts of possession of counterfeit mark and public mischief.

Nishan Duraiappah, the chief of Peel Regional Police, called the case "deeply concerning," saying it struck "at the heart of public trust and safety".

"I want to recognize our investigators for their hard work throughout this complex investigation, as well as Transport Canada and Air Canada for their cooperation," he added.

These are all the carriers banned from flying in Europe after EU Air Safety List update

By Fakhriya M. Suleiman

Published on 10/06/2026 - EURONEWS

With the EU’s latest Air Safety List including Air Express Algeria among carriers banned from operating within European airspace, here’s what travellers need to know about how airlines end up on it.

European regulators maintain strict oversight to ensure carriers operating within EU airspace meet international safety standards, including those of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

Those who fail to do so will find themselves banned from operating in European skies. As of 9 June, that list now contains 154 airlines. The latest update from the EU Air Safety List (ASL), the 48th of its kind, saw Air Express Algeria added.

The decision was based on “serious safety concerns,” which found “shortcomings in the airlines’ compliance with international safety standards,” the European Commission said in a press release.

Air Express is now part of 126 airlines across 16 different countries on the ASL due to inadequate safety oversight by the respective national aviation authorities.

In Afghanistan, Armenia, Congo, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Liberia, Libya, Nepal, São Tomé and Príncipe, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Suriname and Tanzania, all carriers certified by local authorities are banned from operating in Europe.

All air carriers in Angola are also banned from the continent’s skies, with the exception of the TAAG Angola Airlines and Heli Malongo.

Further, 22 Russia-certified carriers, as well as Zimbabwe’s Air Zimbabwe, Venezuela's Avior Airlines, Iran's Iran Aseman Airlines, Iraq's Fly Baghdad and Iraq Airways are also banned after serious "safety deficiencies" were found.

While in the case of Iran's Iran Air and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, operational restrictions mean they will only be permitted to fly in Europe if using specific aircraft.

In contrast, all Kyrgyzstan-certified carriers have now been removed from the banned list. According to the Commission, this is in recognition of Kyrgyz “progress in strengthening its aviation safety oversight over the past 20 years”.

What is the EU Air Safety List?

The ASL is a compiled list of carriers that are either subject to operational bans or restrictions within the EU, as well as from or over EU territory. However, if a country has a short-to-medium term arrangement with an airline that is not on ASL to lease their aircraft, they may be allowed to enter EU skies, so long as safety standards are met.

The Commission enlists the expertise of the bloc's Air Safety Committee, which is made up of aviation safety experts from all Member States and supported by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency, to update the list. The list is now in its 20th year.

A carrier will be banned or face restrictions if it does not meet international safety standards. Further, all airlines in a country risk being put on ASL if the local aviation safety authority is proven not to adhere to international safety oversight obligations.

According to the Commission, it can also serve as a deterrent: “It is a strong preventive tool, because when under scrutiny, countries tend to improve their safety oversight to avoid seeing their air carriers on the list”.

There is no fixed date for when the ASL is updated – it can be updated when the Commission deems necessary, or following a request from an EU member state. However, the Air Safety Committee meets around two or three times a year to review updates.

Cyprus, Malta and Luxembourg rank among the countries in Europe with the highest awareness of ASL, which has proven influential on travellers' decision-making.

An Eurobarometer survey by the Commission found that 81% of respondents would take action if an airline appeared on the so-called blacklist, with 36% saying they would avoid booking with the carrier altogether.

GREEN CAPITALI$M

'Europe should evolve its carbon market, not dilute it,' investors say

By Marta Pacheco

Published on 10/06/2026 - EURONEWS

A group of investors managing €11.4 trillion in funds are advocating for complementary industrial policies such as grids, electrification and clean tech financing, reflecting a broader shift in European climate policy from setting targets toward managing industrial transformation.

A coalition of 45 major European investors managing €11.4 trillion in assets has warned European Union leaders that if Europe wants private capital to finance industrial decarbonisation, the bloc's carbon market, the Emissions Trading System (ETS), must remain strong, predictable and central to economic strategy.

The investors made their plea in a letter ahead of EU Council talks on 18 and 19 of June, where leaders will discuss the future of the ETS. A legislative review of the carbon market system is scheduled for 15 July.

The European Commission recently laid out a four-year plan to cut the EU's dependence on fossil fuels by revamping electricity grids, increasing storage capacity and boosting clean power deployment. The effort is budgeted to cost roughly €660 billion annually, rising to €695 billion between 2031 and 2040.

With Italy, Germany and other EU countries, backed by intense lobbying from heavy industry, have been calling for the ETS to be dismantled, the investors argue that it has become the cornerstone of Europe's clean industrial strategy.

Among the signatories of the letter sent to EU leaders are Allianz SE, L&G Asset Management, the Church of England Pension Board, Erste Asset Management, Sampension and Nordea Asset Management. The statement is also endorsed by the Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance.

"Since 2005, emissions from electricity generation and industry covered by the ETS have fallen by about 50%, and the system is on track for a 62% cut by 2030. Most of the reductions so far have come from the power sector, where coal use has declined while wind and solar generation continue to grow," reads the letter.

The investors argue that while heavy industries face greater decarbonisation burdens due to long asset lifetimes, high capital requirements and technological constraints, the solution is targeted support measures alongside the ETS, rather than weakening the carbon market itself.

Enabling conditions

The letter also rejects suggestions that Europe's industrial competitiveness problems can be solved by softening carbon pricing. Instead, the investors argue that the continent's real challenges stem from structural issues such as high electricity prices, grid constraints, and limited access to affordable clean energy.

Weakening the ETS, the signatories say, would undermine investor confidence while doing little to solve these deeper problems. They argue that the ETS is not a regulatory burden but an economic signal that guides trillions of euros in investment decisions.

Walter Hatak, head of responsible investments at the Austrian Erste Asset Management, warned that institutional investors depend on predictable and durable business strategies to allocate capital with confidence.

"Supporting a robust EU ETS is therefore aligned with our fiduciary interests, helping protect diversified portfolios from systemic climate, energy-security and transition-policy risks while improving visibility for real-economy investment,” Hatak said.

Who works the hardest in Europe? The countries with the longest and shortest working weeks

By Servet Yanatma

Published on 10/06/2026 - EURONEWS

People in some European countries work nearly eight hours more a week than those in others, according to Eurostat. Experts point to collective bargaining, part-time work and economic structure as key drivers of the gap.

New Eurostat figures reveal stark differences in working hours across Europe.

People in the EU work an average of 35.9 hours per week, according to the latest data on actual working hours from the bloc's statistical office. The figure covers full-time and part-time workers aged 20 to 64 in their main job.

The data also highlights significant differences between countries, raising questions about why some Europeans work much longer hours than others.

Balkan countries record the longest working hours

Within the EU, actual weekly working hours range from 31.9 hours in the Netherlands to 39.6 hours in Greece. When EU candidate countries and EFTA members are included, the figure rises to 42.4 hours in Turkey. Two other candidate countries closely follow: Bosnia and Herzegovina (40.9 hours) and Serbia (40.6 hours).

These are the only countries where average working hours exceed 40 hours per week, equivalent to more than eight hours a day across a five-day working week.

Greece (39.6 hours), North Macedonia (39.5 hours) and Bulgaria (38.7 hours) come next. Balkan countries dominate the rankings for the longest working weeks, with Greece and Turkey often considered part of the broader Balkan region.

“In no country do workers 'choose' the hours they work: rather, they work a 'normal' set of hours (the latter being influenced by employers). Lower productivity may explain the longer hours in the above countries plus the lack of worker power,” Professor David Spencer of the University of Leeds told Euronews Business.

Jorge Cabrita, senior research manager at Eurofound, said differences in working-time setting regimes may also help explain why some countries record longer working hours than others.

The Netherlands has the shortest working hours

The Netherlands stands out as the country with the shortest average working week in Europe, with people working just 31.9 hours per week.

Cabrita noted that part-time workers account for nearly 43% of total employment in the Netherlands, a significantly higher share than in any other EU member state. The country also has one of the shortest average collectively agreed working weeks in the bloc.

“The Netherlands has shifted to more part-time working that has helped to reduce the average working week; however, the working week for full-time workers is still closer to 40 hours,” Spencer told Euronews Business.

Germany, Norway and Denmark follow at 33.9 hours, meaning workers in the Netherlands work around two hours less per week than those in the next closest countries.

Average working hours are also below 35 hours per week in Austria (34.0), Belgium (34.3) and Finland (34.7). In these seven countries, the average working day amounts to less than seven hours across a five-day working week.

Germany works fewer hours than France, Italy and Spain

Germany records the shortest working week among the EU's four largest economies, at 33.9 hours. Workers in Germany put in 1.7 fewer hours per week than those in France (35.6 hours).

Spain (36.3 hours) records the longest working week among the four largest EU economies, while Italy (36.1 hours) also sits above the EU average of 35.9 hours. The gap between Germany and both countries exceeds two hours per week.

“Shorter working hours in Germany, for example, partly reflect the strength of unions and the positive effect of collective bargaining,” Spencer said.

Elsewhere, average weekly working hours stand at 38.7 in Poland, 38.2 in Romania, 37.5 in Czechia, 37.4 in Hungary, 35.9 in Switzerland, 35.4 in Sweden and 35.1 in Ireland.

Why do working hours vary so widely?

In general, Northern and Western European countries tend to have shorter working weeks than their Eastern and Central European counterparts.

Cabrita pointed to working-time setting regimes, employment structures and broader economic structures as key drivers of cross-country differences.

The role of trade unions and collective bargaining

Cabrita said countries where trade unions and collective bargaining play a larger role in setting working-time limits tend to have shorter actual working hours.

He added that stronger collective bargaining is also associated with less overtime and greater compliance with labour regulations.

The impact of part-time and self-employment

Employment structure — including how workers are distributed across occupations, sectors, employment statuses and contract types — also plays an important role.

Cabrita noted that the larger the share of part-time employment, the shorter the average working hours tend to be.

Self-employed workers, who generally have greater autonomy over their schedules, tend to work longer hours than employees, especially if they employ others.

Economic structure also matters. The relative weight of different sectors within an economy can influence average working hours, as some industries typically require longer working schedules than others.

Working hours vary significantly by sector

Skilled agricultural, forestry and fishery workers record the longest working week in the EU, at 42 hours, followed by managers (40.6 hours) and armed forces occupations (39.4 hours).

At the other end of the scale, workers in elementary occupations record the shortest average working week, at 31.8 hours, followed by clerical support workers (34.0 hours) and service and sales workers (34.5 hours).

1933

Philippines continues rescue effort after powerful Mindanao quake

By Alexis Caraco with AP

Published on 10/06/2026 - EURONEWS

The Philippines continued rescue operations on 10 June after a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck Mindanao, killing at least 37 people, injuring nearly 500 and forcing more than 32,000 residents from their homes.

More than 1,200 emergency personnel, supported by international teams from Japan and Australia, were deployed across the disaster zone as search crews continued inspecting damaged buildings for possible survivors. Although only four people remained officially listed as missing, authorities said heavily damaged structures still required thorough examination.

General Santos, a city of more than 700,000 people, was among the worst affected areas. Collapsing buildings and falling debris caused at least 13 deaths, while thousands of homes, schools, hospitals and public facilities suffered damage. Initial assessments indicated that more than 3,100 houses had been destroyed and 145 public buildings affected, including 12 hospitals and 89 schools.

The earthquake, which struck on 8 June, severely disrupted transport and essential services across southern Philippines. Road access remained restricted in several municipalities, major highways were partially blocked by debris, and power cuts affected around 280,000 households across six provinces. Authorities also established temporary ferry routes to deliver aid to isolated communities.

General Santos International Airport partially reopened on 10 June for emergency flights, although 78 domestic services had been cancelled since the disaster. Safety inspections were also under way at around 6,000 schools before classes could resume.

The government has opened 47 evacuation centres housing approximately 18,000 displaced residents and released 500 million pesos in emergency funding. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. declared a state of national calamity in the affected provinces to accelerate relief efforts.

International assistance continued to arrive, with Japan sending rescue specialists and humanitarian supplies, Australia providing financial aid and the World Health Organization deploying medical teams. Alongside food, hygiene and shelter support, authorities have launched psychological assistance programmes for families and children affected by the disaster as communities begin what is expected to be a long recovery process.

FASCIST REACTIONARIES

Belfast unrest erupts after stabbing linked to Sudanese refugee

Belfast anti-immigration protesters set vehicles and buildings on fire on Tuesday night, a day after a knife attack allegedly carried out by a Sudanese refugee seriously injured a man and was captured in a graphic video that spread widely online.

Issued on: 10/06/2026 - RFI

Vehicles set on fire by protesters burn on Lendrick Street in east Belfast, Northern Ireland, on Tuesday, June 9, 2026, after the arrest of a Sudanese man accused of stabbing a man in the northern part of the city. © PA via AP

Hundreds of protesters, many wearing masks, gathered in several parts of the Northern Ireland capital. A bus and several cars were set alight, roads were blocked and a building near the city centre caught fire, forcing residents to evacuate.

Police helicopters flew overhead as officers responded to unrest across the city. Crowds also gathered in Antrim, about 25 kilometres west of Belfast.

"By 7:30pm they started a fire in the bins... we heard police cars and sirens," said Eemran, an engineer of Indian origin who has lived in Belfast for just over a year.

"More and more people started coming, they started throwing petrol bombs. Suddenly the fire started going... we had smoke inside the building... fire people came in and they said 'go down'."

The unrest was described as frightening by a 36-year-old Chilean woman who moved to Belfast a month ago.

"Of course I'm not used to it," said Camila. "I understand the people's rage but also there are ways of discussing these things more peacefully."

Political reaction

The violence was condemned by Northern Ireland First Minister Michelle O'Neill, who appealed for calm.

"Groups of masked men burning families out of their homes is nothing less than disgusting cowardice," she wrote on X.

The stabbing was condemned by Northern Ireland's five main political parties.

"There is no place in our society for this kind of brutality," the parties said in a joint statement.

The attack was "horrific" and "sickening", Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on X.

Suspect charged

A 30-year-old man was charged late on Tuesday with attempted murder, possession of a bladed weapon in a public place and making threats to kill. He is due to appear in court on Wednesday.

He is a Sudanese refugee with a residence permit valid until 2028, the UK interior ministry confirmed.

The man arrived in the UK in 2023 via Paris and Dublin, Northern Ireland police chief Jon Boutcher said.

The victim, a man in his 40s, suffered significant injuries to his eyes and serious slash wounds to his back and face, police said.

"We're just living in fear now," a 31-year-old mother who lives nearby told the French news agency AFP.

Spreading tensions

Tensions were already high after violent skirmishes last week in Southampton, southern England, over the police handling of the murder of a young white student stabbed to death by a British Sikh man.

Dozens of demonstrators also gathered there on Tuesday outside a hotel housing asylum seekers, carrying banners reading "no racism, just patriotism" and "enough is enough".

"Only by protesting REPEATEDLY and LOUDLY will there be any change!!" US tech billionaire Elon Musk wrote while reposting a message from anti-immigration activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, also known as Tommy Robinson.

Immigration has become a major political issue in Britain and has helped fuel the rise of the hard-right Reform UK party in the polls.

(with newswires)

Police officers injured in Belfast and Glasgow anti-immigration protest

By Nathan Rennolds

Published on 10/06/2026 - EURONEWS

Violence broke out after police charged a 30-year-old Sudanese man with attempted murder in relation to a knife attack in Belfast.

Two officers were injured as police battled violent anti-immigration protests in Belfast on Tuesday following a stabbing in the city.

Vehicles and buildings were set alight as hundreds of people took to the streets in response to the attack, graphic footage of which has been circulating online.

The video shows a man straddling another man in the middle of a street as he slashes at his head and neck with a knife before a group intervenes.

Northern Ireland police charged a 30-year-old Sudanese man with attempted murder in relation to the incident, which occurred in the Kinnaird Avenue area of north Belfast on Monday evening.

The suspect was reportedly named in court on Wednesday as Hadi Alodid. He has been remanded in custody.

The victim, Stephen Ogilvy, was taken to hospital with "serious injuries to his eyes and slash-wound injuries to his back and face," police said.

Protests also broke out across Scotland on Tuesday night, with demonstrators marching through Glasgow, Edinburgh and Ayr.

Police said two officers and three members of the public were left with injuries following a demonstration in Glasgow. Three men, aged 31, 18 and 18 were also arrested and charged in the city.

Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Hilary Benn, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, said his thoughts were with Ogilvy but also hit out at the disorder in Belfast.

"Nothing, nothing can justify the violence that we saw on the streets of Northern Ireland last night, with masked thugs trying to burn and intimidate people out of their homes," he said.

Jon Boutcher, the chief constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland, described the violence as an "act of self-harm by the people involved" and urged locals to allow the criminal justice process to take shape.

"This has got to stop," he said of the disorder.

For his part, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the knife attack as "sickening" but said it was "clear" that people had been targeted in the protests due to their background.

"I will not tolerate it. Those responsible will feel the full force of the law," he wrote on X.

Scottish First Minister John Swinney called the scenes on Tuesday night in Scotland "unacceptable," saying "racism, hatred and intimidation have no place" in the country.

"Scotland is a welcoming nation and those who choose to make their lives here are valued members of our communities," he added.