Human Times

European Edition

13th February 2026

THE HOT STORY

UK leads the world in concern about migration

People in the UK are far more concerned about immigration than people in other countries with similar levels of migrants, according to a Gallup poll. According to Gallup's inaugural World’s Most Important Problem report, just over one in five Britons (21%) named immigration as their No. 1 concern, statistically tied with mentions of the economy (23%). In only six other countries, including the Netherlands (13%), Portugal (12%) and Ireland (11%) do at least one in 10 adults name immigration as the most important national problem. Nevertheless, the poll found that despite high levels of national concern, most Britons said immigration is a good thing - a sentiment that grew over time between 2016 and 2023.

Gallup

GUIDE

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RISK

Trump is a global ‘wrecking ball,’ European security experts say

There has been a surge in the number of people in the west and emerging markets who view the US as a threat, according to polling for the Munich Security Conference. Europe’s main defence-related forum said in a report that US President Trump is helping destroy the postwar international order. The world has entered an era of “wrecking ball politics,” a team of conference staff wrote in their 2026 Munich Security Report. This year’s conference opens today, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio is leading a large US delegation, a year after Vice President JD Vance stunned the conference with a verbal assault on many of America’s closest allies in Europe.

AP News

Financial Times

New York Times

WORKFORCE

Unions call on Luxembourg's PM to save jobs at ArcelorMittal

Labour unions in Luxembourg are urging Prime Minister Luc Frieden to lead fresh discussions regarding the future of 1,150 jobs at ArcelorMittal. The unions, LCGB and OGBL, have withdrawn from negotiations due to what they say is a lack of clarity on job relocations. They are seeking details about Frieden's recent meeting with ArcelorMittal's executive chairman, Lakshmi Mittal, at the World Economic Forum. Robert Fornieri, deputy general secretary of LCGB, said: "The ball is now in the government's court to resolve this ambiguity."

Luxembourg Times

STRATEGY

BASF shifts services hub to India

BASF has said it plans to relocate several service functions to a new global hub in India, citing cost efficiency and a goal to make its Global Business Services more competitive. The move will affect jobs at its Berlin site, though BASF said planning is at an early stage and the shift would occur gradually by the end of 2028. The chemicals union IGBCE criticised the decision, with chair Michael Vassiliadis calling it “a blow to employment policy.” BASF’s services unit has about 8,500 staff, including 2,800 in Berlin, as the company continues broader cost-cutting amid weak demand.

Yahoo! Finance

HIRING

PwC UK applications jump 35% in graduate jobs drought

Amid surging job application numbers, Phillippa O’Connor, chief people officer at PwC UK, says the firm has decided not to automate some junior work so incoming staff can develop judgment.

Financial Times

LEADERSHIP

Sanofi replaces chief Paul Hudson with Merck executive after R&D woes

Sanofi has replaced chief executive Paul Hudson with Belén Garijo, the head of German drugmaker Merck KGaA, after the French drugmaker struggled to develop new treatments under his leadership. "Belen Garijo's brilliant international career attests to her strategic vision and her ability to drive profound and value-creating transformations," board chairman Frederic Oudea said. "She has the experience and profile to accelerate the pace, strengthen the quality of execution of strategy and lead the next growth cycle of the company, which is essential to build the group's future."

France 24

Financial Times

LEGAL

Belgian police raid EU Commission offices

Belgian police have raided the European Commission as part of an investigation into potential irregularities in the sale of EU properties. The European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO) is leading the probe, which involves 23 buildings sold to the Belgian sovereign wealth fund, SFPIM, for €900m in 2024. The European Court of Auditors previously flagged the sale for irregularities, noting that SFPIM was the only bidder and that the evaluation committee lacked independence.

Financial Times

Reuters

French police arrest two Louvre museum employees in fraud probe

French police have arrested nine individuals, including two Louvre museum employees, for their suspected involvement in a ticket fraud scheme targeting mainly Chinese tourists. The operation followed a report from the museum, which observed a rise in ticketing fraud. The fraud scheme reportedly began in summer 2024. This incident comes amid heightened scrutiny of the Louvre, following a high-profile robbery in October where thieves stole jewellery worth €85m.

France 24

INTERNATIONAL

Trump heckler was not disciplined and kept his job, UAW says

The Ford Motor worker who heckled President Donald Trump during his visit last month to a Michigan auto plant was not disciplined and kept his job, the United Auto Workers union has said. Thomas “TJ” Sabula shouted at Trump that he was a "pedophile protector" as the president was touring the Ford River Rouge complex in Dearborn. Trump told Sabula he would be fired, said UAW vice president Laura Dickerson, who observed: "This ain't 'The Apprentice'." She said the union supported Sabula's free speech rights and told attendees he still has his job and "has no discipline on his record."

Automotive News

Fox Business

Reuters

Cambodia crafts online scam law

Cambodia is drafting a law aimed at online scams as pressure mounts to curb scam compounds operating in the country. Information Minister Neth Pheaktra said the law “will develop an important and clearer legal framework” for prevention and crackdowns, though provisions have not been disclosed. Cambodia has expanded enforcement, reporting at least 190 raids and more than 9,000 deportations since the start of the year, and citing the arrest and extradition of alleged kingpin Chen Zhi. Analysts warn syndicates adapt quickly. Officials said: “Cambodia is not a safe haven for online criminals.”

Bloomberg

China charges former AstraZeneca executive Leon Wang

China has officially charged AstraZeneca's former regional head, Leon Wang, with illegal trading, unlawful collection of personal information and medical insurance fraud, alongside another former employee. Wang, who has been in detention since 2024, was the drugmaker’s most senior executive in China for a decade until his arrest.

Caixin Global

Financial Times

Reuters

OTHER

Judge blocks Elkann community service deal

A Turin pre-trial judge has rejected Agnelli family scion John Elkann’s request to settle a tax fraud case through community service, increasing the likelihood the matter will proceed to trial. Elkann, chairman of Stellantis and Ferrari and CEO of Exor, had proposed in September 2025 to perform one year of community service and, with siblings Lapo and Ginevra, pay €183m to close the case tied to his grandmother’s inheritance. The judge's rejection of the proposal did not affect the financial settlement, with the Elkanns having already paid to close the administrative, rather than the penal side of the dispute.

Reuters

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