In the UK the kids got some maths on a Thursday, Spellings on Monday for a test on Thursday, and ds had a six week project every term. The project was an utter nightmare, as it always included a craft type exercise, lots of research and writing, and at least one drawing. ds is dyslexic, so the writing part was always tricky, and he hates craft activities. So it would always hang over the weekend, and getting him to do it involved a lot of fighting and stress.
In New York the children had a book log that had to be completed every day (30 mins for dd; 45 for ds, with a bit of comprehension type stuff to go with it). They also had at least two other pieces of homework every day, with more on Friday. It often worked out that (including the reading) they would each spend two hours on homework, and since it had to be supervised and help provided when they got stuck, or upset, and including breaks that pretty much wiped out three or more hours every day. They then asked us if the children wanted to go to a session for eight Saturday mornings to prepare for the State tests. It was a very good school, but if I hadn't been at home the homework would have been impossible.
Now we are in Canada there is reading (but no log) and homework only if they didn't finish work at school. They do have spelling tests here, but the NYC teachers thought spelling tests an odd idea, although they do do spelling bees over here.