EU

Teenage cannabis use rises in Europe - EU Espad survey

The Espad report for 2015 includes most EU countries, but not Germany or the UK, and data for Spain is incomplete.

In 2015 "current smokers" accounted for 21% of those surveyed, and the highest total was in Italy (37%).

In 1995-2015 those using alcohol in the past 30 days fell from 56% to 47%. Top in cannabis use were the Czechs (37%).

That figure for Czech teenagers reporting a lifetime experience of cannabis was higher than the level in the US - 31% in comparable surveys.

Exclude Hungary from EU, says Luxembourg's Asselborn

He cited the Budapest government's treatment of refugees, independence of the judiciary and freedom of the press.

"Hungary is not far away from issuing orders to open fire on refugees," he suggested.

EU leaders meet in Slovakia on Friday to discuss the union's future.

Mr Asselborn's interview with German daily Die Welt is likely to inflame passions ahead of the summit.

EU rewrites plans to scrap mobile roaming charges

Last year, the European Parliament agreed that extra costs faced by EU travellers using a mobile phone would be scrapped in June 2017.

Detailed plans announced this week suggested that charges would only be banned for 90 days a year.

That draft has now been ripped up and new plans will be published soon.

Bill shocks

An interim limit on roaming charges has been in place since April, with a full ban anticipated by June 2017. From that point, users within the EU will be charged the same as they would be in their home country.

Brexit may send EU 'down the drain' - German vice chancellor

Sigmar Gabriel said the EU would go "down the drain" if other states followed Britain's lead and that the UK could not keep the "nice things" about Europe while taking no responsibility.

It comes as Theresa May summoned ministers for a meeting on Wednesday to discuss ideas for the UK's withdrawal.

Downing Street said Brexit was "top" of the prime minister's agenda.

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Migrant crisis: Germany warns Turkey against 'blackmailing EU'

Visa-free access to the EU is seen as a reward for Turkey's role in halting an influx of migrants into Europe.

But the move has been delayed because of a row over anti-terror legislation following Turkey's failed coup.

"It's up to Turkey whether there can be visa-travel or not," Mr Gabriel said.

He said Turkey was drastically distancing itself from Europe by "moving towards reintroducing the death penalty" which was a "flagrant contravention of the EU's charter of fundamental rights".

Will Dutch follow Brexit with Nexit or stick to EU?

Geert Wilders, leader of the Eurosceptic Freedom Party, was among the first to congratulate his colleagues across the North Sea for securing their "Independence Day".

There are shared concerns about European immigration and Brussels bureaucracy among the Dutch electorate.

And yet, "Nexit" is by no means inevitable.

"Our interests in the internal market are even larger than the UK's interests," Dutch Finance Minister Jeroen Dijsselbloem told the BBC outside a sun-drenched Dutch parliament.

Brexit: EU says no compromise on freedom of movement

European Council President Donald Tusk said the UK could not pick and choose.

The French and German leaders also made clear that the freedom of movement of EU citizens was non-negotiable.

Immigration to the UK, particularly from poorer EU countries, was a key issue in the referendum campaign.

Some campaigners for Leave sent a clear message that the vote was about controlling immigration levels.

Outgoing UK Prime Minister David Cameron said that the issue of freedom of movement would be for the next PM and government to decide.

Privacy Shield: White House makes EU spying promise

The agreement is designed to replace the Safe Harbour pact, which the EU Court of Justice ruled invalid in 2015.

One key change is a commitment from the White House regarding bulk collection of data sent from the EU to the US.

The UK's Information Commissioner said a post-Brexit UK may have to adopt EU data protection rules to trade with it.

If approved by the EU member states, the pact could take effect in July.

The EU-US Privacy shield is designed to make it easy for organisations to transfer data across the Atlantic.

PNG Loop's Breakfast Bites

Frieda River project to start in 2020

http://www.looppng.com/content/frieda-river-project-start-2020

Mineral Resource Authority has announced the commencement of the formal process for the Frieda River Project to become an operational mine of world standard.

Clan undergo NID requirements for ILG

http://www.looppng.com/content/clan-undergo-nid-requirements-ilg

PNG Loop’s 5@5

UPNG building set alight due to ‘spillover’

http://www.looppng.com/content/upng-building-set-alight-due-%E2%80%98spillover%E2%80%99

The burning of the University of Papua New Guinea’s Uni Venture building this morning was a spillover from yesterday’s confrontation.

Court dismisses Nepo’s application