Welcome to our round up of some of the best of the week’s analysis from across The Conversation’s international network. Brexit ructions rocked Westminster this week, centring on the delicate issue of the Irish border. An EU lawyer explained the difference in the two “backstop” options put forward by the UK and EU. Meanwhile, the question of future security co-operation returned to the agenda.

Young people in the UK drink more energy drinks than in most other European countries, despite warnings that they are not recommended for children. Recent research has suggested that consuming highly caffeinated concoctions can be associated with risk-taking behaviour in young people. Meanwhile, they are often marketed through gaming sites and are linked to sports. Time for a review?

British people have a reputation for speaking only English – something that is unlikely to be remedied post-Brexit. But with evidence that other languages, such as Arabic and Mandarin Chinese, are growing in prominence, especially online, the challenge is for Britain to beat its linguaphobia and encourage more people to learn languages.

The World Cup gets underway next week – and we’ve already kicked off our football coverage on The Conversation. Keep up to date each day with the latest news and features about the world’s biggest sporting tournament. Here’s our latest: a look at what FIFA wants to achieve from Russia 2018.

And New Zealand’s glaciers are changing fast. Check out these incredible, and disturbing, images of the effects of climate change.

Have a great weekend.

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