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This week's international news highlights remarkable advances in global health, energy production, and efforts to address social inequality. A comprehensive new study reveals that more than one-third of all cancer cases worldwide could be prevented if individuals and governments effectively manage specific risk factors. Simultaneously, the solar energy sector is experiencing rapid expansion across Africa and Europe. Concurrently, new international discussions regarding taxation aim to fund climate action initiatives while reducing economic disparities between nations.
A massive global study, which analyzed data from 185 different countries, has determined that over 7.1 million cancer cases occur annually due to risks that can be altered or managed by people. Researchers have identified three primary contributors to this statistic: tobacco smoking, infections that lead to cancer, and excessive alcohol consumption. Other significant risks include maintaining a high body mass index, failing to engage in sufficient physical exercise, and prolonged exposure to air pollution.
Three specific types of cancer—lung, stomach, and cervical—account for nearly half of these preventable cases. The findings offer renewed hope for combating cervical cancer, where a vaccine has proven highly effective in clinical trials. A 2024 study conducted in Scotland revealed a groundbreaking result: no cases of cervical cancer were detected among young women who had received the vaccine. Dr. Isabelle Soerjomataram of the World Health Organization (WHO) emphasized that addressing these preventable causes represents one of the most powerful methods available to reduce the global burden of cancer.
This research arrives during what experts are calling a "golden age" of new cancer treatments. Recent advances in gene therapies and specialized pharmaceuticals are now successfully treating cancers that were previously considered untreatable. Since 1973, the probability of surviving cancer has doubled in England and Wales. A similar positive trend is clearly visible in the United States, where medical interventions continue to improve survival rates significantly.
Africa experienced a remarkable year for solar energy in 2025. According to the Global Solar Council (GSC), solar installations on the continent surged by 54%, marking the fastest growth rate observed in the region to date. More than half of this expansion originated from large utility-scale solar farms, although data regarding equipment imports suggests that households and businesses are also adopting the technology at a rapid pace.
This growth mirrors trends in India, where affordable renewable technology is helping the nation industrialize without relying heavily on fossil fuels. This approach differs significantly from the historical paths taken by China and Western nations in the past. Sonia Dunlop, CEO of the GSC, described solar plus storage systems as the hope for Africa. She noted that this specific technology can bring energy access, sustainable development, and resilience against natural disasters to communities that have long lacked reliable power.
In the United Kingdom, government data indicates that 2025 marked a ten-year high for solar deployment. The country also set a new record for small-scale installations, such as rooftop panels, which increased by 32% compared to 2024. Furthermore, analysis from the energy think tank Ember found that strong winds passing through UK wind farms saved the country £164 million in gas purchases during a single week alone.
The United Nations resumed discussions this week regarding a proposed global wealth tax. The talks include plans to require fossil fuel companies to pay for the damage caused to the climate and to increase taxes levied on the ultra-wealthy. A coalition of African states originally proposed the idea of a global tax treaty in 2022. They viewed it as a vital tool to fight inequality and generate the necessary funds to combat climate change.
The UN Framework Convention on International Tax talks are currently taking place at the UN headquarters in New York. However, the United States has withdrawn from the discussions despite having hosted the initial meetings. The UK-based Tax Justice Network (TJN) described the ongoing negotiations as a "last chance" for Europe to effectively address tax evasion by American multinational corporations. The group estimates that these companies cost Europe €14 billion (£12.1 billion) in lost tax revenue every single year.
The TJN warned that the outcome of these talks will shape economies and livelihoods for generations to come. "The outcome of the talks will impact people everywhere," they stated. The group noted that the sustainability of democracies, human rights, and the planet itself is on the line, along with trillions of dollars in essential tax revenue that could support public services globally.
The Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt reopened this week, offering a critical lifeline for thousands of Palestinians seeking urgent medical treatment. Approximately 20,000 sick and wounded individuals require immediate care in Egypt. While Israeli authorities allowed civilian passage to begin on Monday, the move came with significant limitations. Only 50 patients per day are permitted to cross, and they must travel on foot with only one or two relatives. Very few people managed to cross on the first day of the reopening.
The movement of goods remains banned, and returning Palestinians face strict security checks. The charity Oxfam welcomed the reopening but urged for the constraints to be removed quickly. Bushra Khalidi, Oxfam's policy lead, emphasized that "people, goods and humanitarian assistance must be able to move safely, unhindered and in line with international law." She added that Rafah needs to operate consistently, predictably, and at a scale that reflects the catastrophic needs in Gaza.
Green technology supercharged China's economic growth in 2025. New analysis from Carbon Brief reveals that electric vehicles, solar power, and other clean energy sectors drove more than a third of the country's economic expansion. These sectors were responsible for 90% of the increase in overall business investment. The total business generated by China's clean tech sector reached 15.4 trillion yuan (£1.6 trillion), a sum comparable to the entire annual economic output of Brazil. Carbon Brief reported that the sector has doubled in real value in just three years. If it were a standalone country, the clean tech sector would rank as the world's eighth-largest economy. Electric vehicles and batteries accounted for half of this growth, with more than half of all cars sold in China now being electric.
Construction on a multi-billion dollar wind farm off the coast of New York will resume following a federal court ruling. The court overturned a stop-work order issued by the Trump administration, which had blocked several wind projects in December citing "national security" concerns. Last week, judges allowed three affected wind farms to restart, and the latest ruling applies to Ørsted's Sunrise project near Long Island. This project is 45% complete and scheduled to begin operating in October.
Ørsted stated it would "restart impacted activities immediately," meaning all wind projects halted in December have now been cleared by the courts. In the UK, plans to ban smartphones in schools during school hours moved forward significantly. The House of Lords voted in favor of an amendment to the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill, which would implement a full phone ban in English schools. The legislation now returns to the House of Commons for final consideration.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson had already advised headteachers that schools should be phone-free all day. While this advice previously lacked legal force, the new law could change that. The debate follows studies showing that classroom phone bans are linked to better student grades. Shadow education minister Baroness Diana Barran argued that "we need to reset our own and our children's relationship with smartphones and social media. This is essential given everything we know about the impact of extensive screen time on a child's ability to learn, to concentrate and to get a good night's sleep."
The UK government also announced it will cover travel costs for young cancer patients in England. A third of child cancer patients face journeys of over an hour to reach one of 13 specialist treatment centers. These costs, which can reach hundreds of pounds per month, have pushed some families into debt. A new £10 million per year support package will reimburse travel expenses for patients and their families for young people up to age 24. Health Secretary Wes Streeting stated, "Our plan will leave no family out of pocket while their child goes through cancer. It doesn't matter what you earn – if your child needs treatment, we will help you get them there."
Rap artist Stormzy is supporting a national book campaign called Quick Reads. Run by the UK charity The Reading Agency, the campaign creates short, accessible books that sell for just £1. The goal is to encourage new readers, including those who have stopped reading, neurodivergent readers, and those with short attention spans. The 2026 titles, including thrillers and romance, became available in April and were offered as audiobooks for the first time. Half a million copies were distributed to prisons across the UK. One of the books, Hunger Pains, is published by Stormzy's own company, #Merky Books.
Stormzy said, "I encourage anyone who doesn't usually read to pick up a Quick Read – because reading really is a superpower. Music and books are both about finding your voice. We are all made of stories – they define who we are." Meanwhile, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced an extra £500 million for the Pride in Place program, bringing total funding to £8.5 billion. The program supports disadvantaged neighborhoods by allowing local Neighbourhood Boards to decide how the money is spent rather than central government. Starmer told Positive News, "I have this very strong sense that wherever you go, people have real pride in their own place and ambition. We must reverse the devastating decline in our communities and give power, agency and control to the very people who want to improve their community."