UN: World population to pass 7 billion on Oct. 31

The world's population is projected to pass 7 billion on October 31 as it heads toward 10 billion or more by the end of the century, a new UN report said on Tuesday.

The report also predicted that the global population would be higher by mid-century than its last edition forecast two years ago, reaching 9.31 billion instead of 9.15 billion. It attributed this to fewer deaths as well as more births than it had anticipated. (Reuters)