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"The number of people killed by months of flooding in northern Thailand has risen to more than 500, officials say." Governments are putting a $4 billion plan into action.

In developing nations, where improvements in health care and sanitation are seeing death rates fall, birth rates still remain relatively high. This is leading to rapidly rising populations. In fact, 97 out of every 100 new people on the planet are currently born in developing countries.

How is the changing global population affecting people's daily lives? With the UN set to announce that there are now seven billion people on the planet, BBC News reporters spoke to seven people from around the world to hear their stories. Production: Anna-Marie Lever, Fiona Crack, John Galliver, Emily Jones.

The number of overweight and obese adults in the developing world has almost quadrupled to around one billion since 1980, says a report from a UK think tank

"A major United Nations report has set out the challenges facing humanity a few days before the world's population is expected to reach seven billion. The report calls for a change of focus, no longer asking "are we too many", and instead concentrate on making the world better."