The current world population of close to 7 billion is projected to reach 10.1 billion in the next ninety years, reaching 9.3 billion by the middle of this century, according to the medium variant of the 2010 Revision of World Population Prospects, says this UN press release.

This study explores the link between tobacco use and poverty, as well as the broader relationship between income, tobacco use, and tobacco-related health consequences, using a meta-analysis of existing research literature. The study presents a solid base to support its conclusions of an inverse relationship between income level and tobacco use prevalence, and its related consequences.

A new World Bank report warns that South Asian countries are facing a health crisis with rising rates of heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and other noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), which disproportionately affect poor families, with possible side effects of disability and premature death, and worsening poverty as people pay for medical treatment out of their own pockets.

This paper introduces a methodology that measures the effort made by countries in achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The methodology compares the rate of progress on MDG indicators in the period before and after the adoption of the MDGs. Correct for two biases ignored in previous methodologies: non-linearity in the rate of change, and effort appreciation.