MANILA -- The World Bank approved a 178.1-million-U.S. dollar loan on Thursday to support the Philippines' efforts in addressing malnutrition.

Unless immediate action is taken, millions of children "will face the increased risk of undernutrition," the bank warned. (Philippines-World Bank-Malnutrition)

- - - -

NEW DELHI -- At least 10 people, including four women and six men, died and seven were injured when a vehicle crashed in India's northern state of Uttar Pradesh on Thursday.

Police said the mishap occurred in the wee hours in the state's Pilibhit district and a girl was among the dead. (India-Road Accident)

- - - -

SINGAPORE -- The Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) and Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) said on Thursday that the MAS core inflation on a year-on-year basis rose to 3.6 percent in May from 3.3 percent in the previous month.

Meanwhile, the CPI-All Items inflation reached 5.6 percent year-on-year in May from 5.4 percent in April. (Singapore-Inflation)

- - - -

MANILA -- The Philippine central bank on Thursday decided to hike the interest rate on the overnight reverse repurchase facility by 25 basis points to 2.5 percent effective Friday to curb inflation.

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Benjamin Diokno said the Monetary Board also decided to raise the interest rates on the overnight deposit and lending facilities to 2.0 percent and 3.0 percent, respectively. (Philippines-Interest Rate-Hike)