MANILA — The Philippines’ gross international reserves (GIR) settled at 102.5 billion U.S. dollars at the end of December from 102.7 billion dollars at the end of November, the Philippine central bank said on Friday.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said the latest GIR level represents a more than adequate external liquidity buffer equivalent to 7.7 months’ worth of imports of goods and payments of services and primary income. (Philippines-GIR)

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STOCKHOLM — Temperatures have plummeted even further in Sweden, the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI) said on Friday.

Minus 43.8 degrees Celsius was recorded at the northernmost weather station in Naimakka on Thursday afternoon, SMHI said. (Sweden-extreme weather)

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JAKARTA — Minangkabau International Airport in the Indonesian province of West Sumatra was temporarily closed on Friday, as Marapi volcano activity increased.

“This policy may cause inconvenience, but everyone’s safety is the main priority, and hopefully conditions will improve soon,” said Kristi Endah Murni, director general of Air Transportation of the Ministry of Transportation. (Indonesia-Volcano-Airport)

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TEHRAN — Iran’s Deputy Interior Minister for Security Affairs Majid Mir-Ahmadi said on Friday both bomb attacks that rocked the area near the tomb of Qassem Soleimani in Kerman, southeastern Iran, were “suicide attacks.”

Mir-Ahmadi told the official IRNA news agency that parts of the bombers’ bodies had been found at the site of Wednesday’s attack, which has killed at least 89 people and wounded more than 280. (Iran-Bomb attacks)