THE PHILIPPINES The Mayon Volcano spews plumes of ash into the air in Legazpi, southeast of Manila, on December 15. The Philippines ordered the evacuation of tens of thousands of local residents after the volcano showed increased activity (XINHUA/AFP)

IRAN A video image shows Iran test-firing an improved version of its Sejil 2 medium-range missile on December 16 (XINHUA/AFP)

THE UNITED STATES Boeing's new 787 Dreamliner jet takes off on its maiden flight at the Paine Field in the western state of Washington on December 15 (XINHUA/AFP)

AUSTRALIA Giant panda Wang Wang eats bamboo at the Bamboo Forest at the Adelaide Zoo on December 13, the day Chinese pandas Wang Wang and Fu Ni made their debut (CAO YANG)

AFGHANISTAN British Prime Minister Gordon Brown leaves the Kandahar Airbase on December 13. Brown visited Afghanistan two weeks after ordering 500 extra British troops into the country (XINHUA/AFP)

THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES A man follows the stock market activity at the Dubai Financial Market in the Gulf emirate on December 14. Dubai's stock market rose after the government said it would pay $4.1 billion to cover maturing Islamic bonds issued by its Nakheel property developer (XINHUA/AFP)