A good week for … (October 21, 2012)

Mo Yan

The author became the first Chinese national to with the Nobel Prize for Literature and immediately found himself feted and condemned in almost equal measure. The novelist, real name Guan Moye , was praised by the judges in Stockholm for his "unique way of writing", but many Chinese dissidents accused him of being too close to the Communist Party. Mo Yan can, at least, find solace in the 8 million Swedish krona (HK$9.25 million) prize.

Nguyen Tan Dung

Vietnam's prime minister clung on to power despite weeks of speculation that he was about to lose his job amid internal Communist Party bickering. Analysts had believed Dung was heading for the exit as he grappled with accusations of greed, cronyism and economic mismanagement. But while a top-level party meeting criticised Dung and senior colleagues and promised reform, he will keep his post.

"Fearless Felix" Baumgartner

There aren't many people who can say that they've had a good week simply because they didn't break their neck - but it's only the Austrian daredevil who can claim to have completed a death-defying free-fall parachute jump from the edge of space. Baumgartner has emerged as a household name since his amazing plunge from 39 kilometres above the earth, with the world waiting to see what he dreams up for his next spectacular stunt.