The former president showed his clout in the Communist Party, with as many as six of the seven members of the new Politburo Standing Committee said to be his followers, with only one clearly in the camp of his successor, Hu Jintao. It's not a bad achievement for a man whose health has long been the subject of speculation since his retirement.
Short of becoming a Jedi knight, it's every Star Wars geek's dream job - writing the new sequels to the beloved sci-fi franchise. Arndt, whose past credits include Toy Story 3 and Little Miss Sunshine, will pen the seventh instalment in the epic space opera after creator George Lucas agreed to sell the franchise to Disney. All eyes will now be on the possible return of iconic characters such as Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia and Han Solo.