A Bad Week for ... , November 25, 2012

Ma Ying-jeou

The Taiwanese president is coming under pressure in his second term as leader after being dismissed as an "ineffectual bumbler" by the British-based news magazine The Economist, which reported concern about the island's economic woes. Ma has denied reports that he ordered Taiwan's ambassador to Britain to rebut the piece.

Regina Leung Tong Ching-yee

The wife of Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying was forced to step back from her role in a charity that she founded to campaign against food waste after politicians attacked her for taking a high-profile advocacy position. The move disappointed other NGOs, who had hopes that her government connections would help encourage the redistribution of leftover food from hotels, restaurants and bakeries to the poor.

Wu Yajun

The multibillionaire chairwoman of Hong Kong-listed mainland developer Longfor Properties lost her crown as China's richest woman after giving up part of her shareholding in her divorce from Cai Kui. She saw her net worth slump to US$4.2 billion from the US$7.3 billion fortune she previously enjoyed, according to figures from Bloomberg.