Bill Granger, Novelist and Reporter, Dies at 70

British thriller writer John Le Carre asked Wednesday that his name be withdrawn from the shortlist for the Man Booker International Prize, disappointing judges who said they admired his work.The best-selling spy novelist was among 13 authors in consideration for the 60,000 pound ($96,070) literary award, which for the first time included Chinese authors in Wang Anyi and Su Tong.The chair of the judging panel, writer, academic and rare-book dealer Rick Gekoski said he received a statement from Le Carre only 45 minutes before the announcement of the shortlist in Sydney.

British thriller writer John Le Carre asked Wednesday that his name be withdrawn from the shortlist for the prestigious Man Booker International Prize, leaving judges stumped about what to do.The best-selling spy novelist was among 13 authors in consideration for the 60,000 pound ($96,070) literary award, which for the first time included Chinese authors in Wang Anyi and Su Tong.The chair of the judging panel, writer, academic and rare-book dealer Rick Gekoski said he received a statement from Le Carre only 45 minutes before the announcement of the shortlist in Sydney.

British thriller writer John Le Carre asked Wednesday that his name be withdrawn from the shortlist for the prestigious Man Booker International Prize, leaving judges stumped about what to do.The best-selling spy novelist was among 13 authors in consideration for the 60,000 pound ($96,070) literary award, which for the first time included Chinese authors in Wang Anyi and Su Tong.The chair of the judging panel, writer, academic and rare-book dealer Rick Gekoski said he received a statement from Le Carre only 45 minutes before the announcement of the shortlist in Sydney.

British thriller writer John Le Carre asked Wednesday that his name be withdrawn from the shortlist for the prestigious Man Booker International Prize, leaving judges stumped about what to do.The best-selling spy novelist was among 13 authors in consideration for the 60,000 pound ($96,070) literary award, which for the first time included Chinese authors in Wang Anyi and Su Tong.The chair of the judging panel, writer, academic and rare-book dealer Rick Gekoski said he received a statement from Le Carre only 45 minutes before the announcement of the shortlist in Sydney.

(Alec Peden)

Harry Potter sidekick Hermoine Granger has been chosen as the best big screen role model in a poll of young film fans.

It’s almost midnight here in Copenhagen and I’ve been a bit detached from the latest health care news, but the CBO came out with a score of the latest iteration of the Finance Committee health care bill and Igor Volsky made the following helpful summary table of what it says: