Thank you BBC, for investigating the matter with WB over there in England. According to Newsround sources, Cho Chang has not been cast, and JKR does not have a cameo in CoS. So there you go. That’s why they’re called rumors, people. 🙂

JKR was named the top of 50 Scots who are “Shaping World Culture”, in a survey published this weekend, and compiled by the critics on staff at The Scotsman. The paper says that the list represents Scotland’s cultural establishment and profiles those people in the arts world who currently wield influence around the globe, although …read more!

The Scotsman reports that a plaque to author JK Rowling could be erected in the Edinburgh café where she famously wrote the first Harry Potter book. The café will soon become a Chinese food restaurant.

An article in the new Stern magazine reports on Harry Potter fanfic, covering both English and German stories. You can use Babelfish to read a slightly pathetic translation. The article says, in part (thanks to Tom Wieczorek for the translation): The amateur authors spin their own tales from Rowlings books: those who like the greasy-haired …read more!

Petrea, one of our longtime readers, has created a terrific resource for the PS/SS DVD. She’s given step by step guides on how to find all the trickily-hidden things on the DVD, like the tour of Hagrid’s Hut, and the steps you need to take to get to the Deleted Scenes. Thanks so much, Petrea!

I just wanted to chime in and thank Heidi for preparing the OOTP FAQ – it’s really excellent, and I just wanted to be sure she was noted for it! 🙂 It’s in our template now, so it’s right there when you need it.

Actress Jennifer Nguyen today told a friend who is one of TLC’s regular readers that she got word that she has been cast as Cho Chang in PoA. We haven’t had confirmation from WB yet but we’re working on getting it, so this is still a rumor, though we hope it’s true. Nguyen is half-British …read more!

An article from The Scotsman tells us that a former Edinburgh cafe where the first Harry Potter book was written is to be turned into an “all-you-can-eat” Chinese restaurant.

In Japan, Amazon.co.jp’s foreign book store has begun accepting pre-orders at 50% discount for the U.S. edition of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, which will be released on 23 June. (Read more at the article from Japan Today.)

ABC News is reporting that the US edition of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix will carry a suggested retail price of $29.99. In Canada, according to The Toronto Star, the price will be $43. (Many online booksellers, however, are offering discounts.)