JK Rowling's official website has been updated for March 1st to wish Ronald a Happy Birthday!

The Scottish Medicines Consortium will deny patients of Tysabri (a drug which combats an aggressive form of Multiple Sclerosis), ahead of a debate on the drug tomorrow. The reason being that it's too costly - 15,000 pounds sterling a year per patient. The decision also means doctors must apply to the health board in each individual case for funding of the drug.

Jo Rowling, who lost her mother to the disease and is the patron of the MS Society of Scotland, has condemned the SMC's decision:

"I know from personal experience that MS can have a devastating effect on everyone who comes into contact with it. My mother suffered terribly with MS and it was so frustrating that there was little or nothing doctors could do to help her.

"If a drug can help tackle MS - particularly the very aggressive type of relapsing MS we are talking about - it should not be ruled out because of cost alone.

"Once again, decisions about treatment are being made by accountants rather than clinicians, and I hope MSPs will speak up on behalf of the thousands of families affected by MS across Scotland."

Equus opened last night in London where it was greeted with enormous enthusiasm and praise. Daniel Radcliffe in particular received a standing ovation at the end of the performance, and many celebrity guests commented positively on his role. Click here to see a video interview with Dan and Richard Griffiths (co-star, and Mr. Dursley in Potter).

Other reviews: The Independent, The Guardian, The Times, Reuters, AP.

Lia Wyler, the Brazilian Harry Potter translator, speaks in a new interview about how she got the coveted job and the process of translating some of the novel's unique words:

"Initially the series was meant for children so I tried to convey the idea behind each of Rowling's creations. Quidditch, a game played with four balls, became 'quadribol' and 'Muggles' became 'trouxa' (fool), a lucky guess among hundreds of possible meanings."

NECA's official website has been updated with pictures of its Series 1 Order of the Phoenix toys in their packaging. These action figures will be released next month.

Thanks to HPANA for the tip!

See it here. Thanks to DL!

Equus officially opens tomorrow, and in a new interview, Daniel Radcliffe discusses how the play is a far cry from Potter:

Completely. There came a point on the third Potter film when I thought, acting is what I want to do. I thought it would be a bad idea to wait till the Potter films were all finished to do something else. There are certain people who will be more than happy to see you in any other role you like, and there will be some who will never, ever see you as anything other than Harry Potter. Once you've accepted that, it's fine - you just do whatever you like. With this, they can say I'm good or terrible but the one thing they can't say is I haven't challenged myself.

On playing the role nude:

I didn't look at the nudity and go, oh great. But it's the same as doing a role with an accent or a particular affectation. You look at the character first. Lots of the actors that I've admired have at one stage or another taken their kit off. It's a rite of passage. That iconic scene is the physical and emotional climax of the play. So if I do that with pants on, it would be crap.

In other Dan news, he's at #2 on Forbes' list of the highest-paid Hollywood teen stars, receiving around $13m for his role in OOTP.

Thanks to Dominic for the tip!

Jo Rowling previously wrote on her website about her request for eBay to adopt preventative measures against the sale of illegal and forged merchandise. However, the online market giant was unhelpful.

Unauthorized copies of the Harry Potter books have been sold on the Indian version of eBay, and JKR has now obtained an injunction which prohibits illegal copies of her work being listed. This court order is binding until the hearing resumes on May 23rd.

Rowling's legal representative stated, "If they can do it in this case then they can do it a lot more. This is the first time eBay has been compelled to take measures to prevent e-books being sold."

A series of Harry Potter stamps is set to be released in France later this year, and we now have two more photos of them. This one is our first look at the Thestrals, and this one shows Grawp.

Thanks to UHP!

Last week it was named an Editors' Choice book, and today MuggleNet.com's What Will Happen in Harry Potter 7 entered the New York Times Children's Paperback Bestseller List at #4, with only Bridge to Terabithia, High School Musical, and Eragon selling more copies.

Harry Potter fans rock! We love you guys!

Here's a new photo of young Peter Pettigrew from "Snape's Worst Memory."

Thanks, HarryLatino.

A survey carried out among 2,000 children showed that Sorcerer's Stone is the favorite movie of UK kids. In second place was Prisoner of Azkaban, followed by Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

Thanks to Tobylicious for letting us know!

In a new interview, Michael Gambon speaks of how playing Dumbledore has changed his fanbase: "I was in the makeup chair recently, and someone brought in two kids. I peeled the beard off, and they started crying. They couldn't believe what they were seeing."

Gambon also commented on Dan Radcliffe's stage debut in Equus: "He's growing up. He's a proper theater actor now. He's naked in this thing, so all the girls will go out and see it. I'd be frightened running around the stage with nothing on at all. When you stop running, one thing keeps moving. I bet he didn't think of that."

Thanks to Lusine and Gloria!

Our weekly Harry Potter podcast is now available with the return of Jamie! Also join Eric, Micah, Mikey and myself for a discussion on Fawkes and more British humor than you can handle. Plus:

- An interview with Joe Fulton of MillionairePlayboy.com about the latest OOTP toy news.
- We discuss some new OOTP photos.
- Andrew and Jamie's meet-up in England!
- Was Fawkes's song at the end of Half-Blood Prince a message, a warning or even a rally cry?
- Phoenixes choose their owners...let the Pokemon tangent ensue.
- Will we finally learn what it means that the biggest connection between Harry and Voldemort is Fawkes?
- Why is Dumbledore so closely tied to a bird symbolic of rebirth?
- Will Fawkes choose Harry and help save him in the final battle?

All that and much more can be found by downloading this week's episode. We recommend subscribing through iTunes (for free) to have the show automatically download to your computer each week. You can also directly download the show on the MuggleCast website. Enjoy!

Warner Brothers is apparently hoping to film parts of the Half-Blood Prince movie in Ireland. The company believes it has exhausted possible locations in the UK, and some of the film's producers have already visited parts of Ireland. They are particularly keen on an Irish setting as the landscape is very similar to Britain's.

Thanks to Freyja for the tip!

HarryPotter.com has gone back to its early days with a Sorcerer's Stone theme. We're guessing this is probably a glitch in WB's website, and this might mean they are working on a new official Potter website.

We'll update you as soon as we know more! Thanks to everyone who e-mailed with the tip.

A new photo of the former Order of the Phoenix (which Moody shows Harry in Grimmauld Place) can be seen here.

EDIT: Sorry, guys. This is actually old and was taken from the ABC special on the Order a few months ago.

EA, the maker of the Harry Potter videogames, has released details on the production of the upcoming Order of the Phoenix videogame.

WB Interactive Entertainment stated, "Working with EA, we look forward to offering fans the most authentic Harry Potter game to date, one which captures the compelling story of the fiction and high visual quality of the movie."

Also, a preview of the videogame's cover can be seen here. Remember that you can see some fantastic screenshots from the game in our gallery.

Several images of Daniel Radcliffe from a recent press photocall for Equus are now online. Daniel can in some photos be seen smoking, but it should be noted that Dan doesn't generally smoke and only smokes in one pivotal scene of the play.

We expect to have some more pics very soon. Thanks to DanRadcliffe.com!

We now have a new candid photo of Natalia Tena (Tonks), sporting purple hair.

Thanks, UHP!

HarryLatino.com has two new photos online from the Pensieve scene in Order of the Phoenix:

- Young Snape
- Young Marauders

HDTV News has a very positive review of the recently released Goblet of Fire High-Definition DVD:

The Goblet of Fire is possibly one of the best HD transfers to date, with clean crisp pictures looking stunning and at times almost 3D like in quality. Warner have made a real effort to provide all of their High Definition release with Dolby TrueHD which adds to the superb mix, especially when pushed through a decent quality amp. The whole experience is an assault on the senses that will leave you demanding more of the same.

Unfortunately, these discs require a very pricey HD DVD player or an XBOX 360 with a separate HD add-on. Prices for this new technology will likely decrease over the next year.

Michael Riedel of the New York Post recently posted his thoughts on Equus (starring Dan Radcliffe and Richard Griffiths) and notes that the production is already being considered for Broadway:

The London revival of Peter Shaffer's powerful drama about a teenage boy who takes off his clothes and blinds horses began previews on Friday, but it has caused so much buzz that producers already are planning to bring it to Broadway in the fall.

One problem, though, is the length.

"Equus" clocks in at nearly three hours, which is a bit of a slog, according to London theater sources who sneaked in early because they couldn't wait to get a look at John Napier's stunning set.

We'll keep you updated.

The Professor Snape actor turns 61 today. Thanks to everyone who e-mailed with the reminder!

Last week we told you about LEGO's plans for a new Hogwarts Castle set to coincide with the Order of the Phoenix film release. Our friends at MillionairePlayboy.com have now informed us that this is the only set planned to be released in 2007.

This is the first time that LEGO has only created one set to go along with a Potter movie. Goblet of Fire saw four sets released alongside the film. We will have more about LEGO's plans on this week's episode of MuggleCast!

We're thrilled to announce that MuggleNet.com's What Will Happen in Harry Potter 7, written entirely by MuggleNet staff, has been selected as an Editors' Choice by The New York Times Book Review! More than 100,000 copies of the book have been printed.

We're incredibly grateful for all the support you guys have given us, and we welcome the feedback!

As of late, many British tabloids have falsely reported that Warner Bros. is displeased with Daniel Radcliffe's decision to perform in the play Equus. A WB spokesperson has in response to these claims issued the following statement:

"Daniel Radcliffe is an extremely talented actor, as well as a great collaborator and friend to Warner Bros. Pictures. We've had great experiences working with him on our films and fully support him in the artistic choices he makes as an actor."

In related news, here are some photos of Daniel signing autographs following Friday night's performance. Thanks, WENN.

This week's episode of our Harry Potter podcast is now online! Join Ben, Eric, Kevin, Mikey and me for a discussion on Argus Filch and Mrs. Norris. Plus:

- We talk about the latest OOTP pics.
- More talk on the deathly cries discussed last week.
- Could Harry use his and Voldemort's wands at the same time?
- Look out, Voldemort - Fawkes wants his feather back.
- Andrew has a big revelation: Harry HAS to die.
- Two of our hobbit wannabes talk about Lord of the Rings.
- Mikey tells us a fact about shampoo that blows our minds.

All that and much more can be found on this week's show! To download, we recommend subscribing for free in iTunes. By subscribing, you will automatically receive the show as soon as it is released each weekend. If you can't use iTunes, you can always direct download the show off our website.

UK Meet Up: Jamie and I are looking into hosting a MuggleCast fan meet up on March 17th in London. Visit the MuggleCast site for more details!

The lovable teen web master that captured the hearts of the fans and eye of the media is a teen no longer. MuggleNet.com's Emerson Spartz, who founded this website eight years ago, turns 20 today. Having lost his once youthful appearance, Emerson has traded his teddy bear for a walking stick. Just kidding. Happy birthday, buddy!

Last night, the first performance of Equus starring Dan Radcliffe took place in London's West End. DanRadcliffe.com now has a great review online, a snippet of which is below:

Throughout the entire show Radcliffe was well poised, well spoken, in character and emotionally charged. He hit every mark spot on... he portrayed the right balance between insanity and reverence, spirituality and emptiness, awakening and shutting down... it just all clicked in one go. He definitely struck the right balance on stage.

The Daily Mail says: For Radcliffe, it was a big mental leap from portraying JK Rowling's boy wizard to taking on a character in the psychoreligious exploration of equine worship. Radcliffe could have stood on the stage and read the London telephone book and the play still would have sold out. That he took on such an intellectual theatrical challenge was brave - and he succeeded.

You can see a new photo of Dan in the play here.

Ginny Weasley actress Bonnie Wright celebrates her 16th birthday today. From everyone at MuggleNet, have a fantastic day, Bonnie!

This one looks to be in the Forbidden Forest. Thanks, DanLatino!

Richard Griffiths, Vernon Dursley in the Potter movies and the psychiatrist in Equus (starring Dan Radcliffe), says his presence in the Order of the Phoenix film is fleeting. He also discussed his character's relationship with Harry:

"With this fifth movie, Vernon is much more frightened of Harry than vice versa, and as it goes on, you see that it ends up with Harry as the master and Vernon as the shivering idiot, the shivering coward."

Thanks to everyone who emailed!

Check it out here! Thanks to DanLatino.

In a new interview, Equus director Thea Sharrock expresses her thoughts on the seminal play, and also on Daniel Radcliffe playing the lead role, nude in some parts:

"The peculiar life Dan's led has prepared him for things that most people will never have to deal with. To watch the ease with which he deals with things is extraordinary and immediately gave me great faith in the fact that he had as good a chance as anybody of pulling it off, if not better."

Previews of Equus in London's West End begin tonight. More on performances and booking information can be found here.

In an interview with the Times Online, a chief NASA scientist says that a "micro-gravity sports competition" is not out of the question when their first ever space settlement arrives on the moon in 2024:

"If you had a large, pressurised habitat, people could take advantage of the low-gravity environment by attaching wings to themselves and flying about."

While the typical Harry Potter fan may never be able to get to the moon, NASA says the Quidditch-like area would be used to keep their space inhabitants in shape. Thanks to Elizabeth for the link!

Jason Isaacs (Lucius Malfoy) is currently performing in the West End play The Dumb Waiter. In a new interview, he talks about the play and, of course, briefly discusses Harry Potter.

"It's absurd a man of my age doing that stuff. And then you get there and realise you're doing scenes with Gary Oldman and Helena Bonham Carter. I look at the call sheet and they're going to be there today, I'm going to get to talk to them. Before you know it you're having lunch and sharing HP sauce. It's fantastic.

"If you're someone like me who finds work enjoyably tortured - I'm constantly niggling away trying to make it better and realer and more three-dimensional - it's nice to leave all that at home and turn up at Harry Potter and just be unalloyed Nazi evil."

Are you a talented photoshop wizard who's spent the past few weeks pondering what the cover of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows will look like? If so, we have the perfect contest for you! Show us your best creative work and win awesome - trust us - prizes (to be announced at a later date). For more information, click here.

Please send all submissions to covercontest at staff dot mugglenet dot com.

Good luck!

HarryLatino.com has a new scan from ViveCine magazine picturing Harry and Luna in a hallway of Hogwarts. We hope to have a larger version of this image soon. Thanks to Dan for the tip!

Our friends at MillionairePlayboy.com have some great new photos online from the display of upcoming OOTP products at the NECA Toy Fair. The event was held this past weekend in New York City.

Deagostini will release a weekly HP chess magazine, and each issue will contain a chess piece inspired by the first Potter film. Each chess piece has "magical effects"; for example, the Rooks magnetically move with use of a wand (also included), and the Queen glows. Future issues also promise a free replica Time-Turner and magical floating pen. The first issue is priced at £1.99, and the magazine can be purchased only in the UK.

EDIT: The magazine is also available in Germany, Austria, Ireland, and Poland.

Thanks to those who emailed.

This one, thanks to DanLatino.com, shows an emotional Harry with cuts on his forehead.

As firms continue to prepare to release Order of the Phoenix merchandise this summer, we now have some more information on various products. Figures.com has announced when NECA will be releasing their action figures, including the trio, Death Eaters, and Sirius. You can also now see some photos of new Potter masks (from Row M) and a new Hogwarts LEGO set, featuring Umbridge.

Thanks to everyone who emailed!

Warner Brothers has sent us high resolution versions of the pictures found in Newsweek's Order of the Phoenix preview. Enjoy!

- Harry during Snape's Occlumency lessons
- Harry in the Ministry of Magic
- The Atrium

A new OOTP photo has surfaced showing Aberforth, the Hog's Head barman.

Thanks to HarryLatino!

The US Harry Potter publisher has now released a Deathly Hallows poster, available for download here. Bloomsbury previously released a UK DH poster which can be saved here.

This week's episode of our Harry Potter podcast is now online! Join Ben, Laura, Eric, Kevin and me for some more talk on Deathly Hallows, plus:

- Andrew shares his theory on why Jo wrote on the bust of Hermes.
- Is there more of a meaning behind the statue of Hermes at the Balmoral?
- Despite quotes to the contrary, is it possible there's anything more to Petunia or Dudley?
- This week our main discussion is replaced by our favorite Deathly Hallows theory submissions!
- Would Umbridge try to interfere with the Tonks/Lupin pairing?
- Is Jo just trying to make us feel better?

To download, we recommend subscribing through iTunes (for free) to automatically receive the show as soon as it's released. You can also directly download it via the MuggleCast website. Enjoy!

New merchandise for Order of the Phoenix was unveiled this weekend. A new line of toys and action figures were exhibited at the NECA Toy Fair in New York City (photos can be seen at Figures.com), and they are set to hit shelves beginning next month.

Thanks to everyone who e-mailed with the links!