Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part II not to be screened in Vietnam 

Vietnam and China are not releasing Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II, which will be released internationally on July 15.

Representative of Megastar, which premiered Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I last November, said that it has no idea about Warner Brothers’ business strategy in Vietnam.

Megastar’s representative confirmed that the second part of the latest Harry Potter film will not be released in Vietnam. Two other cinemas Galaxy and BHD also shared the same information.

In 2006, Warner Brothers collaborated with local Galaxy Cinema in building and running the chain of cinemas, which meet international standards. Galaxy is also the middleman who imported and released the previous parts of the Harry Potter series.

Last November, Megastar won the exclusive release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I in Vietnam, through its parent corporation in US. But since last November, both Megastar and Galaxy have not imported any films released by Warner Brothers.

According to a local film expert, Warner Brothers stopped investing in Asian markets since the loss of revenue in the Chinese market.

Many local fans of the teenage wizard have logged on to the website www.petitiononline.com to plead with Warner Brothers to screen the newest Harry Potter film in Vietnam.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II is adapted from the seventh and final part of the book series Harry Potter written by British author J.K.Rowling. The 130-minute long film cost US$250 million to produce and is the final part of the Harry Potter series, which was kicked off ten years ago. 

Vietnam’s first BeyBlade contest underway 

The qualifying rounds of Vietnam’s first BeyBlade Cup competition are being held in both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

According to Takara Tomy Co., the contest organizer, children aged 6 to 12 are invited to perform BeyBlade, a line of high-performance spinning top toys, in the event’s first rounds that are being held on one Sunday in Hanoi and three Sundays in HCMC in July.

Those selected from these rounds will compete in the final on July 24 at the Youth Cultural House in HCMC’s District 1.

The winners of two age groups - six to seven and eight to twelve - will represent Vietnam at the Asian BeyBlade Cup in Japan on August 21.

Beyblade toys were originally developed and manufactured by Takara in 2000. Both the toys and their name were inspired by "Beigoma", a traditional spinning top, and the debut of the toy corresponded with the broadcast of the Beyblade anime television series of the same name.

BeyBlade’s first generation was entirely made with plastic, with the exception of weight disks and some tips.

The first top consisted of five basic parts, bit chip, attack ring, weight disk, spin gear, and blade base; and a four-layer part system: bit beast, attack ring, weight disk, and blade base.

4D system Beyblades are the latest series of BeyBlades released worldwide on March 28, 2011.

For more information, please visit www.cupbeyblade.com.vn.

Hoi An starts construction of terra-cotta park

Construction of a cultural park using terra-cotta as the material was started in Hoi An City yesterday after nearly 3 years of preparation.

Named Thanh Ha Terra-cotta Cultural Park, the park will cost its investor, NhaVietCorp. Company – Ho Chi Minh City, a total VND18 billion (US$876,000) by the time it is completed in 2013.

Located within the Thanh Ha Ceramics Village on an area of 6.500 square meters, the park will consist of different areas to showcase ceramic works as well as the ceramic making process.

Young people offer incense to commemorate Hung Kings

A delegation of overseas Vietnamese students and young people returned to their ancestral land during Vietnam Summer Camp 2011, reported the State Commission on Overseas Vietnamese.

The students were very moved by the legends of the Hung Kings and offered incense at temples for the Hung Kings’.

This is one of the activities to teach children more about the traditions of paying debts of gratitude, upholding patriotic spirit and national pride and preserving cultural identity.

The delegation also visited the Hung Kings Museum where valuable objects from the Van Lang era are preserved and they were introduced to the legends of Hung Kings and the glorious history of the nation.

26 delegates from 26 nations and territories around the globe also attended this year’s summer camp. Dr Nguyen Thanh Son, deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, planted a tree at the Hung Temple relics to remind young overseas Vietnamese to make further contributions to their ancestral roots. 

Later in the day, the delegation had an exchange with young people in Phu Tho province.

Hanoi, HCMC among top ten Asian cities

Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City have been named among top ten Asian cities for 2011 by the US Travel and Leisure magazine.

In the list, the capital city of Thailand, Bangkok took the first place while Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi came seventh and ninth, respectively.

Additionally, this list also honoured Vietnam’s Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi and Park Hyatt Ho Chi Minh City, among top ten out of 25 Asian best urban hotels.

Last year, the capital city of Hanoi ranked seventh in the list of top ten Asian tourist destinations, voted by the online tourist magazine Smart Travel Asia.