| News Short | News Headline |
| Weird Al Yankovic to introduce revamped Rock 'n' Roller Coaster | Weird Al Yankovic has announced he will be part of the revamped Rock 'n' Roller Coaster when it re-opens at Disney Hollywood Studios in Florida next month. "I'll be one of the celebs entertaining the people waiting in line (on a screen, not in person!) when Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets debuts at Disney's Hollywood Studios in Orlando on May 26!" Yankovic wrote on social media this week. The indoor thrill ride opened in 1999 and was themed to the music of rock band Aerosmith. It closed in March and is being re-branded to Muppets characters Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem. |
| BTS' 'Arirang' tops U.S. album chart for 3rd week | KPop boy band BTS' Arirang is the No. 1 album in the United States for a third week. Coming in at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart dated Saturday is Morgan Wallen's I Am the Problem, followed by Ye's Bully at No. 3, Don Toliver's Octane at No. 4 and Olivia Dean's The Art of Loving at No. 5. Rounding out the top tier are Luke Combs' The Way I Am at No. 6, Bad Bunny's Debi Tirar Mas Fotos at No. 7, Morgan Wallen's One Thing at a Time at No. 8, Harry Styles' Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally. at No. 9 and Bruno Mars' The Romantic at No. 10. |
| Jennifer Stone returning as Harper on 'Wizards Beyond Waverly Place' | Jennifer Stone, who has been working as a registered nurse for years, is returning as Harper Finkle for a guest appearance in Disney Channel's Wizards Beyond Waverly Place Season 3. "Billie, still reeling from losing Alex at the end of Season 2, discovers that the only way to rescue her mother is to reunite with her long-lost father," a synopsis said. "As her family bands together to find Alex, Billie realizes that their combined power is the only way the Russos can defeat the evil plaguing them." The show stars David Henrie as Justin Russo, Janice LeAnn Brown as Billie, Alkaio Thiele as Roman Russo, Max Matenko as Milo Russo, Taylor Cora as Winter and Mimi Gianopulos as Giada Russo. |
| Famous birthdays for April 18: Hayley Mills, Vanessa Kirby | Those born on this date are under the sign of Aries. |
| Live-action 'Ferngully' in development with director Marielle Heller | Amazon MGM Studios announced Friday that it is developing a live-action film based on the animated Ferngully: The Last Rainforest. Marielle Heller will direct. 1992's Ferngully was about a logger shrunk down to the size of the magical fairies of the rainforest. He learned about the harms caused by deforestation. It featured the voices of Samantha Mathis, Christian Slater, Robin Williams, Tim Curry, Jonathan Ward and more. Elton John, Raffi, Thomas Dolby and Jimmy Buffett wrote original songs for it with John, Sheena Easton, Ton Loc and cast members performing. Bill Kroyer, director of the animated film, spoke with UPI for the film's 30th anniversary, and said the film's environmental message was "more critical than it has ever been. |