“Twin Tornadoes” Form in Oklahoma: What You Need to Know – April 24, 2026

[0:05] This is what you need to know now. [0:07] Look at them dancing around each other. [0:09] Severe storms slamming the plains. [0:11] Damage and injuries reported as multiple tornadoes touched down in Oklahoma. [0:16] Wildfires threaten at least a thousand homes in the southeast, forcing evacuations. [0:21] That's her mama's home right there. [0:23] President Trump issues shoot and kill orders if ships are seen laying sea mines in the Strait of Hormuz. [0:29] A special forces soldier involved in the operation to capture Venezuela's Maduro is arrested on charges he used classified information to place bets on Polly Market. [0:39] That's like Pedro's betting on his own kids. [0:41] And dreams come true at the NFL draft. [0:44] Man, I'm ready to die for you more. [0:46] We have much more What You Need to Know now. [0:49] I'm James Longwind from ABC News. [0:51] It's Friday, April 24th, and this is What You Need to Know. [0:54] We'll show you the worrying plot to target a synagogue in Texas. [0:57] And King Charles set to visit President Trump at the White House. [1:02] But first, the big story. [1:04] The severe storms slamming the plains. [1:06] At least 17 reported tornadoes touched down overnight from Oklahoma to Iowa. [1:11] An Air Force base was hit. [1:12] There are reports of damage and injuries. [1:14] In northern Oklahoma, a huge twister roared through the city of Enid, where officials say at least 10 people were injured. [1:21] Near the town of Bremen, storm chasers captured these twin tornadoes before they merged. [1:26] This as more than 30 new fires broke out in Georgia in just one day, prompting new evacuations. [1:33] Officials say more than 1,000 homes and businesses are at risk. [1:36] The fires have spread quickly, fueled by dry conditions and storm debris. [1:40] Morgan Norwood is in the fire zone. [1:43] Hi, James. [1:44] You're looking at just some of the devastation that many families here in Georgia are faced with. [1:48] The rubble that you see here, those used to be homes, businesses, even a wedding chapel. [1:53] You can just imagine the memories that are now gone. [1:56] Firefighters continue to fight multiple fires across the state of Georgia. [2:00] In just the past 24 hours, officials say at least 34 new blazes have ignited across the state, [2:06] with the largest here being in Brantley County, already burning more than 5,000 acres, [2:11] just 15 percent contained, with at least 87 homes destroyed. [2:16] What was being mopped up has now flared into a hotter fire, one that could jump roadways, [2:21] enforcing even more evacuations as winds push it northwest. [2:24] More than 200 firefighters are on the ground fighting this, some who even live in this community, [2:30] working to protect homes while also worrying about their own. [2:33] It's very heartbreaking to see our neighbors going through what they're going through, [2:36] but we're out here doing what we can do, pulling together as a community. [2:40] Two months into the war in Iran now, and there is new reporting on the supreme leader, [2:45] Mushtaba Khamenei. [2:46] He was believed to be gravely wounded in the attack that killed his father at the beginning of the war. [2:50] The New York Times now reports he needed three surgeries on his leg and is waiting for a prosthetic, [2:56] and his face and lips were so badly burned it's hard for him to speak, [3:00] leaving the generals of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard to make key decisions. [3:04] And while Israel and Lebanon have agreed to extend their fragile ceasefire for three more weeks, [3:08] there are no peace talks scheduled for the U.S. and Iran. [3:12] And with no prospect of them happening soon, oil prices have risen again. [3:16] The USS George H.W. Bush has arrived in the Middle East, meaning there are now 5,000 more sailors in the region. [3:22] It also means there will be now three aircraft carriers there that could be used in combat missions in Iran. [3:28] Mary Bruce is at the White House. [3:31] Well, James, as the standoff in the Strait of Hormuz intensifies, [3:34] President Trump now says he's not under any pressure to make a deal with Iran, [3:39] saying he has, quote, all the time in the world. [3:41] But he is trying to up the pressure on Iran as the showdown over the critical waterway continues. [3:46] Trump announcing he's ordered the military to, quote, [3:48] shoot and kill any Iranian boats that may be laying mines in the Strait. [3:52] The U.S., of course, is also enforcing its own blockade of Iranian ports, [3:56] seizing now a second Iranian tanker. [3:58] There are still no plans to return to negotiations to try to end the war. [4:03] The president says he extended the current ceasefire with no deadline [4:06] to give Iran time to come up with a peace plan, claiming the regime is fractured and, quote, in turmoil. [4:12] But security sources we spoke with paint a different picture of the Iranian regime. [4:16] One source familiar with the intelligence tells ABC News, quote, [4:19] there is no clear evidence of fractures at the level of core decision-making. [4:23] Meanwhile, here at home, the toll of the war is mounting. [4:26] According to a new poll, 73 percent of Americans say they believe the economy is getting worse. [4:31] A North Carolina teen is under arrest, accused of plotting an attack on a Texas synagogue. [4:36] In a court filing, prosecutors say 18-year-old Angelina Hicks conspired with two men to, quote, [4:42] kill as many Jews as possible. [4:44] Hicks is being held on a $10 million bond. [4:46] The alleged co-conspirators have not been arrested and remain unidentified. [4:50] Her father says the charges are fabricated. [4:52] He believes his daughter's arrest stems from her playing fantasy video games. [4:55] Two Republican lawmakers are calling for a U.S. Special Forces soldier to be pardoned [5:00] after he was accused of using insider information to bet on the capture of Venezuelan President [5:05] Nicolas Maduro. [5:07] Gannon Ken Van Dyke is under arrest for allegedly pocketing more than $400,000 by betting on the [5:13] top-secret raid before it even happened. [5:15] He was part of the U.S. Special Forces operation to capture the Venezuelan leader back in January. [5:19] Federal prosecutors say Van Dyke began placing bets just days before that operation, totaling [5:23] more than $33,000 on Polymarket, that Maduro would be removed from office by the end of [5:28] January. [5:29] President Trump was asked about his arrest at the White House. [5:33] That's like Pete Rose betting on his own team. [5:34] It's a little like Pete Rose. [5:36] Pete Rose, they kept him out of the Hall of Fame because he bet on his own team. [5:40] Now, if he bet against his team, that would be no good, but he bet on his own team. [5:44] A polymarket spokesperson says they referred the suspicious trace to the Justice Department [5:50] and cooperated with the investigation. [5:52] Van Dyke has not publicly responded to the charges. [5:55] And some incredible news for some children who are born deaf. [5:59] The FDA has approved the first ever gene therapy for inherited hearing loss. [6:03] The drug is shown to restore hearing for some children. [6:06] And Regeneron, the pharmaceutical company that manufactures it, says it will offer the therapy [6:11] free of charge to eligible patients. [6:13] And we have much more what you need to know. [6:17] Now, to take three, the sports stories that you'll be talking about today. [6:31] Number three, New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel will not attend day three of the NFL [6:36] draft, saying, quote, my family needs me this weekend. [6:39] The married father of two says he's getting counseling after a new photo from TMZ Sports [6:43] showed Vrabel and now former NFL reporter Diana Rossini at a New York bar back in 2020. [6:49] One image appears to show the pair kissing. [6:51] Rossini, who is also married with two children, and Vrabel were spotted in photos earlier this [6:56] month holding hands. [6:57] Rossini resigned from her job at The Athletic after an internal investigation, saying she [7:01] will not allow a media frenzy define her or her career. [7:05] The Patriots say they're supporting Vrabel. [7:07] And the NFL says this is a personal matter that does not fall under the NFL's personal [7:12] conduct policy. [7:13] Number two, 320,000 fans were in Pittsburgh for round one of the NFL draft. [7:18] Many future NFL players were there in standout suits, bold, personal designs honoring family, [7:24] culture, and heritage. [7:25] And the night kicked off with the number one pick, Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza, [7:30] drafted by the Las Vegas Raiders. [7:32] But the star quarterback, who won a national championship with Indiana, chose to stay home [7:37] and celebrate with his family instead, including his mother, who lives with multiple cirrhosis. [7:42] And number one, a new listing for four tickets to the FIFA World Cup final is raising some eyebrows. [7:48] The price for each ticket listed on FIFA's resale site is just under $2.3 million. [7:54] The seats are located behind a goal in the lower deck at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. [7:59] FIFA says it does not control third-party resale prices, but it will collect a 15% fee from both the buyer and the seller. [8:06] And now, one more thing before you go. [8:09] King Charles and Queen Camilla are headed to the U.S. next week. [8:12] It will be their first visit since Charles became king. [8:15] There will be a state dinner at the White House, and he will speak at a joint session of Congress [8:18] to mark the historic ties between the two countries on America's 250th birthday. [8:24] There are mixed feelings in the U.K. about the trip, given President Trump's criticism of Britain [8:27] for not joining the war in Iran. [8:29] But the palace is hoping Charles will calm stormy diplomatic waters. [8:33] And I will be stateside covering it all. [8:36] And that's what you need to know for breaking news and live updates throughout the day. [8:40] Check out ABC News streaming on Disney+. [8:42] New episodes streaming every day only on Disney+.