By JON GAMBRELL, Associated Press

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran’s top prosecutor on Friday called U.S. President Donald Trump’s repeated claims that he halted the hangings of 800 detained protesters there “completely false.” Meanwhile, the overall death toll from a bloody crackdown on nationwide demonstrations rose to at least 5,002, activists said.

This is a locator map for Iran with its capital, Tehran. (AP Photo)

Activists fear many more are dead. They struggle to confirm information as the most comprehensive internet blackout in Iran’s history has crossed the two-week mark.

Tensions remain high between the United States and Iran as an American aircraft carrier group moves closer to the Middle East, something Trump likened to an “armada” in comments to journalists late Thursday.

Analysts say a military buildup could give Trump the option to carry out strikes, though so far he’s avoided that despite repeated warnings to Tehran. The mass execution of prisoners had been one of his red lines for military force — the other being the killing of peaceful demonstrators.

“While President Trump now appears to have backtracked, likely under pressure from regional leaders and cognizant that airstrikes alone would be insufficient to implode the regime, military assets continue to be moved into the region, indicating kinetic action may still happen,” New York-based think tank the Soufan Center said in an analysis Friday.

Prosecutor denies Trump claim

Trump has repeatedly said Iran halted the execution of 800 people detained in the protests, without elaborating on the source of the claim. On Friday, Iran’s top prosecutor Mohammad Movahedi strongly denied that in comments carried by the judiciary’s Mizan news agency.

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“This claim is completely false; no such number exists, nor has the judiciary made any such decision,” Movahedi said.

His remarks suggested that Iran’s Foreign Ministry, led by Abbas Araghchi, may have offered that figure to Trump. Araghchi has had a direct line to U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and conducted multiple rounds of negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program with him.

“We have a separation of powers, the responsibilities of each institution are clearly defined, and we do not, under any circumstances, take instructions from foreign powers,” Movahedi said.

Judiciary officials have called some of those being held “mohareb” — or “enemies of God.” That charge carries the death penalty. It had been used along with others to carry out mass executions in 1988 that reportedly killed at least 5,000 people.

Meanwhile, Mohammad Javad Haji Ali Akbari, the Friday prayer leader in Tehran, mocked Trump as a “yellow-faced, yellow-haired and disgraced man” who is “like a dog that only barks.”

“That foolish man has resorted to threatening the nation, especially over what he said about Iran’s leader,” the cleric said in comments aired by Iranian state radio. ”If any harm were to occur, all your interests and bases in the region would become clear and precise targets of Iranian forces.”

Death toll rises

The latest death toll was given by the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, which reported that 4,716 of the dead were demonstrators, 203 were government-affiliated, 43 were children and 40 were civilians not taking part in the protests. It added that more than 26,800 people had been detained in a widening arrest campaign by authorities.

The group’s figures have been accurate in previous unrest in Iran and rely on a network of activists in Iran to verify deaths. That death toll exceeds that of any other round of protest or unrest in Iran in decades, and recalls the chaos surrounding Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Iran’s government offered its first death toll Wednesday, saying 3,117 people were killed. It added that 2,427 of the dead in the demonstrations that began Dec. 28 were civilians and security forces, with the rest being “terrorists.” In the past, Iran’s theocracy has undercounted or not reported fatalities from unrest.

The Associated Press has been unable to independently assess the death toll, in part because of authorities cutting access to the internet and blocking international calls into the country.

US warships on the move

The American military meanwhile has moved more military assets toward the Mideast, including the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and associated warships traveling with it from the South China Sea.

A U.S. Navy official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss military movements, said Thursday that the Lincoln strike group is in the Indian Ocean.

Trump said Thursday aboard Air Force One that the U.S. is moving the ships toward Iran “just in case” he wants to take action.

“We have a massive fleet heading in that direction and maybe we won’t have to use it,” Trump said.

Trump also mentioned the multiple rounds of talks that American officials had with Iran over its nuclear program prior to Israel launching a 12-day war against the Islamic Republic in June, which saw U.S. warplanes bomb Iranian nuclear sites. He threatened Iran with military action that would make earlier U.S. strikes against its uranium enrichment sites “look like peanuts.”

“They should have made a deal before we hit them,” Trump said.

The U.K. Defense Ministry separately said that its joint Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jet squadron with Qatar, 12 Squadron, “deployed to the (Persian) Gulf for defensive purposes noting regional tensions.”

Iran shows off drones in Israel threat

Iran commemorated “the Day of the Guardian” on Friday, an annual event for its paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, which was key in putting down the nationwide protests.

To mark the day, an Iranian state television channel aired a typically religious talk show Thursday night that instead saw its cleric and prayer singers look at Iranian military drones. They fired up the engines of several of the Shahed drones, one version of which has been used extensively by Russia in its war on Ukraine.

A man identified as a member of the security forces, who wore a surgical mask and sunglasses during the telecast to hide his identity, also made a threat in mangled Hebrew toward Israel, trying to say: “We are closer to you than you think.”

Konstantin Toropin in Washington, and Melanie Lidman in Tel Aviv, Israel, contributed to this report.

By JULIA FRANKEL, Associated Press

JERUSALEM (AP) — Modern cities with sleek high-rises, a pristine coastline that attracts tourists, and a state-of-the-art port that juts into the Mediterranean. This is what Jared Kushner, U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and Middle East adviser, says Gaza could become, according to a presentation he gave at an economic forum in Davos, Switzerland.

In his 10-minute speech on Thursday, Kushner claimed it would be possible — if there’s security — to quickly rebuild Gaza’s cities, which are now in ruins after more than two years of war between Israel and Hamas.

Jared Kushner speaks after the signing of a Board of Peace charter during the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

“In the Middle East, they build cities like this … in three years,” said Kushner, who helped broker the ceasefire in place since October. “And so stuff like this is very doable, if we make it happen.”

That timeline is at odds with what the United Nations and Palestinians expect will be a very long process to rehabilitate Gaza. Across the territory of roughly 2 million people, former apartment blocks are hills of rubble, unexploded ordnance lurks beneath the wreckage, disease spreads because of sewage-tainted water and city streets look like dirt canyons.

The United Nations Office for Project Services says Gaza has more than 60 million tons of rubble, enough to fill nearly 3,000 container ships. That will take over seven years to clear, they say, and then additional time is needed for demining.

Kushner spoke as Trump and an assortment of world leaders gathered to ratify the charter of the Board of Peace, the body that will oversee the ceasefire and reconstruction process.

Here are key takeaways from the presentation, and some questions raised by it:

Reconstruction hinges on security

Kushner said his reconstruction plan would only work if Gaza has “security” — a big “if.”

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It remains uncertain whether Hamas will disarm, and Israeli troops fire upon Palestinians in Gaza on a near-daily basis.

Officials from Hamas say they have the right to resist Israeli occupation. But they have said they would consider “freezing” their weapons as part of a process to achieve Palestinian statehood.

Since the latest ceasefire took effect Oct. 10, Israeli troops have killed at least 470 Palestinians in Gaza, including young children and women, according to the territory’s Health Ministry. Israel says it has opened fire in response to violations of the ceasefire, but dozens of civilians have been among the dead.

In the face of these challenges, the Board of Peace has been working with Israel on “de-escalation,” Kushner said, and is turning its attention to the demilitarization of Hamas — a process that would be managed by the U.S.-backed Palestinian committee overseeing Gaza.

It’s far from certain that Hamas will yield to the committee, which goes by the acronym NCAG and is envisioned eventually handing over control of Gaza to a reformed Palestinian Authority. Hamas says it will dissolve the government to make way, but has been vague about what will happen to its forces or weapons. Hamas seized control of Gaza in 2007 from the Palestinian Authority.

Another factor that could complicate disarmament: the existence of competing armed groups in Gaza, which Kushner’s presentation said would either be dismantled or “integrated into NCAG.” During the war, Israel has supported armed groups and gangs of Palestinians in Gaza in what it says is a move to counter Hamas.

Without security, Kushner said, there would be no way to draw investors to Gaza and or stimulate job growth. The latest joint estimate from the U.N., the European Union and the World Bank is that rebuilding Gaza will cost $70 billion.

Reconstruction would not begin in areas that are not fully disarmed, one of Kushner’s slides said.

Kushner’s plan avoids mention of what Palestinians do in the meantime

When unveiling his plan for Gaza’s reconstruction, Kushner did not say how demining would be handled or where Gaza’s residents would live as their areas are being rebuilt. At the moment, most families are sheltering in a stretch of land that includes parts of Gaza City and most of Gaza’s coastline.

In Kushner’s vision of a future Gaza, there would be new roads and a new airport — the old one was destroyed by Israel more than 20 years ago — plus a new port, and an area along the coastline designated for “tourism” that is currently where most Palestinians live. The plan calls for eight “residential areas” interspersed with parks, agricultural land and sports facilities.

Also highlighted by Kushner were areas for “advanced manufacturing,” “data centers,” and an “industrial complex,” though it is not clear what industries they would support.

Kushner said construction would first focus on building “workforce housing” in Rafah, a southern city that was decimated during the war and is currently controlled by Israeli troops. He said rubble-clearing and demolition were already underway there.

Kushner did not address whether demining would occur. The United Nations says unexploded shells and missiles are everywhere in Gaza, posing a threat to people searching through rubble to find their relatives, belongings, and kindling.

Rights groups say rubble clearance and demining activities have not begun in earnest in the zone where most Palestinians live because Israel has prevented the entry of heavy machinery.

After Rafah will come the reconstruction of Gaza City, Kushner said, or “New Gaza,” as his slide calls it. The new city could be a place where people will “have great employment,” he said.

Will Israel ever agree to this?

Nomi Bar-Yaacov, an international lawyer and expert in conflict resolution, described the board’s initial concept for redeveloping Gaza as “totally unrealistic” and an indication Trump views it from a real estate developer’s perspective, not a peacemaker’s.

A project with so many high-rise buildings would never be acceptable to Israel because each would provide a clear view of its military bases near the border, said Bar-Yaacov, who is an associate fellow at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy.

What’s more, Kushner’s presentation said the NCAG would eventually hand off oversight of Gaza to the Palestinian Authority after it makes reforms. But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has adamantly opposed any proposal for postwar Gaza that involves the Palestinian Authority. And even in the West Bank, where it governs, the Palestinian Authority is widely unpopular because of corruption and perceived collaboration with Israel.

Danica Kirka contributed from London.

Today is Friday, Jan. 23, the 23rd day of 2026. There are 342 days left in the year.

Today in history:

On Jan. 23, 1986, the Rock and Rock Hall of Fame inducted its first members, including Chuck Berry, Little Richard and Elvis Presley.

Also on this date:

In 1368, China’s Ming dynasty, which lasted nearly three centuries, began as Zhu Yuanzhang (zhoo whan-zhahng) was formally acclaimed Hongwu Emperor, following the collapse of the Yuan dynasty.

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In 1789, Georgetown University was established in present-day Washington, D.C.

In 1849, Elizabeth Blackwell became the first woman to receive a medical degree in the United States.

In 1870, approximately 200 Piegan Blackfoot tribe members, mostly women, children and older adults, were killed by U.S. Army troops under the command of Major Eugene Mortimer Baker in Montana, in what became known as the Baker Massacre.

In 1964, the 24th Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified, prohibiting poll taxes in federal elections.

In 1973, President Richard Nixon announced an accord had been reached to end the Vietnam War, and would be formally signed four days later in Paris.

In 1997, Madeleine Albright was sworn in as the United States’ first female secretary of state.

In 2002, Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl was kidnapped by extremists in Pakistan while researching Islamic militant groups, leading to the beheading of the American journalist weeks later in captivity.

In 2018, at age 33, LeBron James became the youngest NBA player to reach the 30,000 career-point milestone.

In 2020, Democratic House prosecutors presented arguments before skeptical Senate jurors at Donald Trump’s first impeachment trial over his dealings with Ukraine, accusing him of abuse of power. (The Republican-led Senate would later vote to acquit Trump, and he would also be acquitted at another impeachment trial in 2021 following the U.S. Capitol riot).

Today’s birthdays:

Football Hall of Famer Jerry Kramer is 90.
Jazz musician Gary Burton is 83.
Actor Richard Dean Anderson is 76.
Retired airline pilot Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger (‘Miracle on the Hudson’ landing) is 75.
Rock singer Robin Zander (Cheap Trick) is 73.
Princess Caroline of Monaco is 69.
Singer Anita Baker is 68.
Actor Mariska Hargitay is 62.
Hockey Hall of Famer Brendan Shanahan is 57.
CBS News senior correspondent Norah O’Donnell is 52.
Actor Tiffani Thiessen is 52.
Actor Jack Reynor is 34.
Singer and actress Rachel Crow is 28.

Minnesota had a chance to pull out a much-needed win on a night it didn’t play very well at home Thursday against Chicago. But it didn’t get enough from its best player, so instead the Timberwolves fell, 120-115, to the Bulls for the team’s fourth-straight defeat.

Anthony Edwards has been superhuman with his shot making at the ends of games for much of the season. The rate at which he hit such consequential shots wasn’t sustainable. So a dip like the one he’s experienced the last two games — Edwards is 2 for 10 in clutch-time minutes in Minnesota’s last two losses to Utah and Chicago — isn’t all that surprising.

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards reacts toward a referee during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Chicago Bulls, Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

It was bound to happen eventually.

But the misses didn’t need to coincide with some of the mental lapses Edwards endured in the 70 seconds of Thursday’s loss.

With Minnesota leading by four and 1 minute, 10 seconds to play, Edwards got lackadaisical in his off-ball defense while guarding Chicago’s most potent scorer, Coby White. Josh Giddey hit White in the corner, and Edwards didn’t deliver a meaningful contest as White buried a triple to pull Chicago within one.

“He just stopped short,” Wolves coach Chris Finch said. “He’s got to get all the way out there with a better contest.”

Edwards credited the pass from Giddey, noting he didn’t expect the corner feed.

“So my reaction … I was stuck in quicksand when he caught the ball. It felt like it,” Edwards said. “So, I couldn’t really get a contest. I know I’mma get cussed out about that one (in the film session).”

On Minnesota’s ensuing offensive possession, Edwards simply dropped a pass from Julius Randle, which led to a Bulls steal. Then, on a Chicago sideline in-bounds play, Edwards didn’t commit to helping off an action, which gave Tre Jones an easy path to the rim for the go-ahead bucket.

“Coach drew up a good play and they bit on (the action),” Jones said, “so I was able to get into the lane and get a layup to go.”

“I just got to play better in a game like tonight,” Edwards said.

He largely lamented his shooting performance. The superstar’s 20 points came on a 9-for-25 showing from the field. Edwards is always quick to gauge an evening based on his offensive output.

But it was Minnesota’s defense that again did the Wolves in. Outside of a strong first few minutes Thursday, the Timberwolves slipped back into their poor defensive form that cost them games in San Antonio and then, most notably, Utah. T

That the embarrassing loss to the tanking Jazz didn’t awaken Minnesota on the defensive end is a bit alarming. Again against Chicago, Minnesota failed to contain the ball off the bounce and didn’t rotate well when it was forced to help after being beat at the point of attack.

“We have no defensive personality right now,” Finch said.

That’s a problem. Because, when the Wolves are at their best, that’s their defining trait. Edwards is frequently at the center of those efforts. When he’s dialed in, Minnesota is tough to beat. The 24-year-old guard is the Wolves’ lightning bolt, the man capable of supercharging the team performance and reversing the current rough course Minnesota is charting.

Wolves forward Julius Randle said “a lot of effort” is required for Minnesota to the elite form it’d appeared to capture just a week ago.

“We know what we have to do to be better in (the energy) department,” Randle said. “It’s a long season. There’s going to be ups and downs. A week ago we could’ve looked like the best team in basketball, and this week we can look like the worst. We just gotta find a way to find a consistency. Whatever we gotta do to recover, get our mind right, our energy right, our focus right, we gotta do it. It’s coming to hurt us. We do it sometimes and then we take our foot off the gas. We gotta find a way to find that energy consistently and play a full 48.”

If Edwards can lead the charge on that front, everyone else tends to fall in line. He didn’t do so Thursday, and his team suffered in kind.

“If I play halfway like myself (against Chicago), we win the game,” Edwards said. “So I don’t really blame nobody but myself.”

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