Attorney General Keith Ellison announced a new team Friday to assist with negotiations between the University of Minnesota, Fairview Health Services and M Physicians on the future of the state’s medical school and health system.

The three groups returned negotiations last month after an earlier announcement of a deal between Fairview and the physicians group. U administrators denounced that deal, saying they were essentially cut out of the process. Ellison and the other two groups, however, said the U was aware of the talks.

While Fairview officials agreed to resume negotiations, they have said they remained committed to the deal they reached with the physicians involving a 10-year funding agreement for the medical school, which includes a $1 billion investment. The M Physicians is made up of approximately 1,200 members who form a group practice for the medical school,

In a press release Friday Ellison’s office said he was naming retired judge Thomas Fraser as mediator for negotiations, while Lois Quam and Dr. William McGuire will serve as “coequal consultants” in the process.

“The team was selected by agreement between the University of Minnesota, Fairview, and M Physicians based on recommendations from the parties,” according to a statement from Ellison’s office.

A previous deal between the U and Fairview is set to expire in 2026. Minneapolis-based Fairview owns health care facilities on the university’s Twin Cities campus, including the teaching hospital for the medical school.

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By MICHAEL R. SISAK

NEW YORK (AP) — The clock is ticking for the U.S. government to open up its files on Jeffrey Epstein.

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After months of rancor and recriminations, Congress has passed and President Donald Trump has signed legislation compelling the Justice Department to give the public everything it has on Epstein — and it has to be done before Christmas.

A federal judge on Friday took one step toward making this happen by giving the department permission to release transcripts of a grand jury investigation into Epstein’s abuse of underage girls in Florida. The judge said the new law overrode the usual rules about grand jury secrecy.

While there’s sure to be never-before-seen material in the thousands of pages likely to be released in the Florida transcripts and other Epstein-related records, a lot has already been made public, including by Congress and through litigation.

And don’t expect a “client list” of famous men who cavorted with Epstein. Though such a list has long been rumored, the Justice Department said in July that it doesn’t exist.

Here’s a look at what’s expected to be made public, what isn’t, and a refresher on how we got to this point:

Who is Jeffrey Epstein?

Epstein was a millionaire money manager known for socializing with celebrities, politicians, billionaires and the academic elite who was accused of sexually abusing underage girls.

His relationships with powerful men, including Trump, former President Bill Clinton and the former British prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, have been the subject of endless fascination and speculation. Neither Trump nor Clinton has been accused of wrongdoing. Andrew has denied abusing anyone.

Police in Palm Beach, Florida, began investigating Epstein in 2005 after he was accused of paying a 14-year-old girl for sex. The FBI then joined the investigation, but Epstein made a secret deal with the U.S. attorney in Florida to avoid federal charges, enabling him to plead guilty in 2008 to a relatively minor state-level prostitution charge. He served 13 months in a jail work-release program.

In 2019, during Trump’s first term, Manhattan federal prosecutors revived the case and charged Epstein with sex trafficking, alleging he sexually abused dozens of girls. He killed himself in jail a month after his arrest.

In 2021, a federal jury in Manhattan convicted Epstein’s longtime confidante and former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell of sex trafficking for helping recruit some of his underage victims. She is serving a 20-year prison sentence.

What’s in the Justice Department’s Epstein files?

Records related to the aborted Florida investigation, the Manhattan investigations, and anything else the Justice Department did to examine Epstein’s dealings in the time in between.

They could include notes and reports written by FBI agents; transcripts of witness interviews, photographs, videos and other evidence; Epstein’s autopsy report; and some material that may already be public, such as flight logs and travel records.

The law, dubbed the Epstein Files Transparency Act, mandates the Justice Department to release all unclassified documents and investigative materials, including files relating to immunity deals and internal communications about whom to charge or investigate.

The transcripts that will be released after Friday’s ruling by a Florida federal judge could shed more light on federal prosecutors’ decision not to go forward with their case from two decades ago. It’s not known when the transcripts will be made public.

A World Without Exploitation projection is seen on the wall of the National Gallery of Art calling on Congress to vote yes on the Epstein Files Transparency Act in Washington, Monday, Nov. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

What isn’t authorized for release under the law?

Anything containing a victim’s personally identifiable information.

The law allows the Justice Department to withhold or redact records that, if made public, would constitute “a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy.” It also bars the release of any materials depicting the sexual abuse of children, or images of death, physical abuse, or injury.

That means that if videos or photos exist of Epstein or anyone else sexually abusing underage girls, they can’t be made public.

However, the law also makes clear that no records shall be withheld or redacted — meaning certain parts are blacked out — solely because their release would cause embarrassment or reputational harm to any public figure, government official or foreign dignitary.

When will the files be available to the public?

The legislation requires the Justice Department to make the documents public in a searchable and downloadable format within 30 days of Trump signing it into law. That means no later than Dec. 19.

However, the law also allows the Justice Department to withhold files that it says could jeopardize an active federal investigation. That’s also longstanding Justice Department policy. Files can also be withheld if they’re found to be classified or if they pertain to national defense or foreign policy.

While investigations into Epstein and Maxwell are long over, Attorney General Pam Bondi last week ordered a top federal prosecutor to lead an investigation into people who knew Epstein and some of Trump’s political foes, including Clinton.

That investigation, taken up at Trump’s urging despite the Justice Department previously finding no evidence to support such a probe, could give the government grounds to temporarily withhold at least some of the material.

What about the so-called client list?

Epstein’s so-called “client list” — a purported collection of his famous associates — has been the white whale of Epstein sleuths, skeptics and conspiracy theorists alike.

Even Bondi got in on the act, telling Fox News in February that the “client list” was “sitting on my desk right now to review.”

The only problem: the Justice Department concluded it doesn’t exist, issuing a letter in July saying that its review of Epstein-related records had revealed no incriminating “client list.” Nor was there credible evidence that Epstein had “blackmailed prominent individuals as part of his actions,” the unsigned memo said.

Why are these records being released now?

Congress is forcing the government to act after Trump reneged on a campaign promise last year to throw open the files. The Justice Department did release some records earlier this year — almost all of them already public — but suddenly hit the brakes in July after promising a “truckload” more.

That prompted a small, bipartisan group of House lawmakers to launch what was initially seen as a longshot effort to compel their release through legislation. In the meantime, lawmakers started disclosing documents they’d received from Epstein’s estate, culminating in a 23,000-page release last week.

As public and political pressure mounted, including from some Trump allies, Congress swiftly passed the Epstein Files Transparency Act on Nov. 18 and Trump signed it into law the following day.

Haven’t some Epstein files already been made public?

Yes. Before Congress got involved, tens of thousands of pages of records were released over the years through civil lawsuits, Epstein and Maxwell’s public criminal case dockets, public disclosures and Freedom of Information Act requests.

Many documents — including police reports written in Florida, state grand jury records, depositions of Epstein’s employees, his flight records, his address book — are available already. In July, the Justice Department released surveillance video from the jail on the night Epstein died.

Even the FBI has previously released some Epstein-related files, posting more than 1,400 pages to its website, though much of the material was redacted and some hidden because it was under seal.

After going through some growing pains, edge rusher Dallas Turner is currently flourishing amid the best stretch of his career.

He’s quietly up to 5 1/2 sacks for the Vikings heading into the matchup with the Washington Commanders on Sunday afternoon at U.S. Bank Stadium.

Not that the No. 17 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft is getting too far ahead of himself.

“I don’t really feel like it’s like, ‘He’s here now,’” Turner said. “It’s about continuing to do what I’ve been doing.”

That mature outlook from Turner stems from a lesson he learned in college while playing for legendary Alabama head coach Nick Saban.

“Just being level headed,” Turner said. “Not paying too much attention to the rat poison.”

Wait. What?

Asked for an explanation on the phrase, Turner laughed to himself, then explained how Saban would refer to the outside noise as rat poison. It was his way of trying to get everybody within the program to ignore some of the distractions that might make them feel overconfident.

That mentality has shown up in Turner as he carves out a niche for himself with the Vikings. Never mind that he’s riding a hot streak, recording a sack against the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers, then a pair of sacks against the Seattle Seahawks. He’s not letting himself get complacent.

That focus from Turner impressed veterans like edge rusher Jonathan Greenard and fellow edge rusher Andrew Van Ginkel.

“This is a small glimpse of who he can be,” Van Ginkel said. “He’s only getting better so it’s good so see.”

As for defensive coordinator Brian Flores, he said he’s been encouraged by how Turner has continued to put his head down and go to work, even if his playing time has fluctuated since being drafted.

That has gone a long way in Turner taking the next step in his progression.

“It’s the splash plays that everybody says, ‘OK. He’s starting to figure it out,’” Flores said. “There are a lot of the little things that aren’t as splashy that he’s also doing well.”

That’s always been a key for Flores when it comes to development. He loves to use the example of a player who records 10 sacks in a season and doesn’t do anything else to impact the game.

“Let’s say there are 1,000 snaps in a season,” Flores said. “What did he do in those other 990 snaps?”

That’s how Flores has tried to get Turner to understand the importance of doing the little things.

“You’ve got to get gritty first,” Turner said. “You’ve got to get down and dirty to get sexy.”

What does that entail?

“It’s stuff like setting edges, playing the run, taking on the double team to set somebody else up,” Turner said. “Just reading my keys and understanding what I have in front of me will lead to the splash plays and turnovers and all that stuff that everybody likes to see.”

That’s exactly what Flores has been hoping to see from Turner.

“We love it,” Flores said. “He’s also doing a lot of the little things well. I’m excited for him to continue to grow and develop. He’s still young and he’s certainly moving in the right direction.”

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By NOAH TRISTER

WASHINGTON (AP) — The president of the United States danced to the Village People, Wayne Gretzky struggled to pronounce the names of underdog soccer nations from Europe and the Caribbean — and the head of FIFA declared his governing body to be humanity’s official provider of happiness.

And yes, teams were divided into groups for next year’s World Cup. That was, after all, the stated purpose of the gathering.

After Friday’s ceremony began, it took about 90 minutes — the length of a regulation soccer match — for the draw to begin in earnest. By then, casual fans who tuned in out of curiosity had learned that FIFA doesn’t really do understatement. Not for an event like this, at least.

A screen shows the final bracket at the end of the draw for the 2026 soccer World Cup at the Kennedy Center in Washington, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. (Jia Haocheng/Pool Photo via AP)

President Donald Trump loomed over the proceedings, as expected, receiving a peace award from FIFA that seemed to have been created specifically for him. FIFA President Gianni Infantino called his group “the official happiness provider for humanity” — which is certainly one way of describing an institution that’s been in the middle of any number of corruption allegations through the years.

In addition to Trump, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney — who drew their countries into predetermined World Cup groups before the rest of the spots in the 12 four-team groups were filled — Friday’s festivities included plenty of big names.

Comedian Kevin Hart co-hosted the broadcast alongside Heidi Klum. Gretzky, Tom Brady, Shaquille O’Neal and Aaron Judge helped with the draw itself. Singers Robbie Williams, Nicole Scherzinger and Lauryn Hill performed.

Singer Robbie Williams and singer and actor Nicole Scherzinger perform during the draw for the 2026 soccer World Cup at the Kennedy Center in Washington, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Over the top? Yes. One can only imagine the fan revolt if, for example, the selection shows for the NCAA basketball tournaments were handled this way. But there was no denying how many fans were tuning in — and FIFA was determined to make this a full-fledged entertainment event.

The Trump show

When the U.S. last hosted the men’s World Cup in 1994, then-president Bill Clinton didn’t even attend the draw. But Trump is no usual politician, and the former real estate mogul and reality show host ensured — with plenty of backup from FIFA — that he was the effective star of the event.

First, the event was held at the Kennedy Center, the longstanding arts institution in Washington whose leadership was ousted earlier this year and replaced with Trump loyalists. The president has jokingly called it the “Trump-Kennedy Center.”

Then the U.S. president was awarded the inaugural FIFA peace prize from soccer’s governing body.

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“You definitely deserve the first FIFA Peace Prize for your action for what you have obtained in your way,” Infantino told Trump, who wore the prize’s gold medal around his neck.

The draw even opened and closed with some Trump musical favorites. Opera legend Andrea Bocelli, set to perform at the White House on Friday night, began the draw with a rendition of Puccini’s “Nessun dorma.”

Near the end, organizers brought the Village People on stage to perform “YMCA,” which, like “Nessun dorma,” is often performed at Trump campaign rallies. From his seat at the Kennedy Center, Trump stood up and did his signature dance.

Quite a production

FIFA looked to elevate the ceremony with comedy, music and star-driven moments. The organization packed the two hour-plus event with comedians, music stars, sports legends, roving interviews and commercials featuring popular actors Matthew McConaughey and Salma Hayek.

Some moments dazzled, others drifted. But together they signaled FIFA’s growing effort to turn the draw into entertainment.

Williams and Scherzinger earned a standing ovation with a rousing performance of FIFA’s official hymn, “Desire.” Hill followed with full-band renditions of “Lost Ones” and “Doo Wop (That Thing),” pausing to acknowledge Bob Marley’s deep connection to the game before bringing out his grandson, YG Marley, for a reggae-soul collaboration.

Klum and Hart introduced a rotation of sports legends as part of the extended broadcast. Hart welcomed Gretzky and Judge. Klum followed by introducing O’Neal, whose 7-foot-1 frame provided an instant visual contrast to Hart, before rounding out the sequence with Brady.

Former NBA player Shaquille O’Neal holds up the team name of Ecuador during the draw for the 2026 soccer World Cup at the Kennedy Center in Washington, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

Expanded field

Gretzky stumbled over the pronunciations of North Macedonia and Curaçao, two teams whose qualification hopes — North Macedonia isn’t actually in yet — were boosted by the fact that the World Cup expanded from 32 teams to 48. That meant the number of groups increased from eight to 12.

It also made for an even more complex draw, with six of the 48 teams not even known yet. Those six will come from March playoffs, which forced the draw to use placeholders.

Then there was FIFA’s policy of not putting multiple teams from the same continental confederation in the same group, with the exception of Europe. For an avid fan who’d studied the process, it wasn’t too hard to follow. For the uninitiated, there was probably a fair amount of confusion.

New York Yankees’ Aaron Judge shows Norway during the draw for the 2026 soccer World Cup at the Kennedy Center in Washington, Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough, Pool)

Nuts and bolts

The expanded field also meant there was little chance of multiple powerhouses ending up in the same group. However, France has to contend with goal-scoring star Erling Haaland and Norway in Group I. Senegal is also in that group. In 2002, Senegal beat France as the French fell apart trying to defend the title they’d won four years earlier.

Scotland has never made it past the group stage, and it won’t be easy this year. Group C also includes Brazil — the fifth time in its last seven appearances Scotland has been drawn with Brazil — and Morocco, which is No. 11 in the FIFA rankings.

The U.S., meanwhile, is in Group D with Australia (the lowest-ranked team in pot 2 of the draw) and Paraguay (the lowest-ranked South American team in the field so far). The Americans also avoided the possibility of facing Italy or Denmark from out of the European playoffs.

AP Entertainment Writer Jonathan Landrum Jr. and Associated Press Writer Seung Min Kim contributed to this report.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer