United States Women's National Team earns more money from men's World Cup than its previous two women's tournaments

The United States Women’s National Team (USWNT) earned more money from its male equivalent reaching the knockout stages of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar than it did from winning its own tournaments in 2015 and 2019.

As a result of the equal pay agreement forged earlier this year between the United States Soccer Federation (USSF), the United States Women’s National Team Players Association (USWNTPA) and the United States National Soccer Team Players Association (USNSTPA), the men and women’s teams split all World Cup earnings.

Under the landmark agreement, US Soccer became “the first Federation in the world to equalize FIFA World Cup prize money” awarded to the teams for participating in World Cups.

"This is a truly historic moment,” US Soccer President Cindy Parlow Cone said in a statement in May. “These agreements have changed the game forever here in the United States and have the potential to change the game around the world.”

Why many Iranians are happy their team lost to the U.S.

Usually when a team gets knocked out of an international tournament like the soccer World Cup, the nation is united in grief, pride in their performance or a mixture of both. After Iran's loss to the United States on Tuesday, however, many Iranians cheered their players' failure, saying they represented the repressive theocratic regime rather than the people it violently oppresses.

On Tuesday, those criticizing the team made their voices heard: This was the Islamic Republic's loss, not Iran's. Horn-honking cars flooded the streets of Tehran and other cities, according to footage posted on social media.

In one of the videos, which was posted after the match, the man filming said those honking their horns on the capital’s Pirouzi Street were expressing "the joy of the people due to the loss."

Meanwhile, there were thousands of tweets in Persian, or in English from prominent Iranians, saying how happy they were their own team had fallen at the first hurdle of the competition.

Minnesota DFL to reintroduce gun control legislation in January

When the Minnesota Legislature convenes in January, House Democrats plan to reintroduce a Red Flag bill and a separate bill that would require criminal background checks for all firearm transfers and sales.

Rep. Dave Pinto, (DFL) St. Paul, told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS his background check bill would require anyone purchasing a gun to have a criminal background check done by the local law enforcement agency where the sale is taking place, but it would also have exceptions for the transfer of guns between immediate family members.

“We have background checks on all gun sales and this would require them on all gun sales,” said Pinto. “Immediate family members, siblings, spouses, parents, grandparents, the background check would not apply. But, if you have a second cousin, you may not know about that person’s criminal record.”

First Asian Santa to greet children at Mall of America

For the first time in three years, children are back sitting on Santa's lap at the Mall Of America (MOA), but that's not the only change you may notice at The Santa Experience this year.

Five years ago, Larry Jefferson became the first African American jolly old elf at the MOA.

This year, he won't be the only one bringing some diversity to the North Pole.

"I think it's fantastic because it gives children and parents a different option of selecting a Santa they want their families to see," Jefferson told FOX 9.

We’re taking an ostrich approach to enforcing gun laws — with deadly results

The Colorado Springs LGBTQ+ nightclub shooting shows the limits of red-flag laws and the need for multiple approaches to prevent mass shootings. In 2021, the suspect in this shooting was arrested after reportedly threatening violence with a bomb, “multiple weapons” and ammunition.  The threat was serious enough that police evacuated neighbors. Still, law enforcement did not seek a red-flag order, perhaps because the county commission had declared the county to be a Second Amendment sanctuary.  

States such as Colorado with red-flag laws clearly need to use them more, especially where there is violent hate speech. The 31 states that do not have red-flag laws should pass them immediately. But, as a supplement to red-flag laws, we should empower law enforcement to prevent mass shootings by removing firearms from people who are prohibited from possessing firearms without a red-flag order. 

The St. Louis school shooting in October illustrates. Just nine days before the deadly rampage, police said the shooter’s mother called 911 and asked them to remove her troubled son’s AR-style rifle. The police declined to do so, explaining that they did not have “clear authority” to confiscate the rifle that day because Missouri does not have a red-flag law. But unbeknownst to the officers, the shooter was committing a crime simply by possessing the firearm. 

We know gun possession was a crime because earlier that month the shooter failed a federal instant background check. Licensed gun dealers in every state must run a background check to see if would-be purchasers fall into any of the federal or state prohibited categories. But bizarrely, police are not allowed to use the background check system, even when they have good reason to suspect that a person standing right in front of them is in illegal possession of a firearm.  Blindfolding the police in this way likely contributed to the St. Louis tragedy and may lead to more gun deaths until the policy is changed.   

Poland, NATO say missile strike wasn’t a Russian attack

NATO member Poland and the head of the military alliance both said Wednesday a missile strike in Polish farmland that killed two people did not appear to be an intentional attack, and that air defenses in neighboring Ukraine likely launched the Soviet-era projectile against a Russian bombardment that savaged its power grid.

“Ukraine’s defense was launching their missiles in various directions and it is highly probable that one of these missiles unfortunately fell on Polish territory,” said Polish President Andrzej Duda. “There is nothing, absolutely nothing, to suggest that it was an intentional attack on Poland.”

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, at a meeting of the 30-nation military alliance in Brussels, echoed the preliminary Polish findings, saying: “We have no indication that this was the result of a deliberate attack.”

The initial assessments of Tuesday’s deadly missile landing appeared to dial back the likelihood of the strike triggering another major escalation in the nearly 9-month-old Russian invasion of Ukraine. If Russia had deliberately targeted Poland, that could have risked drawing NATO into the conflict

KFC Germany apologizes for advertising a Kristallnacht promotion

KFC Germany apologized for an “unacceptable” message sent to customers on Wednesday, which appeared to tie a sales promotion to the annual commemoration of Kristallnacht.

KFC app users in the country received a message encouraging them to mark the day with crispy chicken and cheese from KFC, according to Twitter users who shared screengrabs of the message in German. The initial message was apparently followed by another, saying the first was an error.

Kristallnacht, often translated as “Night of Broken Glass,” refers to a series of violent raids by the Nazi regime on Jewish businesses, homes and synagogues in 1938.

“Earlier today an automated push notification was accidently [SIC] issued to KFC app users in Germany that contained an obviously unplanned, insensitive and unacceptable message,” KFC Germany said in a statement emailed to CNN Business. “We understand and respect the gravity and history of this day, and remain committed to equity, inclusion and belonging for all.”

Thursday marks 47 years since Edmund Fitzgerald sinking

Thursday, the beacon at Split Rock Lighthouse will once again be lit to honor those who died during the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald.

2022 marks the 47th year since the sinking, which claimed the lives of all 29 crewmembers who were on board.

The lighthouse will be closed temporarily at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, while the names of the crewmembers are read to the tolling of a ship’s bell.

This is the only time the lighthouse is lit up. After the ceremony, visitors will be able to tour the lighthouse. CLICK HERE to learn more about the ceremony.