Axios

Farideh Moradkhani, the niece of Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and a rights activist, urged foreign governments to cut ties with Iran's regime in a video posted to YouTube on Friday.

Driving the news: The video was released by Moradkhani's brother, Mahmoud Moradkhani, who is based in France, per Reuters.

The U.S. Soccer Federation in a post on social media over the weekend temporarily displayed the Iranian flag without the emblem of the Islamic Republic, AP reports.

Driving the news: USSF said that the edited photo of the flag was intended to show "support for the women in Iran fighting for basic human rights," per AP.

Kim Jong-un's daughter made another public appearance with the North Korean leader during an event over the weekend, per photos released by state media on Sunday.

The big picture: It's the second time this month that the father-daughter pair have appeared publicly together, increasing speculation over which of Kim's family members may succeed him.

Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas) told ABC's "This Week" on Sunday that the upcoming GOP-controlled House will continue to pass support for Ukraine but will do so with more "accountability," adding that Republicans are "not going to write a blank check" for Ukraine.

Why it matters: Threats by Republicans to cut aid to Ukraine if they won control of the House in the midterms prompted concern among Ukrainian officials, with decreased aid having the power to significantly hurt Ukraine's efforts and alter the course of the war.

Public outrage over new COVID-19 lockdown restrictions has fueled rare protests within China, with residents demanding the government to lift restrictions ahead of schedule and some calling for President Xi Jinping's resignation.

Driving the news: Record-breaking case numbers have caused a "COVID storm" to overtake China, impacting the country's economic prospects and fueling public unrest.

A new COVID calamity is hammering China, with a surge in infections prompting a return of lockdowns, including in some manufacturing areas that supply the West.

• China reported a record number of infections this week, amid lockdowns and mass testing that are fueling unrest and darkening the country's economic outlook. Schools in Beijing returned to online teaching.