White House national security adviser Robert O’Brien met his Israeli counterpart, Meir Ben Shabbat, today at the White House. According to a joint statement issued at the end of the meeting, they discussed the domestic unrest in Iran among other topics.
Why it matters: Israeli officials say there's now an opening — due to unrest inside Iran, anti-Iran protests in Iraq and demonstrations in Lebanon — to put even more pressure on Iran's government and weaken its regional influence.
The firing of the Czech Republic's cybersecurity director, Dusan Navratil, was not linked to an ongoing dispute with Chinese telecom giant Huawei, sources with direct knowledge tell Axios.
Why it matters: The Czech cybersecurity agency has fended off numerous overtures from Huawei, bucking the trend among Eastern European nations. Navratil’s departure does not signal a change in this stance.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has tweeted his support for soccer star Mesut Özil after the Arsenal player criticized China’s mass detention of Uighur Muslims.
Driving the news: Thecomments come after Özil's London-based soccer club distanced itself from Özil's comments, with the team putting out a statement that it does not interfere in politics. Chinese broadcaster CCTV then pulled a match between Arsenal and Manchester City in light of the criticism.
