Here are the latest news headlines from this morning that reached our news desk. The times given are Jerusalem time (GMT +3)

8:00 AM - Blinken opposes Palestinian state recognition: 'Move detached from reality - this is not the time'
Former U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, who served in President Joe Biden's administration, spoke out against declarations by many Western countries recognizing a Palestinian state. In an article written for the Wall Street Journal, he argued that "the move is detached from reality and this is not the time - the priority is preventing hunger in Gaza, recovering the hostages and ending the war in Gaza." Additionally, he detailed what he considers a more appropriate plan for Palestinian state recognition, noting it should be time-bound to three years, include normalization with Saudi Arabia."

8:15 AM - Iran Transfers Alleged Israeli Spy to Death Row
Iran has moved one step closer to executing another prisoner accused of spying for Israel.
Babak Shahbazi,44 worked as a heating, ventilation and air conditioning technician at data centers, including Iran’s telecommunications company, before security forces arrested him in January 2024. He spent over nine months in solitary confinement at Evin Prison and safe houses, where authorities subjected him to severe torture to extract confessions, according to Iran Human Rights.