US Vice President Harris will attend COP28 climate summit in Dubai

US Vice President Kamala Harris is set to participate in the COP28 climate summit in Dubai, according to sources cited by Bloomberg News. Harris will join Secretary of State Antony Blinken and other high-ranking American officials during the two-week event, which kicks off on Thursday. The 28th session of the United Nations “Conference of the Parties” on climate, COP28, is scheduled from Nov. 30 to Dec. 12 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, a significant oil-producing nation. The event is expected to draw participation from world leaders, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. The two-week meeting of international leaders aims to assess where the world stands when it comes to limiting emissions to slow global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) compared with pre-industrial times. Emirati officials said Tuesday they expect over 70,000 attendees at the talks, including heads of state. Pope Francis meanwhile cancelled his trip to Dubai for the U.N. climate conference on doctors’ orders Tuesday, although he is recovering from the flu and lung inflammation, the Vatican said. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also likely will not attend the talks, Israel’s Foreign Ministry told The Associated Press on Tuesday night. Nor will Foreign Minister Eli Cohen attend the summit, the ministry said, citing the war. Arab nations have reacted with rage over the punishing bombardment and ground offensive in the Gaza Strip after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel. The UAE reached a diplomatic recognition deal with Israel in 2020, but public anger still seethes in this autocratic nation of seven sheikhdoms. Meanwhile, Syrian President Bashar Assad won’t be attending either, according to the pro-government newspaper Al-Watan, despite receiving an invitation from Emirati leader Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Instead, Syrian Prime Minister Hussein Arnous will lead the country’s delegation. Assad has slowly reintegrated himself into Arab regional politics in the last year, despite his brutal crackdown on 2011 Arab Spring protesters that descended into a civil war and consequently became a regional conflict. The war has killed half a million people and displaced half of Syria’s population. With inputs from agencies.