First Thing: Deal to keep 1.5C hopes alive is within reach, says Cop28 president

Sultan Al Jaber says progress means ‘unprecedented outcome’ is possible. Plus, why the UK and Greece are arguing about marbles

Good morning.

An “unprecedented outcome” that would keep alive hopes of limiting global temperature rises to 1.5C is within reach, the president-designate of Cop28 has said – adding that even Saudi Arabia is expected to come to the UN climate summit with positive commitments.

Who is going to Cop28? World leaders and heads of state and government will attend the first few days of the fortnight of talks, including the UK prime minister, Rishi Sunak, King Charles and the European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen. Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, are not expected to attend but will send high-level representatives. Pope Francis has cancelled his trip to the summit on the advice of doctors concerned about his recent flu-like symptoms, the Vatican said.

What has the White House national security council spokesperson said? John Kirby told reporters: “Now you have an added population of hundreds of thousands more in the south that you didn’t have before [the Israelis] moved into Gaza City. And so it’s even all that more of an added burden on Israel to make sure … that they have properly accounted for … the extra innocent life that is now in south Gaza.”