ASEAN Summit Opens in Manila Amid Conflict Talks and Protests Over Prices and US Policy

Southeast Asian leaders opened their annual ASEAN summit in the Philippine capital, Manila, on Sunday, starting three days of talks that include dialogues with world leaders led by U.S. President Donald Trump. Major conflicts and their impact top the agenda, but arriving leaders were also met by protesters condemning US policies.

Demonstrators voiced anger over how expensive basic commodities have become. They also objected to Pax Silica, a US-led initiative on AI supply chains. Al Jazeera's Barnaby Lo reported on the protests as the leaders arrived. The summit is hosted in the Philippines, and the talks with world leaders form part of its three-day schedule.

Newsmax, on the right, frames the story around the diplomacy. Its headline and opening focus on the leaders opening the summit, the conflicts and their impact topping the agenda, and the dialogues with world leaders led by Trump. The excerpt provided does not mention protests or the cost of living. Al Jazeera, an alternative source, leads with the demonstrations. Its headline puts protesters condemning US policies first and treats the summit's start as the backdrop, and it names Pax Silica and the price of basic goods as grievances. The two accounts agree on the basic facts: the summit began in Manila and Trump-linked diplomacy is part of it. They differ in emphasis, with Newsmax on the agenda and Al Jazeera on public opposition. Left-leaning outlets had not reported this story at the time of writing, while the other two sides had.