Southeast Asian leaders open annual summit with major conflicts and their impact topping the agenda

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Southeast Asian leaders opened their annual summit in the Philippine capital Manila on Sunday for three days of talks, including dialogues with world leaders led by U.S. President Donald Trump, whose crucial trip to Asia could help boost his standing after his party’s defeat in the midterm elections.

The talks by the leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and their expanded discussions with Asian and Western heads of state would focus on the world’s most troubling conflicts led by the war in the Middle East, according to drafts of post-summit communiques seen by The Associated Press.

Trump is expected to land in Manila with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday afternoon, after the main ASEAN summit meetings have concluded and Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. turns over the regional bloc’s rotating annual leadership to Singapore, Philippine officials said.

The ASEAN leaders are likely to renew calls for self-restraint and peaceful resolutions of conflicts, including longstanding disputes in the South China Sea and a civil war in Myanmar. They also are expected to press efforts to shield their economies and citizens from continuing fallout from intractable global conflicts.

“We reaffirmed our shared commitment to upholding international law, including the United Nations Charter,” the leaders’ draft statement says.

The statement also underlines the “importance of the peaceful resolution of disputes, upholding freedom of navigation and overflight and other lawful uses of the sea, including the right of transit passage in straits used for international navigation.”

Marcos said it’s crucial that despite the 11-nation regional bloc’s diversity, it has remained committed to remaining united in the face of headwinds.

“That commitment matters even more as the waters around us turn on shifting tides, geopolitical tensions, economic uncertainty, new technologies, climate change and transnational threats,” Marcos said in his opening remarks before ASEAN counterparts in a heavily secured convention center by Manila Bay.

Marcos warned problems across the world “are reshaping our region faster than any one country can respond to alone.”

But unity has been an elusive objective in ASEAN, a diverse bloc of democracies and authoritarian states, many of which are aligned with the United States or China.

ASEAN is known more for photo-ops projecting unity, cultural pomp and pageantry than for effectively dealing with the region’s conflicts, including Myanmar and the South China Sea.

Trump will join three key meetings late Tuesday, including a meeting of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue consisting of the United States, Japan, Australia and India, a grouping largely seen as a counterweight to China. He also will take part in a special summit with ASEAN leaders over cocktails, according to Philippine officials.

Trump will meet Wednesday with Marcos, who will receive him with a red-carpet welcome and a state luncheon at Manila’s presidential palace. They are expected to renew a commitment to their countries’ decades-old treaty alliance before flying separately to Shenzhen city in China for the APEC summit hosted by Chinese President Xi Jinping.

“The short stop in Manila will help reassure allies and partners that they aren’t being forgotten before he jets off to Shenzhen to focus on meetings with Xi,” U.S.-based geopolitical analyst Greg Poling said.

He added that the midterm electoral setback suffered by Republicans will hound Trump in Asia.

“In China, the administration has been trying to lower expectations; there will be no substantive progress made between Trump and Xi,” Poling said. “With Trump politically weakened after the midterm drubbing here, it is likely that the Chinese side will be even less interested in making any compromises.”

China will be represented in the Manila summit by its premier, Li Qiang, who will meet ASEAN leaders on Monday but leave before Trump arrives, Philippine officials said.

Associated Press journalist Haruka Nuga in Tokyo contributed to this report.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese sips a drink during a visit to a restaurant in Manila, Philippines, Sunday, Nov. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Firdia Linsawati)

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, center, applauds as Australian Ambassador to the Philippines Marc Innes-Brown, left, and Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., right, display copies of the agreement during the signing of the Australia-Philippines Defense Cooperation Arrangement on the sidelines of the 49th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Manila, Philippines, Sunday, Nov. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Firdia Linsawati)

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese interacts with a costumed mascot during a visit to a restaurant in Manila, Philippines, Sunday, Nov. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Firdia Linsawati)

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., right, welcomes Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, left, during the 49th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit retreat sessions in Manila, Philippines, Sunday, Nov. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila, Pool)

From left, International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Cambodia's Deputy Prime Minister Hangchuon Naron, Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, East Timor's Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao, Vietnamese Prime Minister Le Minh Hung, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Philippine's President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., Singapore's Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Brunei Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, Indonesia's President Prabowo Subianto, Myanmar's Director-General of the ASEAN Affairs Department Han Win Aung and Laos Prime Minister Saleumxay Kommasith pose for photos during the opening of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Manila, Philippines Sunday, Nov. 15, 2026. (Nhac Nguyen/Pool Photo via AP)

NEW YORK (AP) — Kayla Harrison retained her 135-pound championship when she choked out Amanda Nunes in the fourth round and spoiled the comeback bid of the woman widely recognized as the greatest female fighter in the co-main event of UFC 334 on Saturday night at Madison Square Garden.

Harrison (20-1) had plenty to prove in not only her first title defense as Nunes ended her three-year retirement for this title match, but in her fight since June 2025. She had spinal fusion surgery in January for a neck injury that delayed this anticipated fight until Saturday night at the Garden.

Nunes (23-6) tried to wrestle with the two-time Olympic gold medal judo champion in Harrison and ended the first two rounds flat on her back. Harrison landed a series of short punches and elbows to the head that seemed to tire her out — she admitted the difficulty in cutting weight to 135 pounds — as much as do damage to Nunes.

Harrison — who walked out to “Eye of the Tiger” while the fighter better known as the “Lioness” stretched and bounced on her tiptoes ahead of Bruce Buffer’s introductions —wasted no time in the fourth round after she tripped out Nunes and followed her to the canvas to apply the rear naked choke.

“I think I'm still in shock,” Harrison said.

Nunes may be considered the best in the sport.

Harrison staked her claim as the best of right now.

Ciryl Gane is set to defend his UFC heavyweight championship against Josh Hokit in the main event.

President Donald Trump has attended UFC events at the Garden in the past but was not on hand Saturday night. Trump said last week he was offering UFC chief Dana White the job of White House press secretary, but he later said he was just kidding.

After bringing UFC to the White House lawn this summer, Trump brought White into the press briefing room on Monday. Trump briefly stood aside as White took questions.

White had his usual cageside seat and reveled in all that the global fight promotion has accomplished over the last 10 years of legal MMA fights in New York.

Conor McGregor won the lightweight championship in the main event of UFC's debut card at Madison Square Garden 10 years ago. Georges St-Pierre, Daniel Cormier and Jon Jones are among the winners of major championship fights at MSG and topping this annual card has become a career goal for most champions.

Some fighters just want to go out on top in New York.

Stephen Thompson had fans chanting his “Wonderboy” nickname in his retirement fight against Charles Radtke in a welterweight bout. The 43-year-old Thompson, who twice fought for the welterweight championship, won via stoppage with a spinning wheel kick to Radtke's head in the third round. UFC played a video tribute to Thompson.

“I told myself I wasn't going to cry,” Thompson said, with a catch in his voice. “We wouldn't have this sport if it wasn't for my fans.”

Thompson laid his gloves on the mat, the symbolic farewell for a combat fighter before retirement.

See AP’s full sports coverage here

Kayla Harrison, above, grapples with Brazil's Amanda Nunes during a women's bantamweight title bout at the UFC 334 mixed martial arts event Saturday, Nov. 14, 2026 in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Stephen Thompson gestures as he leaves the octagon after a welterweight bout against Charles Radtke at the UFC 334 mixed martial arts event Saturday, Nov. 14, 2026 in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Stephen Thompson celebrates after a welterweight bout against Charles Radtke at the UFC 334 mixed martial arts event Saturday, Nov. 14, 2026 in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Kayla Harrison, left, reacts after a women's bantamweight title bout against Brazil's Amanda Nunes, right, at the UFC 334 mixed martial arts event Saturday, Nov. 14, 2026 in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Brazil's Amanda Nunes, left, punches Kayla Harrison during a women's bantamweight title bout at the UFC 334 mixed martial arts event Saturday, Nov. 14, 2026 in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)