THE G20 summit in South Africa began today with the United States snubbing the host country, whose recent land reform law has offended Donald Trump.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will be conspicuous by his absence at a gathering attended by the foreign ministers of China, Russia and the EU.

Mr Rubio denounced the summit’s theme of “solidarity, equality and sustainability” — “in other words DEI [diversity, equity and inclusion, affirmative action policies the US government has declared war on] and climate change” (which Mr Trump calls a “scam.”)