Colin Powell will vote for Clinton

NEW YORK • Mr Colin Powell, who served as secretary of state in Republican president George W. Bush's administration, said he would vote for Democrat Hillary Clinton in the Nov 8 presidential election, according to Newsday newspaper.

Mr Powell, who made the announcement on Tuesday, said Republican Donald Trump was "not qualified" and had sold Americans a "bill of goods" that he could not deliver, Newsday said. "He has insulted America in one way almost every day," he said of Mr Trump.

REUTERS

Fighting words

TALLAHASSEE (Florida) • Mr Trump has responded to Vice-President Joe Biden's remark that he would like to "take him behind the gym" if they were in high school, saying he would welcome such a confrontation. "He wants to bring me to the back of the barn. Ohhhhhh," Mr Trump said on Tuesday. "Some things in life you can really love doing."

Mr Biden has strongly criticised Mr Trump's 2005 remarks about forcing himself on women sexually.

He said reporters routinely ask him whether he wishes he had the chance to debate Mr Trump.

"No, I wish we were in high school. I could take him behind the gym," Mr Biden said.

WASHINGTON POST