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12:30 [GMT]:

Welcome to °®Âþµº’s live coverage of the second US presidential debate between Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Hillary Clinton held at Washington University in St Louis, Missouri.  

Tonight’s debate promises to be a fiery one as Trump attempts to come back from the aftermath of the scandalous revelations of lewd comments he made about women several years ago.

In the freshly released recording, Trump describes trying to have sex with a married woman and brags about women letting him kiss and sexually assault them because he is famous.

In the hours leading up to the debate, Trump appeared at a press conference in St Louis with three women who accuse former President Bill Clinton of raping them and one women whose rapist was defended by Clinton when she was a 27-year-old lawyer in Arkansas.

12:45 [GMT]:

12:50 [GMT]:

Clinton campaign calls Trump use of Bill Clinton’s accusers as an “act of desperation”.

1:00 [GMT]:

The town hall style debate will start momentarily will questions coming from the moderators and studio audience.  

1:05 [GMT]:

The debate kicks off with co-moderators from ABC and CNN

1:05 [GMT]:

The first question from an audience member is about whether the candidates are modeling appropriate behaviour for future generations.

Clinton: "It is very important for us to make clear to our children that our country really is great because we’re good. We are really going to respect one another, lift each other up... celebrate our diversity"

Trump: “I began this campaign because I was tired of seeing such foolish things happen in this country... My whole concept was to make America great again. Where I watch... what’s happening with some horrible things, like Obamacare, where your health care is going up...”

1:10 [GMT]: 

When Trump is asked about the tapes the Republican candidate insists that it was only "locker room talk".

Moderator: Have you done those things detailed in the tape?
Trump: No I have not.

Clinton: What we heard on Friday is how Donald talks about women, how he thinks about women.

Clinton: It's not only this video that tells us who Donald Trump is. He's insulted Latinos, Muslims, POWs. This is not who we are. 

1:20 [GMT]:

Trump asked if he's a different man from when he spoke those words on the tapes.

Trump: That was only locker room banter. It was only talk while Bill Clinton's were actions (brings up rape accusations against former President Bill Clinton).

Clinton: I'm reminded of advice by Michelle Obama "When they go low I go high".

Clinton: This is not just about this video. Trump has never apologised to Mr and Mrs Khan. He's never apologised to the judge who he said couldn't be trusted becuase his parents were Mexican. And he never apologised to President Obama for questioning his nationality.

Trump: Your previous presidential campaign was the one that questioned Obama's nationality before I got into politics.

1:25 [GMT]:

Clinton is asked about her email scandal. 

Clinton: Using private email servers was a mistake, but there is no evidence that they were hacked. No evidence that classified information ended up in the wrong hands.

Trump: You should be ashamed for deleting 33,000 emails.

1:30 [GMT]:

 
1:40 [GMT]:

Muslim woman asks about how candidates will deal with Islamophobia. 

Trump: Islamophobia is a shame, but we have a problem. Muslims have to report when they see them.

Trump: The problem is "radical Islamic terror" but Clinton and Obama wont even say the name of the problem.

Clinton: We've had Muslims in American since George Washington.

Clinton: Donald Trump's rhetoric about Muslims is short sighted and dangerous.

Clinton talks about Muslims as assets in the fight against terrorism, which is a portrayal many Muslims object to.

1:45 [GMT]:

Trump is asked whether his "Muslim ban" still stands. 

Trump: The ban has morphed into extreme vetting. Clinton wants to let in poeple who we can't check.

Clinton: I was checks on poeple coming in, but how can you say you're going to ban poeple based on their religion. What he said was extremely unwise and even dangerous. His proposal is being used as a recruiting tool for terrorists.

1:50 [GMT]:

When asked about the recent Wikileaks revelations, Clinton says it has been proven that hacks have been organised by Russia to influence the US elections in favour of Trump.

Trump: Hillary is lying. I don't know Putin and I have no financial dealings with Russia.

2:00 [GMT]:

Trump asked whether he used his reported nearly $1 billion in losses to avoid paying personal income tax. Trump answers yes and that many of Clinton's rich donors do the same.

2:05 [GMT]:

The candidates are asked about the Syrian crisis. If you were president what would you do about Syria and the humanitarian crisis in Aleppo?

Clinton: This in Syria are catastrophic. The regime with its Iranian allies on the ground and Russians in the air want to defeat the last remaining rebels in Aleppo. 

Clinton: I would stand up to Russia. Where ever we can cooperate, that's fine. But I want to bring them and Syrian regime to account for their war crimes.

Trump: Almost everything Clinton has done in terms of foreign policy was a disaster.

Trump: She wants to fight against Russia and Iran, she wants to fight for the rebels who she doesn't even know who they are. I don't like Assad but he's fighting ISIS (Islamic State), so is Russia and so is Iran.

Clinton is asked whether she would use American force against Assad if diplomacy fails.

Clinton: I will not use US ground forces.

What would you do that President Obama is doing, Clinton is asked.

Clinton moves from discussing the Syrian crisis to discussing the fight against IS.



(Trump complains about the time given to Clinton to answer).

2:30 [GMT]:


2:35 [GMT]:

Last question form audience member. Can you name one positive thing that you respect about each other?

Clinton: I respect Donald Trump's children. 

Trump: She doesn't quit, she doesn't give up. She's a fighter. I disagree with her positions and judgement but she's a fighter, which I consider to be a very positive trait.

2:40 [GMT]:

The debate ends, which concludes our live coverage of the second presidential debate.