The first presidential debate ahead of the US presidential election this year -- between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump -- is taking place in New York on Monday, which, owing to time difference, is seen in Tuesday in India.
The debate has generated huge interest, given the chequered nature of both candidates and the manner in which they have polarised the electorate.
Here are live updates from the debate, scheduled to start at 6:30 am IST on Tuesday:
8:15 am IST: Trump and Clinton shake hands as the debate ends.
"I certainly will support the outcome of this election," says Clinton.
"I want to make America great again. Whatever the outcome, I will support it," says Trump.
8:10 am IST: Trump reiterated his earlier claim of Clinton not possessing a presidential "look" by saying that "she doesn't have the stamina."
"Hillary Clinton has experience, but it's bad experience. This country cannot afford that kind of bad experience for the next four years," Trump said.
Clinton, after criticising his "cavalier attitude" towards nuclear weapons, responds to Trump saying: "As soon as he travels to 112 countries and negotiates a peace deal, a cease fire, a release of dissidents, an opening of new opportunities and nations around the world or even spends 11 hours testifying in front of a congressional committee, he can talk to me about stamina."
She added that Trump "tried to change from looks to stamina, but this is a man who has called women pigs, slobs and dogs."
8 am IST: Trump calls his temperament his "strongest asset" adding "I know how to win. She does not know how to win."
"Woo! O.K.," Clinton replied.
7:55 am IST: Clinton accuses Trump of supporting the invasion of Iraq and also stated that he had insulted Muslims at home and abroad.
"Donald supported the invasion of Iraq. That is absolutely proved over and over again," Clinton said to which Trump interjected "Wrong. Wrong." He repeatedly stated that he had opposed the war to which Holt replied: "The record shows otherwise."
Trump reiterates saying: "That is a lie about me that's been put out by Hillary Clinton. Let me make this absolutely clear - Hillary Clinton is the only candidate on stage who voted for the Iraq War."
"Donald Trump has consistently insulted Muslims abroad, Muslims at home," Clinton said.
7:50 am IST: "I know Donald is very praiseworthy of Vladimir Putin," says Hillary Clinton adding the he had "publicly invited Putin to hack into" American communications. Trump replies saying that Clinton is "wrong" and that he doesn't think "anybody knows" if Russia was behind the recent hacks of Democratic organizations. He wondered whether it was China or a single hacker who "weighs 400 pounds" and sits at home.
7:45 am IST: When the issue of Barack Obama's birth place is raised, Trump tries to blame Clinton suggesting that she had also questioned Obama's birthplace.
"She failed to get the birth certificate. When I got involved, I didn't fail. I got Barack Obama to give his birth certificate. He should've produced it a long time before," Trump said.
Clinton replied saying that Trump had "really started his political activity based on this racist lie that our first black president was not an American citizen" and described his efforts as "very hurtful."
7:40 am IST: Trump stands by his plans to lower taxes on the wealthy and also takes potshots at Clinton. Clinton replies saying: "I have a feeling that by the end of this evening, I'm going to be blamed for everything that's ever happened." Holt reminds Trump that he was speaking during Clinton's allotted time when he interrupts her asking "Why not?"
7:35 am IST: Trump brags about his campaign travels saying: "You've seen me, I've been all over the place. You (Clinton) decided to stay home and that's okay."
Clinton replies saying that she did prepare for the debate and was also preparing to be president.
7:30 am IST: Clinton raked up Trump's tax returns issue wondering if there was "something he's hiding." She also spoke about her private email use as secretary of state. "I made a mistake using a private email... I'm not going to make any excuses. It was a mistake."
7:25 am IST: Clinton says that Trump had "rooted for the housing crisis" so he would get financial opportunities. Trump interrupts saying "That's called business, by the way."
7:20 am IST: Clinton is not tearing into Trump over money he has not paid people for work they have done for him.
She cites an architect in the audience who designed a club house for Trump that was immediately put to use, but the man was not paid what he had asked for.
Trump, not contesting the contention that it was put to good use, says "Maybe he didn't do a good job." So if he didn't, it begs the question why Trump and his people immediately started using it.
7:15 am IST: Trump is truly raking up the email server issue now. He calls out Hillary for saying it was a mistake. "It was not a mistake," he says, adding that he thinks it was "disgraceful."
7:10 am IST: The nice Trump is gone, after having made an appearance and looking to address his rival as "Secretary Clinton."
And as we had predicted, Trump's tax returns and Clinton's emails pop up. However, what few could have forecast was they would pop up together, and that's exactly what happened!
Trump says: "I will release my tax returns -- and that's against my lawyers' wishes -- when she releases the 33,000 emails that had been deleted."
7 am IST: Ok, this looks like fun! Lester Holt is losing his grip on the candidates, and this is turning out to be quite confrontational!
Trump tells Clinton: "You have been fighting Isis [the Islamic State group, also known as Isis or Isil for short] all your adult life!"
She replies, but not to him: "Fact-checkers, get to work!"
6:55 am IST: Trump is now after the Trans-Pacific Pact, signed by current US President Obama Barack Obama, who belongs to the same party as Clinton. She first supported it, but later went against it.
Trump is literally raising his voice on this one as he tells Clinton: "You called it the gold standard!"
She replies: "Well, Donald, I know you live in your own reality."
6:50 am IST: And now the pow-wow is beginning in right earnest.
Clinton says Trump was rooting for the housing market to collapse. He replies: "It's called business."
6:45 pm IST: Trump doesn't seem to be up to the challenge. He talked about jobs, with the statement: "We have to stop our jobs from being stolen from us, we have to stop companies from leaving the United States."
However, Clinton just decimated his policy on tax cuts, calling it "Trumped up trickle-down."
6:40 am IST: First question goes to Clinton: "Why are you a better choice than Trump?"
Hillary answers with some policy decisions she intends to take. She adds: "The central question in this election is really what kind of country we want to be and what kind of future we'll build together." She explains how she wants to create better, "good" jobs, and a "fairer" economy.
She ends her reply thus: "You have to judge us — who can shoulder the immense, awesome responsibilities of the presidency? I hope that I will be able to earn your vote on November 8."
6:35 am IST: This event is expected to garner 100 million viewers. If it does, it could be among the top-20 most-watched TV broadcasts of all time.
Meanwhile, jokes surrounding the debate abound. Some are saying this will be the first time the debate will not be about the colour of the candidates' ties, while Holt himself just said his knees buckles when he heard 100 million people could be tuning in.
6:30 am IST: Lester Holt, who will moderate this debate, has taken the stage and is conducting the introductions.
Holt is not exactly popular with the Trump camp, given that he may fact-check the Republican candidate from time to time, which may catch the billionaire-turned-politician on the wrong foot.
6:15 am IST: Issues to watch out for, and expected to be discussed, include abortion, immigration, Hillary's emails and Trump's tax returns.
6 am IST: Heavy security has been deployed outside Hofstra University, where the debate is taking place.
