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Former US Secretary of State Colin Powell has died aged 84 of Covid-19 complications, his family has announced.

He was a former top military officer who rose to become the first African-American secretary of state in 2001 under Republican George W Bush.

"We have lost a remarkable and loving husband, father, grandfather and a great American," a statement said.

"We want to thank the medical staff... for their caring treatment," it added.

The statement said that he had been fully vaccinated against Covid.

Mr Powell became a trusted military adviser to a number of leading US politicians.