US former Secretary of State Colin Powell is dead. He died of COVID-19 complications at the age of 84, according to his family.
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.