Clinton, Trump set for last debate in Vegas

Las Vegas : Democrat Hillary Clinton and rival Donald Trump wade into their last presidential debate Wednesday with the Republican candidate spiraling downward in the polls amid allegations of sexual misconduct and wild charges of a "rigged" US election.

With less than three weeks to go before Americans cast ballots November 8, polls showed Clinton widening her lead over the Republican nominee.

The 90-minute debate at the University of Las Vegas, Nevada offers Trump what may be his last chance to turn around a campaign that has been battered by a stream of allegations he groped and forced himself on women.

"We've only just begun to fight, believe me," Trump said while campaigning in Grand Junction, Colorado Tuesday. "This is our final shot, folks."

Clinton has kept a low profile in recent days, shutting herself in with aides at a hotel near her home in Chappaqua, New York to prepare for the third televised debate of the campaign.

Both candidates on Tuesday jetted separately into this gambling and entertainment capital in the Nevada desert ahead of the high stakes encounter.

Moderated by Fox News journalist Chris Wallace, the event begins at 0100 GMT, before a televised audience expected to number in the millions.

The candidates will be asked about the debt and entitlements, immigration, the economy, the Supreme Court, foreign flashpoints and their fitness to be president.

The past two debates quickly degenerated into highly personal, mudslinging attacks that pushed substantive policy issues to the side.

Clinton "should do what she did in the two first debates which was largely remain calm, deflect criticism and attacks and let Donald Trump continue to self destruct," said John Hudak, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution.

"If your opponent's ship is sinking you don't throw them a life preserver," he said.