Image copyright AP

With just 12 days to go until election day, Donald Trump touts his new Washington DC hotel and Hillary Clinton celebrates her 69th birthday with Adele and talks Death Row chic.

The latest

Mr Trump mixed business with politics at the opening of his latest venture, Trump International Hotel in Washington DC, but the celebrity chef who was meant to draw stars to his restaurant was elsewhere - campaigning for Hillary Clinton in Florida. Jose Andres, who pulled out of the project after saying he was incensed by Mr Trump's anti-immigrant rhetoric, said: "We're not supposed to mention him until he apologises to every Latino… every Mexican and every person he has insulted."

Image copyright AP Image caption Trump International Hotel, DC

The Republican nominee has, however, seen a small rebound in some polls in his uphill climb to the White House - among Republican-leaners, according to Gallup, and in the closely-fought Sunshine State, according to Bloomberg.

Meanwhile, Mrs Clinton may have spent her 69th birthday on the campaign trail, but it seems she was keen for it not to go uncelebrated, tweeting this morning: "Happy birthday to this future president". It seemed to do the trick.

The Democratic nominee was serenaded on stage, given doughnuts dipped in tequila and beer from a radio host, and revealed on Twitter her "birthday surprise" was an Adele concert. She also proposed "a big national dance" to bring the country together after Election Day, so must have been in jovial spirits.

Image copyright Twitter

Image copyright Twitter

However, it wasn't all good news for the campaigns. Mr Trump's running mate Mike Pence took to Twitter to say his beagle of 13 years, Maverick, had died.

Elsewhere, five hours of previously unreleased interviews to the New York Times revealed more about what goes on inside the mind of Donald Trump.

Here are eight things we learned from the Trump tapes.

The paper's editor, Dean Baquet, also told the BBC's Newsnight the Republican nominee had changed the publication.

"We've literally never seen anything like him... he's a comic book figure," he said. "Donald Trump has changed us, we're different as a result," he added, saying they had to call him a liar in a headline.

Random stat

32

The number of events Donald Trump has held at properties he owns over the campaign, according to NBC's Alexandra Jaffe, who totted up the figures as the Republican nominee took time out of race to open his new luxury hotel in Washington DC. At the top of the pack is New York's Trump Tower, boasting 13.

Picture of the day

Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Would Elvis encourage you to vote early? A cardboard cut out in Las Vegas hopes so

Quote of the day

Mrs Clinton was responding to a meme about her presidential debate outfits, which saw hip hop circles suggest her red, white, and blue looks were in tribute to Death Row Records luminaries Tupac, Suge Knight, and Snoop Dogg.

Image copyright Twitter

Thursday's diary

Hillary Clinton will take to the stage with her best asset, First Lady Michelle Obama, in North Carolina, while her running mate Tim Kaine campaigns in Ohio.

Donald Trump is also heading to the swing state of Ohio, while his running mate Mike Pence is holding rallies in Nebraska and Iowa.