US election 2016: Trump and Clinton clinch more wins

Donald Trump has won presidential primaries in all five north-eastern US states voting while Hillary Clinton took four, US media say.

 Trump called himself the Republican "presumptive nominee" after victories in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island.

For the Democrats, s Clinton was denied a clean sweep by Bernie Sanders who won in Rhode Island.

 Trump's rivals have already shifted their attention to upcoming states.

Ted Cruz and John Kasich have teamed up to help each other in the Indiana, Oregon and New Mexico primaries.

 Trump has condemned their pact as a sign of weakness and desperation.
Speaking in New York after Tuesday's results came in, Trump said his rivals' plan was another example of the Republican establishment conspiring against him.

"I think it's a good thing because it shows weakness, it shows ineffectiveness, but really it's collusion," he said. "The Republican party needs something much better than that."

 Trump is edging closer to securing 1,237 delegates, which would mean he could avoid a contested convention this July in Cleveland. A contested convention would see party delegates - Republican officials and activists - choose the nominee.
Speaking at Philadelphia Convention Center after her latest wins were announced, s Clinton said her campaign was setting "bold, progressive goals" to improve lives in the US as "both dreamers and doers".

"We believe in the goodness of our people and the greatness of our nation," she said.

Speaking in Huntington, West Virginia, after the vote, Sanders vowed to fight to the end of the nomination process, saying he would attract broad support in November's election.

"The reason that we are generating this enthusiasm is because we are doing something very unusual in contemporary politics. We are telling the truth," he said.
Despite some success, it is unlikely Sanders will be able to overcome s Clinton's lead to become the Democratic nominee for president.

Meanwhile the hope of a contested convention is keeping Kasich and Cruz in the race. Both candidates have no chance of securing the nomination outright.
 
Kasich is to give Cruz a "clear path" by not campaigning in Indiana and Cruz will reciprocate in New Mexico and Oregon. But neither has endorsed tactical voting among their supporters.

Speaking in Indiana on Tuesday night, Cruz said his supporters could look forward to some success as the race moved on.

His event was held at a basketball court where some scenes were filmed for the 1986 film Hoosiers, about a small-town high school basketball team that wins the state championship.

The Texas senator attempted to recreate a scene from the film but was mocked on social media for referring to a basketball "ring" rather than a "hoop".