DHAKA: US presidential hopefuls Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton appear to have emerged strengthened in the latest round of voting for the US presidential nomination in five states.

Despite defeats in the first states to report results, Trump and Hillary are projected to record wins in the remaining contests, reports the BBC.

In the Republican race, Ted Cruz won the Kansas and Maine caucuses.

Bernie Sanders won comfortably in the Democratic Kansas caucuses.

However, billionaire Trump is expected to win in both the Republican Kentucky caucuses and Louisiana primary election.

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is expected to lose to Sanders in the Nebraska caucuses, but partial results from Louisiana put her well ahead.

Cruz's wins strengthen his case that he may be the only candidate who can stop Trump after a week in which the Republican establishment did everything it could to attack Trump, analysts say.

The other Republican contenders, Marco Rubio and John Kasich, saw little uplift in their support.

Observers also point out that Cruz and Sanders both won in caucuses but appear to have lost in the Louisiana primary elections, involving far more voters. The Democratic race there also appears to have exposed Sanders' lack of support among African-American voters.

BDST: 0957 HRS, MAR 06, 2016
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