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| US Election 2016: Cruz and Rubio attack Trump in debate | US Election 2016: Cruz and Rubio attack Trump in debate |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Republican presidential hopefuls Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio have unleashed a barrage of attacks on front-runner Donald Trump in the last debate before next week's pivotal primaries. | |
| The senators sought to blunt Mr Trump's momentum after he won three of the first four contests. | The senators sought to blunt Mr Trump's momentum after he won three of the first four contests. |
| Immigration, healthcare and outreach to Latino voters dominated the debate. | Immigration, healthcare and outreach to Latino voters dominated the debate. |
| But like previous occasions, the debate quickly disintegrated into long periods of shouting and personal insults. | But like previous occasions, the debate quickly disintegrated into long periods of shouting and personal insults. |
| Analysis: Anthony Zurcher, BBC News North America reporter | Analysis: Anthony Zurcher, BBC News North America reporter |
| At long last the Republican candidates have come to the realisation that Donald Trump can actually win this race, but it may be too late. | At long last the Republican candidates have come to the realisation that Donald Trump can actually win this race, but it may be too late. |
| For more than two hours, Senators Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz took turns throwing haymakers at the New Yorker. They attacked him on his business record; they mentioned hypocrisy; they questioned his conservative credentials; and they criticised the lack of detail in his policies and his reliance on bluster. | For more than two hours, Senators Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz took turns throwing haymakers at the New Yorker. They attacked him on his business record; they mentioned hypocrisy; they questioned his conservative credentials; and they criticised the lack of detail in his policies and his reliance on bluster. |
| "We're having a lot of fun up here, aren't we?" the front-runner quipped at one point. But the truth is that Mr Trump was on his heels for much of the evening. | "We're having a lot of fun up here, aren't we?" the front-runner quipped at one point. But the truth is that Mr Trump was on his heels for much of the evening. |
| The challenge for the men who would unseat the leader, however, is that the best time to bludgeon a candidate is before it's clear circumstances are forcing you to act. In a campaign where authenticity is worshipped above all, Thursday's fireworks could smack of the kind political expediency many associate with traditional politicians. | The challenge for the men who would unseat the leader, however, is that the best time to bludgeon a candidate is before it's clear circumstances are forcing you to act. In a campaign where authenticity is worshipped above all, Thursday's fireworks could smack of the kind political expediency many associate with traditional politicians. |
| Both Mr Cruz and Mr Rubio drew blood with their attacks, but Mr Trump will likely emerge unbowed. | Both Mr Cruz and Mr Rubio drew blood with their attacks, but Mr Trump will likely emerge unbowed. |
| The Republican road to the White House: In depth | The Republican road to the White House: In depth |
| Five ways Trump can still be stopped - Unlikely ways other Republicans can get out front | Five ways Trump can still be stopped - Unlikely ways other Republicans can get out front |
| What makes Super Tuesday super? - The long day of voting explained | What makes Super Tuesday super? - The long day of voting explained |
| The Republicans who hate Trump - Lifelong members of the party speak out | The Republicans who hate Trump - Lifelong members of the party speak out |
| Rubio's onslaught | Rubio's onslaught |
| Mr Rubio, who has come second in many of the recent contests, mounted a series of attacks against Mr Trump. | Mr Rubio, who has come second in many of the recent contests, mounted a series of attacks against Mr Trump. |
| "If he hadn't inherited $200m, you know where Donald Trump would be? Selling watches in Manhattan," Mr Rubio said in one tense exchange. | "If he hadn't inherited $200m, you know where Donald Trump would be? Selling watches in Manhattan," Mr Rubio said in one tense exchange. |
| Mr Rubio also criticised Mr Trump's failed online education venture, Trump University, and assailed him for hiring foreign workers rather than Americans in his construction projects. | Mr Rubio also criticised Mr Trump's failed online education venture, Trump University, and assailed him for hiring foreign workers rather than Americans in his construction projects. |
| Mr Trump shot back: "I hired tens of thousands of people. You've hired nobody." | Mr Trump shot back: "I hired tens of thousands of people. You've hired nobody." |
| The billionaire real estate mogul found himself increasingly on the defensive about his business dealings, his conservative credentials and his support for Israel. | The billionaire real estate mogul found himself increasingly on the defensive about his business dealings, his conservative credentials and his support for Israel. |
| In other exchanges: | In other exchanges: |
| Mr Trump has been extremely popular despite his controversial comments about deporting millions of undocumented workers and banning Muslims from travelling to the US. | |
| Next Tuesday, known as Super Tuesday, millions of voters in 11 states will cast ballots. | |
| A quarter of the total numbers of delegates needed to secure the Republican nomination will be up for grabs. | |
| Mr Trump is currently leading in 10 out of 11 states holding contests on Super Tuesday. | Mr Trump is currently leading in 10 out of 11 states holding contests on Super Tuesday. |
| He has 82 Republican party delegates, Mr Cruz has 17 and Mr Rubio has 16. To become the Republican party's nominee, a candidate has to have 1,237 total state delegates. | |
| On the Democratic side, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders will compete for 1,004 delegates on Super Tuesday. So far, Mrs Clinton has 505 delegates and Mr Sanders has 71. | |
| Each party formally announces their presidential candidate at conventions in July, four months before the presidential election. | Each party formally announces their presidential candidate at conventions in July, four months before the presidential election. |
| Key dates to come | Key dates to come |
| 27 February - South Carolina primary (D) | 27 February - South Carolina primary (D) |
| 1 March - 'Super Tuesday' - 15 states or territories decide | 1 March - 'Super Tuesday' - 15 states or territories decide |
| 18-21 July - Republican convention, nominee picked | 18-21 July - Republican convention, nominee picked |
| 25-28 July - Democratic convention, nominee picked | 25-28 July - Democratic convention, nominee picked |
| 8 November - US presidential elections | 8 November - US presidential elections |
| In depth: Primary calendar | In depth: Primary calendar |
| How does the US election work? |