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>> and now, "bbc world news." >> mitt romney is on the brink of clinching the republican nomination for the white house. the polls have just closed in the decisive texan primary. in syria of violence must up, not tomorrow. >> this been the night and tense after a earthquake. it has claimed 16 lives. it is not in the morning and singapore. >> it is 2:00 in the morning in london. welcome to newsday.

polls have just closed and the american state of texas. if the predictions are true, mitt romney should have gathered enough support from republican party members to guarantee he will be the presidential candidate. he may declare he is concentrating on fighting president obama, particularly on the question of jobs. >> we need to have presidents to understand how this economy works. small business, middle size business, big business, i do, and i want to use that experience to get us back to work again. [applause] the ap news agency says mitt romney has clinched the nomination with a win in texas. let's get more on this now and we can speak to our correspondent in washington.

news faltering and. we are waiting for more information to come through. >> he has been the presumptive nominee for several weeks now. this is formalizing his nomination. we should note it is a historic moment because mitt romney is the first mormon to become the nominee of a major party. a his father george romney, the governor of michigan, attempted to run for president and he failed to get the nomination in 1968. it is a historic nomination now. that is historic. this was just business as usual and other aspects. he did not go to texas. he concentrated on two western swing states, colorado and

nevada. it is a very tight election. this campaign has been going on for some time. mitt romney really trying to push from the message that president obama has been a job destroyer. the obama campaign continuing to hammer mitt romney on his record at bain capital when he was in charge there suggesting he is representing the lead interests. -- delete interest. it is already a hard-fought contest. >> it has been a pretty road to get here. earlier on we were looking back to the start of this race, newt gingrich, rick santorum, ron paul, it did give very dark at times for mitt romney. >> and the gloves were really off during this year long the campaign. four years ago he failed to

secure the nomination when john mccain won it. in a way he has been running for several years. it has been incredibly better at times. many people will recall when newt gingrich accused mitt romney of being a liar. things have shifted since newt gingrich has supported him. mitt romney is working very hard on fundraising right now. >> we are still waiting for the official confirmation of mitt romney's win a in texas. the ap so far saying he has clinched the win. the texas primary offering 152 delegates seats. he just needed 58 to secure the 1144 needed to become a nominee for the republican party. >> this is essentially a formality. ron paul who is technically

still in the race was not campaigning either. it is a formality. it is a symbolic move up forward. now we are looking toward the campaign convention in tampa. newt gingrich suggests he would push mitt romney all the way to the convention in august. that is not going to happen now. he can focus his guns on president obama. >> just to reiterate, the ap said in mitt romney has clinch the nomination for president with a win in the texas primary. the associated press saying the delegate count says mitt romney has surpassed 1144 delegate seats needed to win the nomination. we are maybe hoping he will speak. if we get any live coverage of him addressing his supporters, we will bring that to you on bbc

news. the un special envoy to syria has told president assad that syria is in a tipping point. 10 western nations to record unaided steps of expelling syrian diplomats. 98 people were killed including 61 civilians and it 28 government troops. the diplomatic correspondent has more. >> syrian shelling of heavily populated areas were only part of the slaughter of civilians that has caused international outrage. the un says most victims including children were murdered inside their homes by president assad's militias. tonight france's president says

it is not allowed to allow the assad regime to assassinate their own people. >> it is not excluded provided is carried out under international law, that is to say authorized by you and security council resolution. >> at the white house they are talking down suggestions of armed intervention. >> we do not believe further militarization in syria at this point is the right course of action. we believe it will lead to greater chaos, greater carnage. >> one thing seems clear, russia at the you and would veto any attempt to intervene in syria. they would not repeat their stand aside ascension. today saw the expulsion of syrian diplomats. this was their ambassador in france. and this was their ambassador in

spain after being told to get out. britain and the united states were among others ordering ambassador's home. >> this is part of our tightening of pressure. >> their top diplomat and two others said the embassy at london have been given seven days to leave the -- to leave britain. is designed to send a strong signal to president assad that he must now get behind kofi annan's peace plan. >> annan urged him to start dialogue. assad denied having anything to do with the deaths. it did not look like a meeting of the minds. >> we are at a tipping point. the syrian people did not want their future to be one of bloodshed and division.

yet the killings continue. the abuses are still with us today. >> if the massacre is a tipping point, it could be to greater violence. syria opposed the regime has always calculated their survival depends on overwhelming force, not on dialogue. >> the death toll from the latest earthquake to hit northern italy has risen to 16. what more can you tell us? >> the epicenter was close to where a similar quake struck nine days earlier. a factory and warehouse collapsed and several churches were wrecked. >> here in the rubble of northern italy, rescue workers used dogs to search for survivors. this latest quake has shaken a beautiful region.

its cathedrals, palaces, and homes have been destroyed. warehouses and factories not built to withstand tremors have simply collapsed. >> my son is under the rubble of the factory and the medolla so i am not feeling well. they cannot tell us if he is still under the rubble. if he is in hospital, they cannot tell us which he is in. i am going crazy. >> some people are still getting used to life in a tent forced from a life in -- forced from their home from the first quake. this woman just feels like crying. they boasted about their architecture, their history, are now eerily silent. just as they're trying to heal

the cracks in their economy, this region has been rocked to the core. italian prime minister has promised to return -- a return to normality to this region that neither he or anyone else can say whether there will be more aftershocks and when the it will be safe to return home. >> in other news, the italian prime minister has rejected football should be suspended. 14 arrests to bring the total number of suspects arrested to about 50 since 2011. authorities in the ukraine has described allegations of racism has invented.

the daughter of the ukraine's jailed former prime minister has told bbc news that the 2012 tournament should go ahead despite the political tensions in the country. she is hopeful of a resolution to the treatment of her mother and other political prisoners before the tournament. >> i think the events should go on. my mother when she was in the government, she fought for the rights to oppose the championship and ukraine. because of the action of the regime, we see the consequences of this and ukraine's isolation in the world. >> you are watching news on the

bbc live from singapore and london. still to come, we gauge reaction in bangkok. >> will get live reaction on the corruption conviction handed down to the philippine's chief judge. now a quick look at some front stage -- front-page stories in britain and around the world. when the paper describes as the war crime. lagarade pays no tax on her salary of close to half of a million dollars. the head of the imf said it might do well to pay their taxes. the financial times reports two

of the best known businesses in the u.s. will come together in a strategic partnership. barcelona airport is covered and rubbish after they went on strike over pay and benefit cuts. >> the headlines for you this our -- mitt romney within the past 50 minutes has clinched the republican nomination. he won the texas primary. >> the on void for syria has told assad to take bold steps to ensure the peace plan is at a tipping point. >> more on the presidential election. confirmation that mitt romney

has finally won enough support to become the republican's party candidate. welcome to bbc news. we were just waiting for the percentage and official confirmation of those numbers. a win for mitt romney. >> i am not surprised at all. he went from being the presumptive nominee for president, one whose three opponents have all bowed out and endorsed him to being the certain republican nominee and once the convention in tampa is held, he will be the republican nominee. >> are you pleased? >> well, i am happy that republicans got the nomination ride over. i travel to most of the primary

and caucus states. it is good to see the field narrowed it down and see the race of romney versus obama going one on one. >> how will he take on barack obama in november? >> and a strong position, a lot stronger than ronald reagan was at this point in 1980 or bill clinton was in 1992, and both unseating sitting presidents of the united states. unemployment is about 8% or 9% depending what we get is. the european economic situation and the possibility of a greece leaving the euro and the european union sending storm clouds over. there is a lot of other uncertainty in the world. barack obama is the president. while he may not have caused

these problems, he is somebody who gave people a lot of hope when he ran last time. now he is trying to play defense. mitt romney looks strong right now. >> how do you think the republican party machine will proceed to november? would be to attack the ground now as mayor romney proceeds? >> i would not say in those words. i will tell you i saw mitt romney speak at the latino coalition a few days ago. he spelled out a vision and spoke about improving education as the civil rights issue of our era. at this point he will be spelling out what he favors and where he differs from the sitting president. in other words, making americans think of him as a possible commander in chief and chief executive in the united states. you watch, that will be the strategy of romney and the republicans in the weeks ahead.

>> i know we are sometimes a head from that big day in november. if he were a betting man where we're deeply your money? >> it is funny you ask me that, because mitt romney was an las vegas i understand. i would not bet the farm on mitt romney, but i would bet a few acres. let me share a story with you. i do not drive a large automobile. the last time i had to fill a full tank cost $58 to fell that tank. if i have to pay that amount to pay my -- to fill my tank at the end of october, i will head down to where ever i can go and put down a bet on mitt romney. >> we may well hold the to that. i am sure we will speak ahead in the coming weeks and months. in other news the chief judge in

the philippines has been found guilty of corruption. the chief justice of the supreme court felt to declare a personal fortune worth more than 2 million united states dollars. >> the trial of the philippine'' top judge was always going to be divisive. he was a breath of fresh air to the judiciary keeping independent from the government. cracks in the matter of impeachment -- >> his detractors say he rock represents everything wrong with the judicial system. its close association with the former government said he cannot do his job and partially. -- and partially. >> it does back two years to the

inauguration. he had been appointed weeks beforehand by the former president. the new president did not approve. he even insisted on being sworn in by another judge. the supreme court headed by chief justice said she could go. the government insisted she stay. the case was a vital test and his administration opposed the battle against corruption. that is why today's verdict is so important. the president will see it as a validation of his efforts. after nearly five months of deliberations, the philippines senate can go back to its normal business.

>> let's get more on this now. joining me now is christina mendez. thank you for joining us. a guilty verdict in a trial that has captured the nation. give me your reaction to this. >> the guilty verdict against former chief justice has ended a five month grueling exercise that has divided the nation. it also shows democracy in the country is vibrant and working. it is also a boost to the president, his policy and ability. although there were some concerns that exit polls showed chief executive may have been trying to control both the congress and the judiciary, it also highlighted the call for every public official to be more

truthful and declaring their assets and net worth. >> it is interesting you say this verdict has divided the country. clearly, more questions will remain regarding what now happens, particularly for the senses. the award has been say it about that. >> the sentence according to the president and presiding officer -- copies of the verdict were issued to the respondents themselves to the office of the president to the supreme court to notify them about the guilty verdict. >> are you likely to know what that will be? >> the verdict is for 27 charges, for the guilt of corona.

removal from office and disqualification to run for office. >> will have to leave it there, but thank you for talking after that. >> it has been years since suu kyi left her homeland. she had always feared if she left the military here run burma would prevent her from returning. >> she is here for the world economic forum east asia meeting. she is to address that meeting in two sessions on friday. today she is going to head to an area outside bangkok which has a high concentration of burmese migrants, one of the cheapest sources of labor here and

thailand. she is going to tour that area in the morning. she will meet many of the migrants to work there and hear their concerns. yes, it is about the world economic forum. we suspect is also about the refugee camps as well. >> she expressed her feelings about her first overseas trip in 24 years. >> not verbally. she arrived late last night. she got straight into her car and was driven to the hotel where she did not speak to the press. i think it was fairly clear from her demeanor and her smile and the way she was interacting with people that she was quite excited. this is the first time in a long time she has left. there was a -- the media was waiting for her as well as

people who came to see her at the airport. this was a historic moment. her refusal to leave became a to symbolize her struggle against military dictatorship there and also the struggle of the burmese people. i think many burmese people are looking at this as a symbolic moment and a symbolic moment she not trust the authorities enough to leave the country in the knowledge that will allow her to go back. >> you have been watching tuesday from the bbc. -- newsday from the bbc. >> vote projections and taxes say the former governor of massachusetts mitt romney has won enough votes in the primary to formally secure the party's presidential nomination. he won the primary by 70%. stay with us, headlines on the

way next. >> make sense of international news at bbc.com/news. >> funding was made possible by the freeman foundation of new york, stowe, vermont, and honolulu. newman's own foundation. and union bank. >> at union bank, our relationship managers use their expertise in global finance to guide you through the business strategies and opportunities of international commerce. we put our extended globalwhat can we do for you?

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