Many political bigwigs in Pakistan suffered shocking defeats in the national elections even as votes were still being counted, with former Prime Ministers Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Yousaf Raza Gilani, and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari losing their strongholds.

US President Donald Trump on Thursday slammed Twitter for "shadow banning" some Republicans in search results on the micro-blogging platform.

Former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said on Thursday that the mandate has been snatched from the people of the country.

 Cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan, who is set to be the new Pakistan Prime Minister, on Thursday said his government would seek good relations with India and would like leaders of the two countries to sit across the table and resolve all disputes, including the "core issue" of Kashmir.

An explosive was detonated on a street outside the US Embassy in Beijing on Thursday, close to the main compound, rattling the diplomatically sensitive area in the capital.

Massive delays in counting and allegations of rigging dominated the early hours of Thursday in Pakistan, where official poll results were still awaited even 15 hours after voting ended.

At least four Afghan intelligence officers were killed in a suicide attack here in the city early on Thursday, police said.

US President Donald Trump blasted his former attorney Michael Cohen on Wednesday after a secret audio of a recording between the two about making a payment to Playboy playmate Karen McDougal was aired.