https://www.plenglish.com/index.php?o=rn&id=62092&SEO=elections-proceed-smoothly-in-burkina-faso

Ouagadougou, Nov 22 (Prensa Latina) The presidential and legislative elections in Burkina Faso are proceeding normally on Sunday following the opening of the voting centers, despite the existence of security concerns, according to local publications.

According to the Africa News digital portal, the ranks of voters in the capital were formed as soon as the polls opened, on an election in which 6.5 million voters are registered and 13 presidential candidates are running.

Current president Roch Marc Christian Kabore, of the ruling Popular Movement for Progress party is considered the favorite to win these elections, and aspires to be re-elected as Head of State.

Kabore's main opponent is the opposition candidate Zephirin Diabre, from the political formation Union for Progress and Change.

This presidential candidate and others expressed in their respective electoral campaigns that if the vote is fraudulent they will not acknowledge the results, which fuels political tensions.

Electoral sources pointed out as a negative element in this Sunday's elections the cancellation of the voting in some 1,500 villages located in territories with a strong presence of radical armed groups, which exert violence on the civilian population.

https://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/world/2020/11/22/Putin-says-he-s-not-ready-to-recognize-Biden-as-US-president

Russian President Vladimir Putin said he’s ready to work with any US leader, but still isn’t ready to recognize the election victory of Joe Biden.

“We will work with anyone who has the confidence of the American people, Putin said on Russian state TV Sunday. “But that confidence can only be given to a candidate whose victory has been recognized by the opposing party, or after the results are confirmed in a legitimate, legal way.

The comments are some of the most detailed since the election from Putin, one of a dwindling number of leaders who haven’t recognized Biden as the next US head of state. Russia, accused by US intelligence agencies of intervening in 2016 to help get Trump elected, has been wary of Biden, fearing an increase in sanctions pressure and clashes over human rights.

Putin described the Kremlin’s decision not to congratulate Biden as “a formality with no ulterior motives. When asked if the move could damage US-Russia relations, he said: “there’s nothing to damage, they’re already ruined.

https://www.rt.com/usa/507444-nbc-cia-propaganda-greenwald/

Independent journalist Glenn Greenwald torched accusations that he endangered reporters by saying NBC News spouts CIA propaganda, saying he only spoke of a well-known fact, and the effort to shame him was "manipulative bulls**t."

"Profoundly sorry for endangering the lives of NBC executives and TV personalities by spilling the extremely well-kept secret of their close working relationship with the CIA," Greenwald tweeted sarcastically on Saturday. His message showed a picture of a headline about NBC's 2018 hiring of ex-CIA chief John Brennan as an NBC and MSNBC contributor.

Greenwald's retort came in reply to reporter Sulome Anderson, who accused him of endangering journalists who work in places where any CIA affiliation is "life-threatening." Greenwald earlier this week said NBC "has always existed to disseminate US government, CIA and corporate propaganda."

"This crosses a line," Anderson said. "Like some of his proteges, Glenn is endangering journalists working in perilous environments by telling his massive following that they are mouthpieces for US intelligence."

Greenwald said on Saturday that NBC has a "long-standing role" in spouting CIA propaganda, as evidenced by its hiring of Ken Dilanian, who was accused of sharing stories with the CIA press office prior to publication while working as a Los Angeles Times reporter. NBC also helped the CIA sell the Iraq War on its Meet the Press program, and sister network MSNBC was "ground zero for mindless CIA stenography of the most unhinged Russiagate conspiracy theories," he said.

"If you don't want to be known as a CIA outpost, then don't be one," Greenwald tweeted. He added that NBC hired "John Brennan, Ken Dilanian and every other operative puked up by the security state. People already know."

https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/taiwan-says-unnamed-us-official-is-visiting-cannot-give-details

TAIPEI (REUTERS) - A United States official has arrived in Taiwan, the island's foreign ministry said on Sunday (Nov 22), adding that it could not provide details, as the trip has not been made public, though it did deny a media report that the CIA chief was in town.

China, which claims democratically run Taiwan as its own territory, reacted with fury when the US Health Secretary Alex Azar came to Taipei in August, followed by US Undersecretary of State Keith Krach in September, sending fighter jets near the island each time.

The Trump administration has ramped up support for Taiwan, including with new arms sales, alarming China.

In a brief statement, Taiwan's Foreign Ministry said there were frequent interactions with the US and that "we welcome the visit of the US official".

"But as this itinerary has not been made public, based on mutual trust between Taiwan and the United States, the Foreign Ministry has no further explanation or comment," it added.

However, it said in a separate statement that Taiwan media reports a delegation lead by CIA chief Gina Haspel had arrived in Taiwan were untrue, and that Ms Haspel had no plans to come.