WORLD ROUNDUPIran’s Digital Authoritarianism | Wagner Group Wins | Maximizing Israeli-Lebanese Maritime Deal, and more

China Border Resolution Leaves Some in India Unhappy  (Bilal Hussain, VOA News)
The resolution of a two-year border standoff between China and India has eased tensions between the Asian giants but left Indian critics saying their government gave up too much, local herders complaining of lost pastureland and analysts warning another escalation could come at any time.
The two nations’ militaries have disengaged from a border point in the Gogra-Hot Springs region in eastern Ladakh in accordance with an agreement reached in September, resolving one of several simmering border disputes that have kept the two countries on edge.

Big Brother Is Listening in Belarus: Lukashenka Gives the KGB Greater Access to Online Data  (RFE/RL’s Belarus Service)
Over the 28 years of Alyaksandr Lukashenka’s repressive rule, Belarusians who oppose him, despise him, or just want to criticize any particular policy could feel relatively safe expressing their views inside the confines of their homes.
Now they may want to think again, legal and digital experts say — especially if they use things like GPS tracking apps, online dating services, or a voice-controlled virtual assistant like Alisa, a product of the Russia-based Internet company Yandex.
Lukashenka signed a decree last week requiring telecom operators and website owners to connect to a new, state-designed system that would allow the Belarusian KGB to surveil almost any online activity.

Swedish Military Takes Another Look at Nord Stream Blasts  (DW)
The new inspection was initiated at the behest of the Swedish navy and was independent of the ongoing Swedish criminal investigation into the leaks. The navy would not say what it was looking for.

The Case for Designating the Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Militias as Foreign Terrorist Organizations  (Saraphin Dhanani, Lawfare)
As Russian occupation of four Ukrainian territories rages on, the U.S. may have an additional tool in its arsenal: designating the Russian-backed separatist forces, the Donetsk People’s Militia and the Luhansk People’s Militia, as foreign terrorist organizations.

Win, Lose, or Draw, the Wagner Group Benefits From the War in Ukraine  (Christopher Faulkner and Marcel Plichta, Lawfare)
Russia has long used private military companies like the Wagner Group to fight its wars, and Wagner is playing an important role in the conflict in Ukraine. Unlike traditional private military companies (PMCs), Russian security firms like the Wagner Group are quasi-state actors, intimately connected to or even developed by the Kremlin as auxiliary forces used to pursue its geopolitical goals.

Countering Iran’s Brand of Digital Authoritarianism  (Cathryn Grothe, Just Security)
Over the past decade, the Iranian government has perfected a sophisticated model of digital authoritarianism that has provided the regime with a vast set of tools to silence dissent online and offline.

Burkina Faso Recruits 50,000 Civilians as Army Auxiliaries to Fight Jihadists  (AfricaNews)
Burkina Faso this week launched a drive to recruit 50,000 civilian defense volunteers to help the army fight jihadists, the authorities said…This local recruitment is in addition to the one on Monday when the BVDP announced its intention to build a force of 15,000 VDPs “that can be deployed throughout the national territory. The status of the VDP is defined by law since January 21, 2020. It is defined as “a person of Burkinabe nationality, auxiliary to the Defense and Security Forces (FDS), voluntarily serving the security interests of his village or sector of residence. VDPs receive 14 days of civic and military training before being armed and provided with means of communication. They pay a heavy price in the jihadist attacks that regularly strike Burkina Faso, particularly in the north and east.

How to Make the Most of the Israeli-Lebanese Maritime Deal  (Hanin Ghaddar, War on the Rocks)
After years of stalling and hedging, a major economic collapse in Lebanon, multiple unstable governments in Israel, and threats of violence, the United States has successfully brokered a maritime border agreement between Beirut and Jerusalem. War has been averted, and everyone is happy. At least for now.
Now, Washington should work to maximize the benefits for the Lebanese people and regional stability. This means increasing pressure on Lebanese officials to implement necessary reforms, particularly in the energy sector.