Democratic Republic of the Congo

• The conflict between the Congolese army and the M23 rebel group, which is supported by Rwanda, intensified during the previous few weeks, resulting in hundreds of thousands of deaths and displacements.

Context:

• Millions of people’s access to food is in jeopardy as a result of the escalating hostilities between Rwanda and Congo, wherein Rwanda is suspected of aiding the rebels.

About Democratic Republic of the Congo

• Africa’s Democratic Republic of the Congo is one of its nations. The DRC is the second-largest nation in Africa in terms of land area.The nation is landlocked save for a 25-mile (40-kilometer) stretch of coastline that faces the Atlantic Ocean.
• It bears the name of the Congo River, which traverses the nation.Kinshasa is the capital and largest city of Rwanda.
• In order to differentiate it from the other Congo republic, which is officially known as the Republic of the Congo but is frequently referred to as Congo (Brazzaville), the country is frequently referred to by its abbreviation, the DRC, or as Congo (Kinshasa), with the capital appended parenthetically.
• The South Atlantic Ocean, Zambia, Angola, Tanzania (across Lake Tanganyika), Rwanda, Burundi, South Sudan, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Republic of the Congo border the nation.
• Although the Democratic Republic of the Congo has abundant natural resources—it contains large reserves of industrial diamonds, cobalt, and copper, for example—it has also endured decades of colonial and economic exploitation, political instability, a lack of infrastructure, and corruption.

Congo River

• Formerly called the Zaire River, the Congo River is the third-largest river in the world by flow volume, behind the Amazon and Ganges rivers. It is the second-longest river in Africa, only surpassed by the Nile.
• With measured depths of about 220 meters, it is the deepest river in the world. The only significant river to cross the equator twice is this one.
• The Congo rainforest, the second-largest rainforest in the world, is traversed by the river and its tributaries.The Atlantic Ocean is the drainage basin.

Ethanol 100 or E100

• “ETHANOL 100” was introduced by Union Ministers of Housing and Urban Affairs and Petroleum & Natural Gas, Shri Hardeep Singh Puri.

Context:

• Fuel made with ETHANOL 100 has the power to revolutionize the transportation industry and lessen our reliance on fossil fuels.

About Ethanol 100 OR E100:

• It is a myth that E100 fuel is made entirely of ethanol.
• E100 fuel is composed of 93–93.5 percent ethanol, 5 percent gasoline, and 1.5 percent co-solvent, or binder, as per the standards.
• E100 is currently priced at Rs 94.72/litre in Delhi, Rs 104.21/litre in Maharashtra, and Rs 100.75/litre in Chennai, the same as petrol. But since ethanol is less expensive, E100 will undoubtedly be less expensive than gasoline or diesel as the fuel becomes more widely used.
• Furthermore, the government’s eagerness to support biofuels that aid in the replacement of imported crude oil is likely to make them more competitive when compared to conventional fuels.
• Since agricultural feedstock is used to make ethanol, farmers stand to gain financially from the decarbonization of the economy.
• Any car with a flex fuel engine can run on E100 fuel. A automobile with a flex fuel engine can be powered by multiple fuels. It has an internal combustion engine (ICE) that allows customers to choose the fuel they want to use at the point of sale. It can run on gasoline, ethanol, or methanol.
• With its reduced emissions of pollutants and greenhouse gases, ETHANOL 100 presents itself as a greener and cleaner option that can help fight climate change and improve air quality.
• ETHANOL100’s high octane rating (usually between 100 and 105) makes it the perfect fuel for high-performance engines because it maximizes power output and efficiency while reducing environmental effect.

DARIEN GAP

• The Darien Gap, a thick jungle that crosses southern Panama and northern Colombia, has grown to be a dangerous entry point for migrants traveling to the US to seek refuge.

Context

• The The road is particularly dangerous due to the area’s controlled by criminal groups and its difficult topography of wet, swampy rainforest.

About Darien Gap

• The Darién Gap, or “Tapón del Darién” in Spanish, is a section of the Isthmus of Darién in Central America that connects the American continents.
• It is located in the northern region of Colombia’s Chocó Department and the Darién Province of Panama. It is made up of mountains, a dense forest, and a sizable watershed.
• The only land route that links Central and South America is the Darién Gap.
• To get to the US border, migrants—mostly from Venezuela and Haiti—hike through a deep jungle.

Key features of the Darién Gap include:

• Population: The Embera-Wounaan and Guna people live in the Darién Gap. The Cueva people lived there until they went extinct in 1535 as a result of the Spanish invasion of Panama.
• Geography: The Atrato River’s river delta, which forms a level marshland at least 80 km (50 mi) wide, dominates the geography of the Darién Gap on the Colombian side. In sharp contrast, the Panamanian side is a hilly rainforest.
• Roads: There isn’t even a rudimentary road that crosses the Darién. Interrupting the Pan-American Highway is the “Gap.”

T+0 SETTLEMENT

• SEBI just approved the T+0 settlement’s beta version rollout, which will begin on March 28.

Context:

• The Indian stock markets currently use a T+1 settlement cycle. The action was taken to improve market liquidity.

About T+0 SETTLEMENT

• The practice of settling deals on the day they are performed, known as a T+0 settlement, does away with the customary waiting period that comes with T+1, T+2, or T+3 settlements.
• It’s similar to getting something right away after buying it online.
• Instead of the present T+1 method, when trades are resolved on the following trading day, investors selling their stocks will receive money on the same day of the sale under this new settlement cycle.
• In 2002, SEBI reduced the settlement cycle from T+5 to T+3, and in 2003, to T+2. In 2021, T+1 was introduced, and it was deployed gradually, with the last phase being finished in January 2023.
• The introduction of T+0 is intended to improve market liquidity and offer a substitute for the current T+1 settlement cycle.
• After three and six months from the implementation date, the Board will assess the work and take shareholder input into account.