Good morning!
Mankind and plant life seem to have unlocked another level of groovy sync. Music for plants was already a thing, but now there’s also ‘plant music’ – a series of otherworldly beeps and bops emitted by plants. At the forefront of this growing (green) tribe is Canada-based biologist-turned-musician Tarun Nair, who transforms plant ‘signals’ into music through biodata sonification. Judging by the stage name ‘Modern Biology’ his preferred musical instrument is as broad as nature allows. If you were to tune in: A jamming session might include a series of high-pitched beeps from the mushroom, while the eggplant emits strange melodious sounds like the soothing strains of a santoor.
With that, let’s move on to today’s edition:
🚨big story
A cold, bitter end: Parliament was adjourned on Friday amid ruckus in the Lok Sabha. This marked the end of its winter session which was largely due to disruptions. only Two bills introduced by the government The implementation of ‘One Nation, One Election’ has been referred to the 39-member Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) for further scrutiny.
Key Highlights:
Cost of Chaos: According to a report by the non-profit PRS Legislative Research on the session, both houses worked for about half of their allotted time: the Lok Sabha for 52 percent of its allotted time and the Rajya Sabha for 39 percent. Moreover, the 18th Lok Sabha, which was elected in June this year, has so far passed only one bill. The PRS report said: “Lowest in last six Lok Sabha terms”.
Upcoming storm days: Ending the winter session on an angry note has deepened divisions, and hardened positions on both sides. This is likely to be a clash
On the day the budget session of the Parliament begins, it will be played all over the country.
⚡ big picture
Who sets the bar? From the late Fali Nariman to Mukul Rohatgi, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Kapil Sibal, Harish Salve, among others, the names of the big lawyers often mentioned in this rare set. “Senior Advocate” in the Supreme Court. Their role as “gatekeepers” influencing the court to accept cases is important given how pressed judges often are for time.
The crux of the matter: There are currently 639 senior advocates out of which 116 have been nominated this year alone. This unusually large number of designations has invited its share of criticism, with concerns that it undermines the “quality” of those receiving the tag and the value of the role. Still, there are others who say this once-exclusive club is now a more democratic space with more representation for women and first-generation advocates. Sohini Ghosh and Apoorva Vishwanath Explore this changing world inside the bar.
📰express explanation
The first scientific report of its kind highlights the strong interconnections between some of the biggest crises facing humanity. this Five major challenges were studied Climate change, biodiversity loss, food insecurity, water scarcity and health risks were discussed and emphasized on the need to adopt an integrated approach to address them. “They interact, cascade and compound each other, making separate efforts to address them ineffective and counterproductive,” said a report by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES).
✍️ Express your opinion
“While Indian statements on bilateral relations with China are concise exercises, Chinese statements are comparatively more elaborate.”
Columnist Jabin T. Jacob writes on India-China relations How Delhi is one step forward and two steps back. He also analyzed the six statements that emerged from the meeting of the special representatives between the two countries and highlighted why formal exchanges need to be carefully calibrated to resolve the border issue.
🍿Movie review
If you’re in need of some good nostalgia this weekend, there it is The familiar roar of ‘Mufasa: The Lion King’. Shalini Langar The spin on ‘The Lion King – The Circle of Life’ is said to be even more whirlwind. While Letdowns doesn’t quite bring the same magic, Barry Jenkins’ visually stunning film is still a fitting tribute to the big cat that gave us Simba.
Until next week
Viva B. Madhav
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