Good morning!
Humankind and plant life seem to have unlocked another level of groovy sync. Music for plants was already a thing, but now there’s ‘plant music’ too — a series of otherworldly beeps and bops emitted by plants. At the forefront of this growing (green) tribe is Tarun Nayar, biologist-turned-musician based in Canada, who converts plant ‘signals’ into music through biodata sonification. Going by the stage name ‘Modern Biology’, his preferred choice of musical instrument is as wide as nature allows. If you were to tune in: The jamming session could involve a series of high-pitched beeps from mushrooms, while a brinjal made oddly melodic sounds, like the soothing strains of a santoor.
With that, let’s move on to today’s edition:
🚨Big Story
Cold, bitter end: Parliament was adjourned sine die Friday amid pandemonium in the Lok Sabha.This marked the end of its winter session that was largely about disruptions. Only two Bills introduced by the government for the implementation of ‘One Nation, One Election’ were referred to a 39-member Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) for further scrutiny.
Key highlights:
Cost of chaos: According to a report by non-profit PRS Legislative Research on the session, both the Houses functioned for about half of its scheduled time: Lok Sabha for 52 per cent of its scheduled time and Rajya Sabha for 39 per cent. Further, only one Bill has so far been passed by the 18th Lok Sabha since it was elected in June this year. The PRS report said: “the lowest in the last six Lok Sabha terms”.
Stormy days ahead: The end of the winter session on an acrimonious note has deepened the divide, and hardened positions on either side. It is likely that this faceoff
will play out across the country in the days leading to the Budget session of Parliament.
⚡ Big Picture
Who sets the Bar? From the late Fali Nariman to Mukul Rohatgi, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Kapil Sibal, Harish Salve, among others – these are some of the oft-mentioned big lawyer names in the rarefied set of ‘Senior Advocate’ in the Supreme Court. Their role as “gatekeepers” who influence the court on which cases to admit is crucial considering how pressed judges often are for time.
Crux of the matter: There are 639 practising Senior Advocates currently with 116 of them designated just this year. The designation of this unusually large number has invited its share of criticism with concerns over the “quality” of those who get the tag and the dilution of the role’s value. Yet, there are others who say that this once-exclusive club is now a much more democratic space with more representation for women and first-generation advocates, among others. Sohini Ghosh and Apurva Vishwanath explore this changing world within the Bar.
📰Express Explained
A first of its kind scientific report has highlighted the strong interlinkages between some of the biggest crises facing humankind. It examined five major challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss, food insecurity, water scarcity, and health risks, and emphasised on the adoption of an integrated approach in addressing them. “They interact, cascade and compound each other in ways that make separate efforts to address them ineffective and counterproductive,” the report by Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) said.
✍️ Express Opinion
“While Indian statements on the bilateral relationship with China are exercises in brevity, Chinese statements are more expansive by comparison.”
Columnist Jabin T Jacob writes on India-China ties and how Delhi takes one step forward and two steps back. He also analyses the six statements that have come out of Special Representatives meetings between the two countries to highlight why formal exchanges also need to be carefully calibrated to settle the conversation on the border question.
🍿Movie Review
If you’re in need of some good ol’ nostalgia this weekend, there’s the familiar roar of ‘Mufasa: the Lion King’. Shalini Langer calls the spin on ‘The Lion King — the Circle of Life’ more of a whirlwind. While the letdowns don’t bring the same magic, Barry Jenkins’ visually stunning film is still a fitting tribute to the big cat who gave us Simba.
Until next week
Vibha B Madhava
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