Avert your eyes from the declining democracy in front of you.

Happening in the World: Health officials in India detected a new “double-mutant variant” of the COVID-19 virus on Wednesday. It is unclear if the variant, where two mutations come together in the same virus, may be more transmissible. While cases have notably spiked in India, with the country reporting over 47,000 in one day, there is insufficient evidence to correlate this new variant and the spike. (BBC)

Happening in the US: According to a new report by Freedom House, a democracy watchdog group, the US has fallen 11 points in a decade in the rankings of the world’s democracies. In this global ranking of political rights and civil liberties, the group cited the unequal treatment of minority groups, the influence of money in politics, and increased political polarizing in the US. This is unusual for established democracies, according to Freedom House, as their scores tend to be more stable. (The Guardian)  

Happening in NYC: Three dolphins were spotted frolicking in the East River on Tuesday. The sighting took place at WNYC Transmitter Park in Greenpoint. The last reported dolphin sighting in this area was in 2013, meaning the phenomenon is not unheard of, but rare nonetheless. (FOX) 

Happening in Our Community: B’scursions is back with another free opportunity to experience theater! Join a virtual viewing of The Last Five Years, rehearsed remotely and streamed live from a New York City apartment, this Friday, March 26 from 7:30 to 9 pm. Sign up here! 

Cover Song of the Week: “Landslide” by The Chicks (originally by Fleetwood Mac) 

dolphin! via Wikimedia Commons