A group of prominent scientists in the field of virology are calling for an independent investigation to explore the origins of COVID-19. This week, protesters in Iraq took to the streets again to demand an end to a wave of assassinations and intimidation by Iran-supported militia groups. Also, the Biden administration has redesignated Temporary Protected Status — or TPS — to Haitians living in the US. And, The World remembers Eric Carle, beloved author of the famous children’s book, “The Very Hungry Caterpillar,” who died this week.

Latin America and the Caribbean now register a million new COVID-19 infections about every six days. With the vaccine rollout lagging and lives and livelihoods hanging in the balance, what is next for the region? As part of The World's series of conversations on the pandemic with Harvard's T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and as a special feature in our podcast feed, reporter Elana Gordon moderated a discussion with demographer Marcia Castro.

Find more of The World's Coronavirus Conversations series: https://www.theworld.org/coronavirus-conversations

Iran has approved a list of seven candidates for next month’s presidential election. Missing from the list are moderates and reformist candidates. In France, a debate on policing tactics and oversight have police calling for more protection, too. And, anti-Semitic attacks have reportedly soared in the UK and EU, in the wake of the conflict in Gaza. Also, Tasmanian devils have been born on the Australian mainland for the first time in 3,000 years.

In New Zealand, activists managed to stop plans to increase police powers that harm Maori communities. A year later, the government wants to expand police powers again. And in France, a group of generals recently published an open letter in a far-right magazine warning that the country could be headed toward civil war. Also, for the first time in nearly four months, Aung San Suu Kyi, the leader of Myanmar's ousted government, was seen in person. Her lawyer sees little chance of a fair trial.

On Sunday, Belarusian authorities diverted a passenger flight carrying Roman Protasevich, a prominent dissident. He was then detained under the orders of Alexander Lukashenko, known as “Europe’s last dictator.” And, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will arrive in the Middle East tomorrow, following the start of Friday’s ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Also, 21 marathon runners have died in China after extreme weather struck an ultramarathon in a northwestern province. And, the Pacific Island nation of Samoa was set to swear in its first-ever female prime minister earlier today, but it didn't go as planned.

After 11 days of hostilities between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, the sides agreed to an Egyptian-brokered truce. As Gaza rebuilds, what does the blockade imposed in 2007 mean for postconflict life? Also, as European countries open up to tourists, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease specialist, weighs in on the state of the pandemic and how to prepare for the next one. And, an iceberg bigger than the state of Rhode Island broke off from Antarctica last week. It was the largest iceberg in the world.

Israel announced a ceasefire with Hamas militants on Thursday after 11 days of fighting and widespread destruction in the Gaza Strip. And, over the years, the Arctic has become a source of tension between Russia and some NATO countries in the region. Also, bipartisan US lawmakers are calling on the Biden administration to do more to protect thousands of Afghans and their families who face deadly threats for their work with Americans and their allies in Afghanistan. And, a nesting crane sighting in Ireland is sparking hope of a resurgence in numbers.

Even in India’s southernmost states with model health care systems, COVID-19 has taken a toll. In Kerala and Tamil Nadu, second-wave virus outbreaks have strained their hospitals. And, in El Salvador, the popular 39-year-old president of El Salvador, Nayib Bukele, is taking measures to centralize power among his allies. Also, amid Israel’s full-blown military escalation against militant group Hamas, hostility is rising between mixed communities of Israeli Jews and Arabs. And, China has released photographs taken from its first-ever rover expedition on Mars.

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As fighting between Israel and Gaza continues, US President Joe Biden said he welcomes a ceasefire. But Israeli and Hamas leaders show few signs of letting up. The US continues to sell weapons to Israel, but these purchases are conducted with little transparency and are not held to any human rights standards. And, the Philippines currently has one of the worst COVID-19 infection rates in Southeast Asia, but vaccine rollout has been slow. Also, the self-proclaimed state of Somaliland celebrates 30 years of independence.

Pressure is mounting for President Joe Biden to do more to try to halt Israel’s assault on Gaza. Also, Chileans have decided that 155 citizens will rewrite the country's constitution, replacing the one drafted under the former Augusto Pinochet dictatorship. In Brazil, coastal fishing communities struggle to stay afloat during the pandemic. Are you exhausted? You’re not alone: The World Health Organization has confirmed in a new report that working long hours can be deadly.