A spirit of “We’re in this together” colored the early days of the pandemic in the United States. But that frayed as debate over what steps to take became increasingly politicized. Ultimately, the pandemic exacerbated distrust between elites and citizens. And, even now, that makes it hard to take stock of why the U.S. fared worse than many other countries. Those calling for a pandemic reckoning say that accountability could help rebuild trust in public health.

With ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas stalled, global condemnation of Gaza’s hunger crisis has crescendoed. A third of the enclave’s 2.3 million people are not eating for multiple days in a row, according to the United Nations. Hospitals are inundated with malnourished children. Doctors are skipping meals. Media outlets find their reporters there in peril. A blame game appears to thwart meaningful action. One mother whose son walks miles in the dark to try to secure food aid tells her he has seen shooting near the distribution point. “And yet, I still send him,” she says. “What choice do we have?”

In our global progress roundup this week, two changes give people more agency at home: California’s Yurok tribe doubled its land holdings, and in Poland, councillors repealed a municipal resolution on families and children that courts said violated the dignity of LGBTQ+ people. Also, young sustainability leaders in Honduras are turning used cooking oil into soap.

Deep into a stellar career, the truth-telling folk singer Patty Griffin was thinking about hanging up her guitar. But the pandemic brought a reconciliation into her family life – and opened up a perspective on joy and unconditional love that found an outlet in her music. The new album that her discovery inspired, “Crown of Roses,” debuted July 25. Its eight tracks showcase why Ms. Griffin is so revered.

Before there were Avengers or Black Panther, there was the Fantastic Four – the first superhero team crafted by artist Jack Kirby and editor Stan Lee. What that duo created was not only a standard-bearer for the superhero genre, but also a winning methodology for writing comics. What happens when a reboot becomes a love letter? “Fantastic Four: First Steps,” which hit theaters July 25, answers that question in the spirit of its founders, and adds a message of modernity.