The so-called K-shaped economy is now being linked to “a remarkable increase in food insecurity,” according to a new report from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. They found large segments of the population are facing high levels of financial strain, based on data from the Survey of Consumer Expectations.

Among this group, lower- and middle-income households have been hardest hit by prolonged inflation. A greater share of their spending is allocated to goods that have seen prices soar since the pandemic, such as housing, food and utilities, causing them to cut back on groceries, the researchers found. A higher cost of living, combined with cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) “have led to renewed concerns about food insecurity among those at the bottom of the K-shape.”

NPR breaks it down like this: More people in the United States are going hungry now than during the depths of the pandemic six years ago, “when the coronavirus outbreak sparked double-digit unemployment.”

A total of 10% of households said they have struggled to obtain enough food for their home, with some people reporting missing meals. This is a 6 point increase from 4% in June 2020. Among nonwhite households, 19.1% reported not having enough food—up from just 4.5% in 2020.

You might recall that food insecurity during the pandemic was offset in part by government relief payments and supplemental unemployment benefits, but those have long since ended. And what’s worse, food prices have also risen rapidly in the years since. “If you're adding on another $100 to your budget a month just to put gas in your car to get to work or drop your kids at school and whatever they need their car for, where is that $100 coming from?” asks Amy Breitmann, who runs the Golden Harvest Food Bank in Augusta, Georgia. “Most typically, they're having to pull it from the grocery budget.”

This messy battle continue as American forces conducted what military officials said on Wednesday were self-defense strikes in southern Iran for the second time in three days. We knocked down four one-way attack drones that Iran had launched over the Strait of Hormuz, threatening U.S. forces in the region and what little commercial maritime traffic is going through the strait that Iran has effectively blockaded.

The military statement added: “U.S. forces also struck an Iranian ground control station in Bandar Abbas that was about to launch a fifth drone. These actions were measured, purely defensive, and intended to maintain the ceasefire.” Speaking of which, President Trump insisted he would not agree to a “crummy agreement” with Iran on Wednesday as he threatened to launch additional strikes there—while publicly pressuring Arab allies to also meet U.S. demands.

Trump seems to be in no hurry to end this conflict, but the Associated Press reports on how costly it’s already been. U.S. military contractors need at least three years to replenish stockpiles of three key weapons systems used heavily in the Iran war, according to an analysis released Wednesday, adding to concerns that American forces would have limited firepower in any future conflict with China.

This isn’t great news for anyone comfortable using the term “beer goggles”, but for everyone else, this sounds like progress. Because young people are drinking less and exercising more—and that lifestyle switch is changing the way they socialize with each other.

I get it. I’m practically addicted to my spin class that delivers all the vibes, people watching and fun of clubbing without the hangover. “The gym is my space to get a social fix and to talk to and see people,” a 28-year-old fitness enthusiast tells the BBC. “That’s predominantly where I make all of my friends—at the gym, at training sessions.” Dubbed “the great moderation”, this shift is driven by concerns about physical and mental health, finances and a desire for productive use of time.

Fitness-related spending among Gen Zers and millennials is rising as alcohol consumption continues to decline, according to Bloomberg. That means gyms and studios are filling a gap once occupied by bars, restaurants and even offices, with younger people investing in fitness as their must-do social activity. And hey, even if you don’t meet someone, at least you’re going home with firmer muscles.