Here’s a look at stories you missed this week from across the URL Media network.
- Boycotts hit different this time: Boycotts against Target, Amazon, and other major retailers are hitting where it hurts most – their bottom line. With Target’s foot traffic down over 3% and potential losses exceeding $450 million, activists say economic pressure is the key to fighting back against anti-DEIA policies. Read more at Black Voice News.
- Crime drops as subway ridership soars: NYC subway crime reached record lows this summer, with overall transit crime down nearly 10% from 2024 and 16.8% from 2019. Despite subway ridership increasing 9% to over 311 million rides, felony assaults dropped 21% and robberies fell 34% in August alone. July and August were the safest months in subway history. The improvements stem from strategic investments including more police, additional security cameras, and mental health outreach teams. Subway Co-Response Outreach Teams have made over 750 referrals, helping individuals with mental health needs. Transit crime per million riders is now at pre-pandemic levels, making subways safer than before COVID-19.
Read more at BK Reader. - Drake vs. UMG gets messy: Drake is suing his own record label UMG, claiming they used bots and payola to artificially boost Kendrick Lamar’s diss track “Not Like Us” that basically ended their epic rap beef. The lawsuit includes wild allegations about Spotify manipulation, Apple conspiracy, and even claims the song put Drake’s safety at risk. UMG fired back hard. Read more at Parlé.
- The sari stories we don’t hear: Despite having hundreds of saris, Epicenter publisher and URL Media CEO S. Mitra Kalita still can’t put one on without help from aunties or friends in Jackson Heights. Her struggles with pleats and folds has her thinking fondly of a groundbreaking new exhibit at the New York Historical Society exploring how saris tell stories of immigration, identity, and tradition across NYC’s South Asian diaspora. The show features everything from Coney Island’s early embrace of Indian culture to contemporary artists reimagining the garment. Read more at Epicenter.
- The price of fame for an icon: Meet Carmen Miranda, the “Brazilian Bombshell” who went from singing in Rio to becoming one of Hollywood’s highest-paid stars in the 1940s. Famous for her iconic fruit hats and infectious energy, Miranda broke barriers as the first South American on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. But her success came with a price – she faced harsh criticism in Brazil for “Americanizing” their culture, leading to a 14-year exile from her homeland. Her story reveals the complex reality behind the glittery Hollywood dream and the ongoing struggle for authentic cultural representation.
Read more at Luz Media.
MORE FROM URL MEDIA
- ‘Barbecue’ baffles the FBI, Black women can’t rest, Latinas on reality TV and more stories you missed
- Matcha prices, voter rights, the question that explains Trump and more
- URL Media announces two new partners to its growing network: Pittsburgh Latino Magazine and BK Reader
- An unexpected Trump ally, travel tips for immigrants, Latino voters panic and more
- A safety net for deported people, Trump’s DC takeover, NYC’s e-bike crackdown and more stories you missed
- Kids face deportation court alone, the NYC mayoral race and more stories you missed this week
This content was created with AI collection or assistance.
