Prepaid phone cards, used largely by immigrant communities, are a multi-billion dollar industry in U.S. However, recent reports found that these prepaid cards come with undisclosed fees, higher-than-advertised rates, charges for calls that never went through, and poor or non-existent customer service, causing many to complain to government agencies.

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Residents at the Marcy Houses in Brooklyn say that vermin infestation is a long-standing concern. The recent sightings of extra-large wild rats, however, are a relatively new problem. The large rats appear to be the size of a large raccoon or possum.

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Listen to Abdulai Bah, a Liberian-born New Yorker, talk about free conference call 'radio' in the Fi2W podcast. African immigrants are using innovative ways to disseminate information to their communities, using free conference call services to host debates, share news stories, educate and engage the members of their community.  

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Avrohom Mondrowitz, alleged to be one of the worst sexual predators in Brooklyn history, was accused of abusing boys. Now living in Jerusalem, Mondrowitz's case highlights the shame and secrecy of sexual abuse in the Jewish Orthodox communities, the complexities of extradition between Israel and the U.S. and limitations in the justice system in both countries.

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Muslim American friends Aman Ali and  Bassam Tariq are traveling from Alaska to New York City during the holy month of Ramadan, visiting 30 mosques. They are blogging about their journey and experiences of talking to fellow young Muslims about controversial societal issues affecting the Muslim communities throughout the nation.

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Whole Foods is under fire and facing a public relations nightmare. When Whole Foods announced plans to mark the holy Muslim month, Ramadan, by promoting a Saffron Road line of frozen products that meet Islamic dietary laws, it was celebrated by Muslim Americans. But that goodwill turned to anger this week when news broke that the food chain may scale back promotion of these halal-certified meals, thanks to criticism from anti-Muslim bloggers.

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Justin Wax Jacobs shows the signatures the city said were invalid. Photo by Anna Gustafson

 Justin Wax Jacobs, a 22-year-old, who hoped to be a representative for his district through a special election, has collected over a thousand signatures. However, his attempt at being a candidate were stifled when the Board of Elections ruled that Jacobs' signatures were invalid due to a minor technicality, exposing New York's tedious election laws.

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Public officials who use their discretionary funds to fund volunteer patrol groups in Orthodox Brooklyn neighborhoods or 'Shomrims' said that they will continue to fund these groups despite the criticism these groups have received.

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Support and criticism have followed Al Jazeera's arrival to New York City. Supporters praise it for its comprehensive coverage but critics claim that the network is anti-Israel. The network was criticized earlier this year for ignoring the Feb. 15 attack and sexual assault on CBS reporter Lara Logan. Although the global media reported the story, Al Jazeera English was silent, even though it had what was arguably the most comprehensive coverage of the uprising.

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