Listening Comprehension 2

Huston USA: Federal authorities have shut down dozens of web domains as part of a crackdown on trafficking in counterfeit goods or copyrighted works. Internet users attempting to access the websites now are greeted by a notice that the sites have been seized by the Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
‘The coordinated federal law enforcement operation targeted online retailers of a diverse array of counterfeit goods, including sports equipment, shoes, handbags and sun-glasses as well as illegal copies of copyrighted DVD boxed sets, music and software,’ the Justice Department said the crackdown involved the seizure of 82 sites. Twelve of the cases were investigated by Houston-based agents with Homeland Security Investigations, but most of the sites are based overseas, particularly in east Asia, according to the Houston office of Homeland Security Investigations.

Canberra, Austria: South Africa and Australia have said the next managing director of the International Monetary Fund should be appointed on merit and not nationality. The pair say the current appointment system undermines the IMF's legitimacy. The body has always been headed by a European, and UK chancellor George Osborne has backed Christine Lagarde, French economy minister, for the post.

The position is vacant after Dominique Strauss-Kahn resigned last week so he could fight sexual assault charges.

For too long, the IMF's legitimacy has been undermined by a convention to appoint its senior management on the basis of their nationality," Australian Treasurer Wayne Swan and South African Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan said in a joint statement.

In order to maintain trust, credibility and legitimacy in the eyes of its stakeholders, there must be an open and transparent selection process which results in the most competent person being appointed as managing director, regardless of their nationality.

Kabul Afghanistan

Suicide bombers wielding machine guns have stormed a government building in eastern Afghanistan, officials say.
Initial reports say at least three gunmen wearing suicide vests shot their way into the traffic police headquarters in Khost city.
Security forces have surrounded the compound and a gun battle is taking place, police say. At least one person is reported to have been killed. The attack comes a day after a suicide bombing in Kabul killed at least six.

In the latest attack, a guard was killed in the initial assault which happened at about 5 o’clock on Sunday, said the army commander for Khost province.

The provincial police chief told the local news agency that there were three other police officers who had been wounded. The Taliban said it carried out the attack.

London, UK:

The first service that allows users to pay for purchases via their mobile phone has been launched in the UK.

Users wishing to use the system - dubbed Quick Tap - will need Orange and Barclaycard accounts as well as a handset set up for contactless payments.

The idea of the mobile wallet is gaining popularity around Europe.

“Having a wallet on my phone has made it much more convenient to make purchases on the move and I like that it allows me to keep track of what I'm spending as I go," said David Chan, chief executive of Barclaycard Consumer.

Later this summer, users will also be able to use the service to pay the toll on the M6 motorway.

Richyvic Iceland:

The Icelandic authorities have imposed a local flight ban after the country’s most active volcano, Grimsvotn, began erupting. A plume of smoke has risen 12 miles into the sky from

the volcano. But Iceland's Meteorological Office says the eruption should not cause widespread disruption to air traffic. Last year, ash clouds from another Icelandic volcano, led to the closure of a large section of European airspace.

Governments feared that ash particles could cause aircraft engines to fail, and the closure caused chaos to air travelers. The Icelandic civil aviation authority has imposed a flight ban of 120 nautical miles around Grimsvotn. The authority spokeswoman said: "We have closed the area until we know better what effect the ash will have." "The ash in Grimsvotn is more coarse and not as likely to cause danger as it falls to the ground faster and doesn't stay as long in the air as the eruption last year."
Domestic airline Icelandair said no traffic had been affected.

Question 6, the US federal authorities shut down 82 web sites trafficking and counterfeit goods, in which part of the world are most of these sites based?

Question 7 On which of the following factors should IMF boss be appointed according to Austria and South African officials?

Question 8 At least how many people are reported to have been killed when suicide bombers storm an Afghan police base on Sunday?

Question 9 What new service has recently been offered to UK shoppers?

Question 10 Which of the following is true about the latest eruption of Iceland’s most active volcano?