Quiz - Scientists Aim to Give AI to Robot Cat That Helps the Elderly

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Salvadorans Fear Their Country Is Unprepared for Returnees

  Hugo Castro remembers the shock and suffering he experienced when the United States sent him back to El Salvador. He had not seen his homeland in 30 years. The 51-year-old man said his country now must prepare to receive almost 200,000 Salvadorans who may also have to return. President Trump’s administration announced Monday it would end legal protection for Salvadorans next year. The U.S. deported Castro in 2015. He said there was nothing for him in El Salvador. “The main problem for deportees is that they're made invisible. They're rejected, there's no work. They don't help us,” he said. The U.S. announcement has created fear. People worry that the new policy will end a major source of income for El Salvador and separate family members. But there was also some hope that Salvadorans with many years of experience in the U.S. will bring knowledge and investment back home. Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen said Salvadorans under the temporary protection policy would have to leave the U.S. by September 9, 2019. The temporary protection program has been offered to citizens from several countries fleeing natural disasters or other problems. The affected Salvadorans were given protection after deadly earthquakes shook their country in 2001. Thousands more have arrived in the United States in recent years fleeing criminal violence. However, they were not given protection. Castro went to the United States as a teenager to study at a college in Atlanta, Georgia. During his junior year, his family back home lost nearly everything when the bank seized their coffee operation. He withdrew from college and got a job at a country club and a book store. He also became manager of a Mexican restaurant. But an interaction with police led to Castro’s detainment and, later, deportation. His first three months back in El Salvador were the worst, he said. He suffered from depression and didn't want to leave his mother's home. People told him a man his age should not depend on his mother for support, so he started to look for work. “I went everywhere, to restaurants. I told them I had a lot of experience and that I spoke English, but they rejected me,” he said. After eight months, Castro finally found work at the Salvadoran Immigrant Institute. The non-profit group recognized the value of Castro's language abilities. It also valued the experience he had gained through the deportation process and it put him to work helping other deportees re-enter Salvadoran life. Castro said programs like his are very limited and more needs to be done for returnees. “The government has to get ready, partner with businesses, with all of ociety, the nonprofits and create assistance programs,” he said. He noted that in 2016, the country received 52,000 deportees from the United States and Mexico. Meanwhile, a government program to give small amounts of money to help deportees open their own businesses has only graduated 140 people, he said. The biggest worry among Salvadorans is that their nation of 6.2 million people will see a big drop in the amount of money sent home by Salvadorans in the United States. Salvadorans sent more than $4.5 billion from the U.S. in 2016. That money represents about 17 percent of El Salvador's economy. Luis Membreno is an economic expert in El Salvador. He said people may be more concerned than necessary about the effects of planned deportations. He said Salvadorans under the U.S. protection policy have a firmer base in that country. They are not sending as much money home as Salvadorans who are not in the program. “I don't think that family remittances are going to fall in the short term,” Membreno said. He also thinks some Salvadoran families in the U.S. may start sending more money back, something that started when Donald Trump was elected president. So, Membreno said, remittances could increase. In addition, he said, many of those who returning to El Salvador have skills and money to invest. “All of this could generate a certain dynamism in the economy,” he said. Cesar Rios, director of the nonprofit group where Castro works, is less hopeful. “Our country is not prepared to receive thousands of Salvadorans,” he said. Deportees are often targeted by criminal groups in El Salvador. The groups believe the deportees have money. Police also target them, because of a widespread belief that deportees are criminals. I'm Pete Musto. And I’m Caty Weaver.   The Associated Press reported this story. Caty Weaver adapted this story for Learning English based on AP news reports. Hai Do was the editor. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   invisible – adj. impossible to see​ country club – n. a private establishment people pay dues to belong to and use for social events and sports, especially golf and tennis manager – n. someone who is in charge of a business, department, etc.​ depression – n. a state of feeling sad​ remittance – n. an amount of money that is sent as a payment for something​ generate – v. to produce (something) or cause (something) to be produced​ dynamism – n. energy and a strong desire to make something happen​

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Iran Bans Teaching of English in Primary Schools

  Iranian officials have banned the teaching of English in primary schools. Mehdi Navid-Adham, chief of Iran’s High Education Council, informed state television of the ban last Saturday. The move came after Islamic leaders warned that early learning of the English language has led to a Western “cultural invasion”. “Teaching English in government and non-government primary schools in the official curriculum is against laws and regulations,” Navid-Adham said. He added that the government may also stop non-curriculum English classes. The reasoning, Navid-Adham said, is that the groundwork, or basis, of Iranian culture should be taught to young children. In Iran, English language training is usually offered in middle school, to students from 12 to 14 years of age. However, in some primary schools, students may begin taking English classes at younger ages. Some Iranian children also attend foreign language classes at private education centers after normal school hours. The dangers of a “cultural invasion” Iran’s Islamic leaders have often warned about the dangers of “cultural invasion.” In 2016, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei voiced concern over the “teaching of the English language spreading to nursery schools”.   In a speech to teachers, Khamenei said that his concern, “Does not mean opposition to learning a foreign language, but (this is the) promotion of a foreign culture in the country and among children, young adults and youths.” Khamenei accused Western countries of promoting their cultures with Iranian youth as a way of expanding their influence in Iran, according to his office’s website. In the same speech, he urged Iranians to spend more time and money on the teaching of the Persian language, instead of English. Last Saturday, Navid-Adham told state television that government officials want to strengthen “Persian language skills and Iranian Islamic culture at the primary school stage.” He added that it would now be against the law to teach English at the primary school level, either during or outside of normal school hours. The Reuters news agency reported that in the past, other languages have also been targeted by Iranian officials. In 2017, Iran’s intelligence agency banned the publication of a Kurdish-language instruction book. No link to protests In his announcement, Navid-Adham did not link the new language education rules to recent anti-government protests. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have blamed foreign enemies for the unrest. A video dealing with the announcement of the ban was widely shared on social media on Sunday. A number of Iranians have jokingly called it “The filtering of English.” Some compare it to the blocking of the popular app Telegram by the government during the protests. I’m Phil Dierking.   Phil Dierking adapted this report for VOA Learning English based on Reuters news reports. The story also includes information from The Washington Post newspaper and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. George Grow was the editor. Do you think teaching English at the primary school level in a non-English speaking country is cultural invasion?  We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   app - n. a computer program that performs a special function​ curriculum - n. the courses that are taught by a school, college, etc.​ filter - v. to pass something, through a filter to remove something unwanted​ nursery - adj. a room where children sleep, play, and are sometimes taught​ promotion - n. something that is done to make people aware of something and increase its sales or popularity​ regulation - n.  an official rule or law that says how something should be done​

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Google Doodle Honors Indian American Scientist

  This is What’s Trending Today…. Har Gobind Khorana was an Indian American biochemist. His research led to greater understanding of the makeup of human DNA. In 1968, he received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. Khorana would have been 96 years old on Tuesday, January 9. Google honored his life and work on its homepage with a Google Doodle. The image could be seen by Google users in 13 countries, including the United States, India, Argentina, Chile and Japan.      Khorana was born on January 9, 1922, in a small Indian village called Raipur. The area is now part of Pakistan. As Google reports, Khorana’s father helped his children learn to read and write. This was not common in poor, rural places like Raipur.   Khorana received scholarships to attend Punjab University where he earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. The Indian government later gave Khorana a scholarship for him to do his doctoral studies in chemistry at the University of Liverpool in England. Khorana went on to do research at universities around the world, including Canada and the United States. In 1968, he and two other researchers at the University of Wisconsin - Madison earned the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. “Together,” Google explains, “they discovered that the order of nucleotides in our DNA determines which amino acids are built. These amino acids form proteins, which carry out essential cell function.” In 1972, Khorana made another important scientific breakthrough when he built the first-ever synthetic gene. Bangalore-based artist and designer Rohan Dahotre created the Google Doodle. Google produced two other Doodles for January 9. Users in the Middle East saw a Doodle celebrating what would have been the 82nd birthday of Egyptian poet and radio host Farouk Shousha. He died in 2016 at the age of 80. And users in Indonesia and a few other countries saw a Doodle of the “corpse flower.” The huge, unusual -- and foul-smelling -- plant was honored by Indonesian officials as a national rarity 25 years ago. And that’s What’s Trending Today… I’m Ashley Thompson.  _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   DNA - n. a substance that carries genetic information in the cells of plants and animals (DNA is an abbreviation of “deoxyribonucleic acid")  scholarship - n. an amount of money that is given by a school, an organization, etc., to a student to help pay for the student's education degree - n. an official document and title that is given to someone who has successfully completed a series of classes at a college or university amino acid - n. any one of many acids that occur naturally in living things and that include some which form proteins essential  - adj. extremely important and necessary synthetic - adj. made by combining different substances : not natural host - n. a person who talks to guests on a television or radio show foul - adj. very unpleasant to taste or smell

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UN: Cuts in Aid Would Hurt Palestinian Children

A United Nations agency finds itself at the center of attention following criticism from Israel and comments by U.S. President Donald Trump. Palestinian refugees receive humanitarian aid through the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). Money for the program comes mainly from voluntary donations by UN member states. Earlier this week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told his Cabinet the agency should be closed. Netanyahu said that UNRWA works only for Palestinian refugees and makes the refugee problem worse. He wants its financing moved to the UN's main refugee agency. “UNRWA must become a thing of the past," Netanyahu said. He said that the U.N. agency helps Palestinians believe they will get their land returned if Israel is destroyed. The agency says as many as 5 million refugees can use its services. They are Palestinians who left their homes during the war that established Israel in 1948, or their descendants.  Today, more than 1.5 million Palestinians live in refugee camps in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, the West Bank and Gaza Strip. UNRWA spokesman Chris Gunness said the agency will continue its work until there is a "just and lasting solution" for the refugees. "What perpetuates the refugee crisis is the failure of the parties to deal with the issue,” Gunness said in a statement. He added, “This needs to be resolved by the parties to the conflict in the context of peace talks, based on U.N. resolutions and international law, and requires active engagement by the international community.” Efforts to support peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians have been unsuccessful for several years. Tensions between the two worsened last month when the United States recognized Jerusalem as Israel's capital. President Trump’s decision was a break from longstanding U.S. policy and the ideas of the United Nations. UN officials have long said the future of Jerusalem and a decision on Israel’s capital are issues to be negotiated. The Palestinians see East Jerusalem as the capital of a future state under a two-state solution. Trump also threatened last week to cut millions of dollars in U.S. aid to the Palestinians. Netanyahu praised the president in his own comments Sunday. Palestinian official Hanan Ashrawi rejected Trump's threat. She accused him of sabotaging the peace process and then blaming the Palestinians for "the consequences of his own irresponsible actions." Ashrawi said further the Palestinians "will not be blackmailed." Trump did not say exactly how much government aid would be cut. The U.S. provides one-third of UNRWA's funding and provided more than $350 million to the agency in 2016. I'm Susan Shand.   Chris Hannas and Cindy Seine reported on this story for VOANews.com. Susan Shand adapted their reports for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   perpetuate – v. to continue engage – v. to discuss or to interact with consequence – n. the result of a person’s actions blackmail – v. to demand money from someone in exchange for keeping information secret descendant – n. someone related to a person or people who lived at an earlier time

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January 9, 2018

A look at the best news photos from around the world.

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North and South Korea Meet, Agree to Future Talks

North and South Korea have held their first talks in more than two years. North and South Korean officials met Tuesday in the border village of Panmunjom. They agreed to hold military talks in an effort to improve relations. Officials in Seoul and Pyongyang were able to watch the meeting through a closed circuit television connection. In a joint statement, the two sides said they have decided to "defuse the current military tension and to hold military talks to address the issue." But North Korea says its nuclear weapons are not a subject for discussion with the South Korean government. Ri Son Gwon led the North Korean delegation at the talks. He said, “All our weapons, including atomic bombs, hydrogen bombs and ballistic missiles, are only aimed at the United States, not our brethren, nor China and Russia.” Ri warned that to bring up the nuclear issue “would cause negative consequences and risks turning all of today’s good achievement into nothing.” Olympic cooperation The North Korean official also announced that his country plans to take part in the 2018 Winter Olympics. The games are to be held next month in PyeongChang, South Korea. Ri said that North Korea will send a delegation to the PyeongChang Olympics. The delegates are to include high-level government officials, Olympic athletes, cheerleaders, and a Taekwondo demonstration team. Currently only two North Korean figure skaters have met international requirements for competing at the winter games. Although North Korea missed the closing date for countries sending a team to the games, the International Olympic Committee could still extend invitations to compete. The South Korean government proposed that the Olympic teams from the two Koreas march together in the opening ceremony.  Proposals to ease tension South Korea also proposed setting up talks to organize reunions of families separated since the Korean War. It said those discussions could take place during the Olympics, around Lunar New Year's holiday. South Korean officials also proposed military talks with North Korea. They noted the need to negotiate a nuclear weapons deal with the North to bring peace to the Korean peninsula. Talks between the two sides about the Olympics already succeeded in reopening direct contacts between North and South Korea. Communication links were cut in early 2016 after a North Korean nuclear test and rocket launch. Since taking office in May of 2017, South Korean President Moon Jae-in has tried to re-establish contacts with North Korea. But he also has supported strong sanctions against the North as punishment for developing nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles.  Allies guarded The United States has expressed guarded support for the discussions between North and South Korea. The U.S. government agreed to postpone joint military exercises with South Korea until after the Olympic Games. In the past, U.S. President Donald Trump described negotiations with the North Korean government as useless. But this week, he called the new talks "a good thing" that came as a result of a "firm, strong" position. Trump also said that the U.S. would get involved in the negotiations "at the appropriate time.” But the State Department has voiced concern that North Korea might try to break up the alliance between the U.S. and South Korea. And it said the North might weaken U.S.-led efforts to force North Korea to give up its missile development program. On Tuesday, Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga welcomed North Korean interest in joining the Pyeongchang Games. Yet he also said the North’s nuclear program remains a serious international threat and that the U.N. sanctions imposed on Pyongyang must continue. I'm Jonathan Evans.   Brian Padden reported this story for VOANews.com. George Grow adapted his story for Learning English. His report contains information from the Associated Press and Reuters news agency. Hai Do was the editor. ______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story defuse – v. to make less harmful or tense address – v. to communicate directly with or to closed-circuit – adj. of or involving a television broadcast in which the signal is directed at a limited number of receivers brethren – n. members of an organization, usually a religious group negative – adj. unwanted; harmful or bad consequence – n. a result or product of something achievement – n. success; the act of doing something athlete – n. a person who is skilled in physical exercises or sports appropriate – adj. right for some situation or purpose   We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.      

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North Korea to Send Delegation to South for Olympics

North and South Korea have agreed to hold military talks in an effort to improve relations. The agreement was announced Tuesday after North and South representatives held their first official talks in more than two years. The two sides said in a joint statement they have decided to "defuse the current military tension and to hold military talks to address the issue." North Korea also said it plans to take part in the 2018 Winter Olympics. The games are to be held next month in PyeongChang, South Korea.  The agreements came after discussions between North and South Korean representatives in the border village of Panmunjom. The talks were aimed, in part, at getting North Korea involved in the PyeongChang Olympics. Another goal was to reduce tensions over the North’s nuclear activities and missile development program. Officials in Seoul and Pyongyang were able to watch the meeting through a closed circuit television connection. New Year’s gift The head of the North Korean delegation in Panmunjom, Ri Son Gwon, expressed hope at the start of the talks. “We came to this meeting today with a serious and sincere attitude and with the thought of giving our brethren … invaluable results as the first present of the year," he said. South Korean Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon led his country’s delegation at the talks. He expressed hope that the meeting will lead to more discussions and cooperation between the two sides. Olympic cooperation At the talks, North Korea agreed to send a delegation to the 2018 Olympics. The delegates are to include high-level government officials, Olympic athletes, cheerleaders, and a Taekwondo demonstration team. Currently only two North Korean figure skaters have met international requirements for competing at the winter games. Although North Korea missed the closing date for countries sending a team to the games, the International Olympic Committee could still extend invitations to compete. The South Korean government proposed that the Olympic teams from the two Koreas march together in the opening ceremony.  Proposals to ease tension South Korea also proposed setting up talks to organize reunions of families separated since the Korean War. It said those discussions could take place during the Olympics, around Lunar New Year's holiday. South Korean officials also proposed military talks with North Korea. They noted the need to negotiate a nuclear weapons deal with the North to bring peace to the Korean peninsula. Talks between the two sides about the Olympics already succeeded in reopening direct contacts between North and South Korea. Communication links were cut in early 2016 after a North Korean nuclear test and rocket launch. Since taking office in May of 2017, South Korean President Moon Jae-in has tried to re-establish contacts with North Korea. But he also has supported strong sanctions against the North as punishment for developing nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles.  Allies guarded The United States has expressed guarded support for the discussions between North and South Korea. The U.S. government agreed to postpone joint military exercises with South Korea until after the Olympic Games. In the past, U.S. President Donald Trump described negotiations with the North Korean government as useless. But this week, he called the new talks "a good thing" that came as a result of a "firm, strong" position. Trump also said that the U.S. would get involved in the negotiations "at the appropriate time.” But the State Department has voiced concern that North Korea might try to break up the alliance between the U.S. and South Korea. And it said the North might weaken U.S.-led efforts to force North Korea to give up its missile development program. On Tuesday, Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga welcomed North Korean interest in joining the Pyeongchang Games. Yet he also said the North’s nuclear program remains a serious international threat and that the U.N. sanctions imposed on Pyongyang must continue.   Brian Padden reported this story for VOANews.com. George Grow adapted his report for Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   defuse – v. to make less harmful or tense address – v. to communicate directly with or to closed-circuit – adj. of or involving a television broadcast in which the signal is directed at a limited number of receivers attitude – n. a feeling or way of thinking brethren – n. members of an organization, usually a religious group athlete – n. a person who is skilled in physical exercises or sports appropriate – adj. right for some situation or purpose   We want to hear from you. Write to us

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'Time's Up' at the Golden Globes

The red carpet was flooded with black gowns and suits Sunday night at the 75th Golden Globes ceremony in Los Angeles. Actors, activists and others chose to make a color-coordinated statement of female empowerment. Sunday’s ceremony was the first major awards celebration since the anti-sexual harassment and the #MeToo campaign exploded last October. Oprah Winfrey described the night’s feel in her speech to accept the Cecil B. DeMille Award for lifetime achievement. She is the first black woman to receive the lifetime achievement award. “For too long women have not been heard or believed if they dared to speak their truth to the power of those men...but their time is up. Their time is up!” Winfrey’s speech received a loud, ongoing standing ovation. Movie star Natalie Portman took the stage after Winfrey’s speech. She announced the nominees for best director. Portman spoke into the camera with an icy look and noted that the list was “all-male.” The Hollywood Foreign Press Association selects the Golden Globe nominees and winners. Former producer Harvey Weinstein long ruled at the Golden Globes. But accusations of sexual abuse against him forced his resignation in October from the company he founded. And it led to a continuing flow of similar accusations, resignations and dismissals of powerful men in Hollywood and beyond. The movie that won the most Golden Globes was Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. Many say it is a film that speaks directly to the current moment in Hollywood – and elsewhere. It centers on a character who seeks justice for the rape and murder of her daughter. Frances McDormand, who plays the mother, took home the award for best actress. Writer-director Martin McDonagh accepted the Golden Globe for best screenplay. And Sam Rockwell won for best supporting actor. The Hollywood Foreign Press also honored Three Billboards with the award for best picture-drama, one of the night’s biggest prizes. Comedian Seth Meyers hosted the awards show. He opened the night with jokes about the Hollywood sexual harassment and abuse scandals. “Good evening ladies and remaining gentlemen,” he began. The joke seemed to serve as a pressure release. “For the male nominees in the room tonight, this is the first time in three months it won’t be terrifying to hear your name read out loud." The first award of the night went to Nicole Kidman. She won for her performance in HBO’s Big Little Lies. She also produced the series with co-star Reese Witherspoon. Kidman credited the win to “the power of women.” Big Little Lies was nominated for six Golden Globes. It won four, including best supporting actress in a limited series or television movie for Laura Dern. Dern walked the red carpet with women’s rights activist Monica Ramirez. Several other actors arrived with activists as well. Michelle Williams attended with “Me Too” founder Tarana Burke. Meryl Streep came with domestic worker activist Ai-jen Poo. It was all part of an effort to keep the ceremony’s focus on sexual harassment. Other winners continued the theme. Amazon’s current hit series The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, won best TV series comedy. The show follows a 1950s housewife who begins a stand-up comedy career. Its star, Rachel Brosnahan, won best actress in a musical or comedy series. And Elisabeth Moss accepted the award for best actress in a drama series. She won for her performance in Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale. The television series is based on the novel by Canadian writer and feminist Margaret Atwood. The book describes a dystopian future in which women are forced into single, narrow roles, such as childbearers, wives or cooks. The Handmaid’s Tale was also honored with the Golden Globe for best TV series - drama. In her acceptance speech, Moss dedicated the award to Atwood. She said, “We no longer live in the gaps between the stories. We are the stories in print and we are writing the stories ourselves.” Sunday night’s black-dress demonstration was part of the recently formed movement called Time’s Up. The campaign is made up of hundreds of women in the entertainment industry. They have joined forces to demand gender equality in the workplace and to provide legal defense aid for sexual harassment victims. Nearly everyone was dressed in black Sunday night. Many also wore a Time’s Up pin. Television star Chris Sullivan from This is Us even painted his fingernails black. His co-star Sterling K. Brown won for best actor in a TV series - drama. Brown, the first black man to win the award, thanked This is Us creator Dan Fogelman. “You wrote a role for a black man that can only be played by a black man. And so, what I appreciate so much about this thing is that I’m being seen for who I am and being appreciated for who I am. And it makes it that much more difficult to dismiss me or dismiss anybody who looks like me. So thank you, Dan!"  Though the atmosphere was still fun, the red carpet had unusually serious exchanges. For example, actor Debra Messing was being interviewed by the E! network when she criticized the network itself for pay inequity. E!’s Catt Sadler recently left the network after she said she learned she was making about half the pay of her male co-host, Jason Kennedy. Caty Weaver adapted this story for Learning English based on AP news reports. ­­Ashley Thompson was the editor. Write to us in the Comments Section or on our Facebook page. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   red carpet – n. a long narrow red cloth stretched on the ground on which honored guests are to walk gown – n. a long, formal dress that a woman wears especially during a special event suit – n. a set of clothes that usually consists of a jacket and a skirt or pair of pants that are made out of the same material​ coordinate – v. to cause (two or more things) to be the same or to go together well : to cause (two or more things) to not conflict with or contradict each other​ harassment – n. repeated attacks against​ someone ovation – n. an occurrence in which a group of people at a play, speech, sporting event, etc., show enthusiastic approval or appreciation by clapping their hands together over and over​ host – n. to be the main person who entertains guests ​ scandal – n. an occurrence in which people are shocked and upset because of behavior that is morally or legally wrong​ domestic – adj. relating to the work (such as cooking and cleaning) that is done in a person's home​ stand-up comedy – n. single person performances of humorous material presented to a live audience dystopian – adj. an imaginary place where people are unhappy and usually afraid because they are not treated fairly ​ childbearer – n. a person who carries a pregnancy and gives birth

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January 8, 2018

A look at the best news photos from around the world.

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Two Lottery Tickets Won $1 Billion over the Weekend

This is What’s Trending Today… It was a lucky weekend in the United States. A lottery ticket sold in the state of New Hampshire won a jackpot of $559.70 million on Saturday night. Just one day earlier, a lottery ticket sold in the state of Florida won a $450-million Mega Millions grand prize. The Reeds Ferry Market in Merrimack, New Hampshire, sold Saturday’s winning ticket. The jackpot was the eighth-biggest in U.S. history. After the store opened for business early Sunday, many excited customers stopped by to congratulate the owner and talk about the win. Sam Safa owns the Reeds Ferry Market. He said he does not yet know who the winner is. But he hopes it is one of his regular customers. “I’m very excited and overwhelmed,” he said. Safa’s store will receive a $75,000 award for selling the winning ticket. “Someone woke up a multi-millionaire this morning!” said New Hampshire Lottery director Charlie McIntyre. As of Sunday evening, a winner had not yet come forward. The Florida Lottery says the winning Mega Millions ticket was bought at a 7-Eleven store in Port Richey. The shop will receive a $100,000 award for selling that ticket. The identity of the Florida winner also had not yet been revealed. With no jackpot-winning tickets sold in either game since October, the two lottery grand prizes totaled more than $1 billion. The chances of winning the Mega Millions jackpot are one in 302.5 million. Powerball chances are one in 292.2 million. The largest Powerball jackpot was a $1.6-billion payout split among winners in California, Florida, and Tennessee in January 2016. Powerball tickets are sold in 44 states, and Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The largest Mega Millions jackpot of $656 million was won in 2012. And that's What's Trending Today. I'm Ashley Thompson.    The Associated Press reported this story. Ashley Thompson adapted it for Learning English, with additional materials from Reuters. Hai Do was the editor.  _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story   jackpot - n. a usually large amount of money won in a game of chance grand prize - n. the top prize or award given in a contest regular - adj. doing the same thing or going to the same place very often customer - n. someone who buys goods or services from a business

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