Good afternoon, I'm _ with today's episode of EZ News.

Tai-Ex opening

The Tai-Ex opened 73 points higher this morning at 44,899.

Turnover reached 7.3 billion N-T dollars.

The market bounced back on Wednesday, led by chip and technology shares.

The gains came after the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index rose 5.21 percent
overnight, as major chipmakers (晶片製造商) and other A-I-related companies gained
in the U-S.

Foreign minister repeats South China Sea position

Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung has repeated Taiwan's claims in the South
China Sea.

However, he said the Lai administration is not actively pushing those claims.

His comments come as tensions continue between China and the Philippines in
the disputed waters (爭議海域).

Speaking at a legislative hearing on the government's South China Sea policy,
Lin said Taiwan's claims over islands in the area have not changed.

He said Taiwan's position is based on four principles (原則).

These include solving disputes peacefully under international law, including
Taiwan in international talks, protecting freedom of navigation (航行自由) and
air travel, and sharing regional resources.

Possible tropical storm could affect Taiwan this weekend

The Central Weather Administration says a tropical depression (熱帶性低氣壓) east
of the Philippines could become a tropical storm as early as today.

The weather system could reach waters near Taiwan this weekend.

A sea warning (海上警報) may be issued as it moves through the Bashi Channel and
into the South China Sea.

The tropical depression is about 1,400 kilometers east-southeast of Eluanbi,
Taiwan's southernmost point.

It is moving northwest at 27 kilometers per hour.

If it becomes a tropical storm, it will be named Noul.

It would be the 12th named storm of this year's Pacific typhoon season.

US signs agreement with Saudi Arabia on uranium enrichment

The U-S has signed an agreement with Saudi Arabia on the kingdom's civilian
(民用的) nuclear energy program.

The deal could allow Saudi Arabia to develop the ability to enrich uranium
(濃縮鈾).

The Trump administration has released few details about the agreement.

However, it could lead to the construction of a uranium enrichment center
after a joint U-S-Saudi study.

The U-S Department of Energy says the peaceful nuclear agreement will also
give American companies greater access to Saudi Arabia's nuclear energy
program.

Major wildfire burns in central Spain

Firefighters in central Spain are battling a major wildfire (野火、森林大火) in
Guadalajara.

The fire has burned more than 32,000 hectares (公頃) of land.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez visited the area on Wednesday and called for
political parties to work together against climate change.

He said climate change is a scientific issue, not a political one.

The Guadalajara fire is one of the largest in Spain's history.

It comes less than two weeks after another fire in southern Spain killed 13
people.

A heat wave is making firefighting more difficult, with temperatures reaching
42 degrees.

Other European countries are also facing extreme heat and wildfires.

Police station opens at Hitler's birthplace in Austria

Austria has opened a police station in the house where Adolf Hitler was born.

The Nazi leader was born in the former inn (以前的旅館) in April 1889.

For years, Austrian officials debated what to do with the 17th-century
building.

They wanted to stop it from becoming a place where neo-Nazis would gather.

The building has now been refurbished (翻修), and its outside appearance has
been changed.

The government first announced plans to turn it into a police station in 2019.

Police musicians performed at the opening ceremony.

Louvre reopens Apollo Gallery after jewel theft

The Louvre Museum in Paris has reopened its Apollo Gallery.

The gallery (展廳、畫廊) had been closed after crown jewels (王室珠寶) worth more than
100 million U-S dollars were stolen during a daytime robbery last October.

The AP's Alex Turnbull reports.

That was the I.C.R.T. EZ News, I'm _.
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