Morning World: Taiwan HSR Resumes Normal Operations, Drug Driving Crackdown, Ukraine War, Defense Budget, and AI Boom

Taiwan High Speed Rail (THSR) adjusted its schedule on the 25th due to signal anomalies, operating only non-reserved seats all day. After emergency repairs following the last train, the signaling system was confirmed to be back to normal at 1:43 AM on the 26th, and normal operations resumed. THSR stated that the issue was caused by unstable current after replacing the SMC power module in the switch control box. For affected passengers, a 50% refund is offered for delays of 30-60 minutes, and a full refund for delays over 60 minutes or cancellations. Police launched a project to "crack down on drug-impaired driving and zombie drugs," making numerous arrests on the first day. The Ministry of Justice is considering legal amendments to increase penalties and mandate vehicle confiscation. Russia launched a massive air strike on Ukraine on the 24th, using 90 missiles and 600 drones. President Zelenskyy condemned the attack as "cruel." The Ministry of Defense has applied for emergency funding under the Budget Act to pay the NT$800 million initial installment for the HIMARS multiple rocket system. Defense Minister Wellington Koo stated that the ministry has not received notice of delays regarding the second batch of US arms sales. National Security Bureau Director-General Tsai Ming-yen noted that a large volume of anti-American and anti-Taiwan sentiment was spread online around the time of the Trump-Xi meeting. The Taiwan stock market hit a record high on the 25th, driven by the AI boom and reduced geopolitical risks in the Middle East. COMPUTEX 2026 will feature CEOs from AMD and NVIDIA, positioning Taiwan at the forefront of AI technology. Additionally, it was announced that the airport service fee will increase to NT$750 starting September 1 this year and to NT$1,000 from September 2028.