Our daily suitcase ride around the world

🇯🇵 Japan is pumping the brakes on rideable electric suitcases. Two major Japanese airports have banned two-in-one scooter suitcases in recent weeks, following a surge in incidents from foreign visitors using them illegally on the roads. The battery-powered suitcases, which are classified as motorized vehicles that require a driver’s license, can reach up to 8 mph.

🇪🇺 Wind and solar generated more electricity than fossil fuels in the EU for the first time. The EU drew a record-high 30% of its electricity from wind and solar sources in 2023, with fossil fuels making up an all-time low of 20%, per a new report. Analysts largely attribute the increase to last year’s installation of a record 16.2 gigawatts of new wind power capacity in the EU – enough to power ~12 million homes – as part of its goal to reach net-zero emissions by 2050.

🇨🇳 China is planning to establish a national internet ID system. Under current Chinese law – which blocks access to many Western sites like Facebook, Google, Twitter, and Instagram – websites allowed in the country are required to verify their users’ identities via phone numbers. However, Beijing recently proposed a new system that would see the government take over user verification from websites, giving Chinese citizens a single ID to use across the internet. Critics of the proposal say Beijing could misuse the system to exert greater control over the internet.