"Brexit" notwithstanding, it looks as if Britain just hopped a ride with France into the future.

Along with France, which made the move in early July, Britain is banning diesel- and gasoline-powered cars as of 2040. That created yet another data point yesterday for those who say environmental momentum lies with the Paris climate agreement, despite the US withdrawal. It’s part of a major plan – toughened by court challenges – to target poor air quality, which Britain estimates is its No. 1 threat to public health.

Such electrifying news suddenly seems to be everywhere. Toyota is challenging Tesla with plans for a long-range electric car whose battery would charge in minutes. All Volvos will be hybrid or electric by 2019. Volkswagen expects electric vehicles to make up a quarter of sales by 2025, the year that UBS predicts one-third of cars in Europe will sport a plug rather than a gas tank. 

A very different kind of ban also made for a talker in the newsroom today: President Trump’s decision to bar transgender people from the military. Coming days will tell how this affects the several thousand already serving. But to understand how things looked to one military nurse when the ban was lifted in 2016, we recommend this powerful story from our archives.