It’s Friday, January 30. This is The Front Page, your daily window into the world of The Free Press—and our take on the world at large. Today: How the American people fact-checked their government, why data centers are not the enemy, and Abigail Shrier delivers more tough love. Plus: Glenna Goldis talks to Emily Yoffe about why she was fired by Letitia James, this week’s editors’ picks, and much more.

But first: Why are so many British women now getting abortions?

A few weeks ago, I wrote a piece for The Free Press about Britain’s collapsing birthrate. A day later, I saw something online that stunned me. It was this chart:

Total number of legal abortions for residents of England and Wales from 1968 to 2023

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It showed that abortions in England and Wales are now at their highest level since the procedure was legalized in 1967—and that nearly one in three pregnancies are now ending in termination.

What was behind this sudden spike? To find out, I spoke to women across the UK: women who’d had one abortion, several abortions, routine abortions, and abortions that were physically brutal. I also discussed the trend with the former head of Britain’s largest abortion provider, who told me how terminating a pregnancy has transformed from a clinic-based procedure into medication you can order online to come to your door, and keep “just in case.”

What some believe may be a result of poverty or coercive control turned out to be something else entirely. This is a story about normalization, risk aversion, and most importantly, a generation of women who feel too imperfect to become mothers.

Read my reporting on why abortion has become easier than motherhood in today’s Britain.

—Kara Kennedy

Tough Love with Abigail Shrier: My Teenage Daughter Doesn’t Like My Boyfriend

Children are often hurt most by a rough divorce—and sometimes they can be hurt all over again when their parents move on. This week, our advice columnist Abigail Shrier responds to a question from Cassie, a 35-year-old woman whose teenage daughter doesn’t like her new boyfriend. Her dilemma is this: “Should I continue seeing this man and trust that my daughter will eventually adjust? Or should I wait until my children are older, even if that means risking my chance at remarriage and happiness?” Read Abigail’s answer:

The American People Fact-Checked Their Government

Jacob Mchangama

Much ink has been spilled over how the online information ecosystem has poisoned our politics by spreading “misinformation.” But the killing of Alex Pretti revealed something different, writes Jacob Mchangama. In this instance, social media was a force for good, pushing back against a false narrative espoused by federal officials who labeled Pretti a “domestic terrorist.” It was, in other words, the internet at its best. Read full story

Data Centers Are Not the Villain

Emmet Penney

AI data centers are now a lightning rod issue for local governments, uniting factions of the right and left in opposition. But the common accusation that they suck an area’s energy resources dry, sending local energy prices through the roof, misses the point, argues Emmet Penney. The real culprit? Inept energy grid systems that can’t keep up, hindering the push for reindustrialization. Read Emmet on why, “for the first time in its history, America is not prepared for growth.” Read full story

Glenna Goldis on Speaking Out—and Losing Her Job

Earlier this month, Glenna Goldis, a progressive consumer fraud expert and proud lesbian, was fired from her job in New York Attorney General Letitia James’ office for opposing childhood gender transition surgery. James considered this “disruptive speech.” On Tuesday, Glenna told her side of the story for the first time, and did so in the pages of The Free Press. If you missed her account of the price she paid for speaking out, read it here. And if you want to go deeper on this important story, watch Glenna’s conversation with Free Press senior editor Emily Yoffe: