Good evening.

The Conservative party appears to have won the UK election. Exit polls suggest a comfortable majority for prime minister Boris Johnson, consistent with pre-election polls. Johnson will likely interpret the results as a mandate for his Brexit deal, which he struck with the EU in October.Quartz

A US-China trade deal will reduce tariffs and delay new ones. Multiple sources report that trade negotiators have reached a "phase one" pact that could see this weekend's planned tariff increases scrapped. US president Donald Trump has approved the deal.Bloomberg.com

The Feds might come after Facebook. The US Federal Trade Commission is considering taking legal action against Facebook, whose interconnected apps are triggering antitrust concerns.The Wall Street Journal

The British pound hits a 3 year high. It gained 3% against both the US dollar and euro, following an exit poll that showed the Conservative party winning a majority in Parliament. Analysts expect the result minimizes the chances of a no-deal Brexit.BBC News

Like many coming-of-age stories, it's hopeful, but with a fierce undertow of loss. Roshan is the biggest telecoms operator in Afghanistan and the country’s biggest employer. It’s also a survivor: a 2017 bombing outside its headquarters killed and wounded scores of employees.Quartz

Democrats and Republicans have come to an agreement. Lawmakers say they’ve sorted out a spending plan that will keep the lights on after the looming Dec. 20 deadline.USA TODAY

His opponents should look to global examples. Successful impeachments around the world have typically taken place amid widespread popular protests.Quartz

Our cutest military technology. Even in an age of microscopic cameras, satellites, and drones, dogs, dolphins, pigeons, and the occasional spy squirrel still have abilities that we have yet to improve upon, like echolocation and highly developed senses of smell.Quartz

SCOTUS is stuck in the middle of a global child custody battle. The case involves an American mother, an Italian father, and the Hague Convention, which governs global child custody disputes. The court’s decision will impact more than just one feuding family.Quartz

Anxious about being a grown-up? There’s an industry for that. Universities may have started the trend of offering “adulting” classes, but private companies are seizing on the opportunity.The Cut

Channel Greta Thunberg. Her public statements consistently communicate a few key points. She is not distracted by rhetoric, straw-man arguments, personal abuse, or by condescension or appeals to economic theory.Quartz

Zapping your brain may boost your mental health. At-home transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) devices are currently unregulated, but claim to improve depression levels and addiction.Quartz

Wildlife documentaries are finally addressing climate change... The new BBC series, Seven Worlds, One Planet, repeatedly mentions climate change when looking at animal behavior. It’s a turning point in the history of wildlife broadcasting.Quartz

And another one shines a light on the dark side of dealing with waste. The most chilling scene of The Story of Plastic, reporter Zoë Schlanger writes, is drone footage of plastic blankets in Indonesia that stretch unfathomable distances.Quartz

Africa’s entrepreneurs may be its best hope for overcoming bad leadership. Powerful market-creating innovation creates jobs that provide income for many more people and for governments as well, via taxes and licenses.Quartz

China makes the majority of Africa’s smartphones. Transsion is Africa’s number one maker of cellphones, but five virtually unknown manufacturers—all with roots in China—share a combined 18.7% of the market.Quartz

Pepsi doesn’t want you to choose between coffee and soda. It’s not a horrible idea, until you consider the toll on your heart—Pepsi Cafe will combine two flavors (coffee and cola) with double the caffeine of a regular Pepsi.Bloomberg.com

Listen to your liver. Please, for the love of all the platelets and plasma, do not take out your end-of-the-year stress on your liver by over-indulging in booze. Quartz went to the source and asked the organ itself to explain why.Quartz