Good evening. We've spruced up the place.

The Fed kept rates steady. The US central bank met for the last time this year and planned no further interest rate cuts. Chairman Jerome Powell said that previous cuts had successfully offset the effects of the US-China trade war, although manufacturing and exports have yet to rally.Bloomberg.com

Harvey Weinstein and his accusers have reached an agreement. The tentative deal will provide $25 million to dozens of women who claim that the disgraced producer sexually harassed or raped them. However, the New York Times reports that the deal will not require Weinstein to admit wrongdoing or spend his own money.The New York Times

Nestlé gets a sweet deal for Häagen-Dazs. The Swiss multinational is unloading its ice cream operations to a new joint venture in a deal priced at $4 billion. In addition to Häagen-Dazs, USA Today writes that the new company will control Dreyer's, Outshine, Skinny Cow, Edy’s and Drumstick brands.USA TODAY

WeWork will lay off more than 400 employees in New York. That’s close to half its workers in the state. New York City is home to WeWork’s corporate headquarters and one of its biggest markets.Quartz

Big tech is losing its foothold atop the best places to work list. Glassdoor released its annual survey, with Facebook tumbling the hardest from 7 to 23. Google and Apple lost some ground, but Microsoft is gaining with a jump from 33 to 21.Glassdoor

Electric vehicles could be used to hack the 2020 election. In addition to concerns about deep fakes and social engineering, plug-in cars could theoretically cause targeted blackouts, and potentially swing an election by suppressing the vote.Quartz

An investing strategy could be a useful guide. “Value investing” offers lessons on supporting political campaigns anywhere. It’s all about targeted investment in underpriced assets. For the US, that would be state legislatures, which could transform the power dynamics before redistricting.Quartz

The end of an era for Swiss tax haven banks. HSBC's $200 million settlement marks the end of an era for Swiss banks enabling US tax evasion. America's own internal tax havens are taking its place.Quartz

Donald Trump's American border isn’t working. International Rescue Committee CEO David Miliband writes in Newsweek that policies by the Trump administration are both cruel and ineffective—but there is a better way forward if Congress acts.Newsweek

Randomized trials in developing countries are clearly problematic. Instead of advancing development and poverty reduction, the methodological approach advocated by this year’s economics Nobel winners could actually hold back progress in developing countries.Quartz Africa

Colombia is threatening to sue Walmart over a cocaine-themed holiday sweater. The big-box store is offering a particularly unusual example of how third-party marketplaces can get the companies operating them into real trouble.Quartz

Twitter’s working on an “open and decentralized” social media. CEO Jack Dorsey announced in a tweet (naturally) that his company would ideally become a client of that new standard. The project, which has yet to begin, is called Bluesky, says The Verge.The Verge

YouTube is cracking down on abuse. No longer will users be able to post “malicious” insults based on race, gender, sexual identity, and other protected traits, reports CNBC, as the platform struggles to address backlash over the harassment of a Vox journalist earlier this year.CNBC

Nubank, a digital bank in São Paulo, is one of the fastest growing fintechs in the world. Venture capital investors have taken note of the unicorn’s soaring valuation and are pouring money into the region’s startups. Quartz’s John Detrixhe spoke with Nubank’s CEO for our latest field guide. ✦Quartz

Brex, the startup funder of startups, nabs a $200 million line of credit. Credit Suisse is just the latest financial juggernaut to back the two-year-old company—Barclays floated $100 million this past spring, says CNBC.CNBC

Forget about “Away” suitcases. Though the polycarbonate shells are a status symbol for jet-setting millennials, the firm is mired in controversy. Read Quartz’s guide on the best carry-on luggage on the market. 👉Quartz

iFit muscles up with its latest funding round. iFit, the connected fitness subsidiary of Icon Health—the world's largest manufacturer of exercise equipment—just raised $200 million to fuel an expansion of its personal trainer live streaming business.Crunchbase News

A VC pioneer reflects on 50 years of investments. In a video interview with Quartz at Work editor Heather Landy, Alan Patricof shares where his investment ideas originate, why he plans to double down on podcasting, and, at 85, how much longer he intends to keep going. ✦Quartz

It’s a great time to invest in European tech. And not necessarily in established hubs such as London, Paris, and Berlin. In fact, formidable challengers to US dominance might emerge in Barcelona, Bratislava, and elsewhere as European cities tap vast talent pools and venture capital investment.Quartz

It's that time of year again. Quartz membership editor Walter Frick is here with a bonus holiday edition of our Quartzy newsletter that will help you navigate nearly any seasonal situation you might find yourself in between now and the new year.Quartz

A brief history of lactose. A chance encounter between a fruit fly and a pail of milk 5,500 years ago is what led humans to produce cheese and yogurts, according to a new scientific paper.Quartz