WFH is actually great for cities

Well, it’s definitely been a tumultuous year in the region, in terms of oil and gas. As our Markets Insider team reported, Europe faced the threat of a full-blown crisis with Russia slashing supplies. There was panic, fear, and talks of “wearing sweaters” and carrying flashlights. But the continent made progress with alternate arrangements — and it also helped that winter was milder than expected.

It’s too early to definitively say Europe’s out of the woods on this yet — but at least so far, this crisis hasn’t had the severe impact many feared.

— Nicholas Carlson

Salesforce, royal eviction, & more

• Salesforce’s Marc Benioff says every CEO in Silicon Valley has asked themselves if they “need to unleash their own Elon.” More from Insider’s interview here.
• Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have confirmed they’re being evicted from their cottage at Windsor Castle. Find out more.
• Ukrainian soldiers say they caught a Russian medic forced to operate a tank, highlighting the dysfunction in Putin’s army. More on that here.

New urban boom

Fewer people are spending on lunches and happy hours or stopping by retailers in downtown areas. There’s less property- and sales-tax revenue for cities. The remote-work shift is costing downtowns a lot of cash — Manhattan, alone, is losing $12 billion a year.

This hollowing out has in turn triggered concerns about an “office apocalypse,” the “death of downtown,” and an “urban doom loop.”

But this bleak future is not set in stone. Cities like New York, San Francisco, and Chicago can reinvent themselves — and the remote-work revolution could pave the way for a new urban boom.

TOP READS

Happiest spots, flight etiquette, & more

• These are the top 15 happiest cities in the US — and nearly half are in California. A survey compared the largest US cities on factors like emotional and physical well-being, and income and employment. From several spots in California (including San Diego and San Francisco) to Madison, Wisconsin, see the country’s happiest cities here.
• Rivian is forcing some customers to wait years for their vehicle deliveries — and the EV startup risks alienating them at a critical time in its fight to become the next Tesla. What’s going on.
• “I was promised a role in the ‘Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’ remake.” Rufus Burns played the role of Jazz in the viral short film “Bel-Air.” He said he then spent thousands moving to LA believing he’d reprise the role — but he was never cast. Read more.
• Today in the viral flight etiquette videos: An influencer said she refused to swap seats on a plane so a family could sit together. Her video spurred intense debate — and TikTokers are rushing to defend her. More here.
• Looking to move to a mountain town? Or at least, daydreaming about it? From Alaska to Tennessee, we’ve rounded up six cities with scenic peaks and homes you just might be able to afford — check them out.
• A hotel shredded 41 British students’ passports. A group of 42 students on a trip to New Hampshire was stranded in the US after staff at The Kancamagus Lodge hotel had destroyed nearly all of their passports. Find out more.
• A man survived after being stranded for 31 days in the Amazon jungle. Jhonatan Acosta said he had to eat worms and drink his own urine to survive. He’d lost 37 pounds by the time he was found. More here.

TAKE A LOOK

Wedding no-shows

“10 Nightmarish Seconds”

More than 40 people are dead following a collision in Greece between a passenger train and a freight train, and survivors are opening up about the experience. Watch here.

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