The Norwegian town where anyone might be a spy | Iranian Vessels Target US Helicopter with Laser | Coping with Dream Job Disappointment | Orca Mothers' High Price for Raising Male Offspring

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� � � � � � You Might Like � � � � � � � � � The Norwegian town where anyone might be a spy - The Economist    Frode Berg was a border inspector on the brink of retirement when, in 2014, he was first recruited by the Norwegian Intelligence Service (NIS). Berg was based in Kirkenes, a town of 3,500 nestled amid the pine forests and rocky fjords in the north of Norway, five miles from the Russian border. Kirkenes is known for two things: its king crab and its spies. Accordingly, Berg was no stranger to the NIS and their work – his job frequently took him to Russia, and he had got to know a handful of NIS officials over the years, including the case officer who was asking for his co-operation. But he had never before been asked to take any risks on behalf of the Norwegian government. Now the case officer was asking him to transport an envelope containing €3,000 ($3,250) in cash across the border and post it to a Moscow address. A brief excursion into Russia wouldn’t seem out of the ordinary, so Berg agreed to do it. “I say yes to everything,” he told me. In the ensuing months, Berg would travel to Russia six times with cash-stuffed envelopes, which he’d post as instructed. Included in each envelope would be a note describing the money as poker winnings. Over time, Berg was given a new handler, and the requests grew more involved – not just transporting and mailing money, but also, in one instance, a memory card. Berg grew increasingly uncomfortable with the arrangement. He tried to quit on several occasions, but his new handler was persistent. Finally, he acquiesced to one last assignment. On his last run, just before Christmas of 2017, Berg’s worst fears were realised: he was rolled up outside his Moscow hotel by the FSB, Russia’s domestic security service. The FSB officers spirited him away to the notorious Lefortovo prison. Continued here Iranian vessels shined laser at US attack helicopter over Persian Gulf in unsafe manner, US Navy says | CNN Politics -     Iranian vessels shined a laser at a US attack helicopter in international airspace over the Persian Gulf on Wednesday in what the US Navy is calling an “unsafe and unprofessional manner.” The ships from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy aimed the laser at the Marine Corps AH-1Z Viper attack helicopter “multiple times” on Wednesday evening local time, according to a statement from US Naval Forces Central Command. The crew on the helicopter were not injured, the Navy said. Lasers can disorient and blind pilots of helicopters or aircraft, raising the risk of unsafe flight. Continued here Don't like ads? Go ad-free with TradeBriefs Premium When You Realize You'll Never Get Your Dream Job - Harvard Business Review    I once had dreams of becoming like Bruce Springsteen. Now, at age 62, I write about him, go to his shows, sing along to his songs in my car, teach my children about his significance, use his works in my Wharton classes, and even serve as a Guest DJ on E Street Radio. But despite my earlier wishes to live a successful musical performer’s life, it’s not going to happen. I’m not Springsteen, and never will be. We often say to children, “You can be whatever you want to be.” But, at some point along the path to adulthood, you come to accept that maybe you’re really not going to be a professional basketball player, or an astronaut, or the president, or a rock star. Maybe you just don’t have the aptitude, or the drive, or the skills to make your fantasy mesh with your reality. Part of reaching maturity means coming to know ourselves – our strengths and our limitations – figuring out how our gifts can realistically flourish in the world. Middle age is often when we have to confront the realities of our career aspirations. By this time, childhood fantasies of becoming a princess or president may have long been put to rest. But you probably still wish for success, recognition, or promotions in your current endeavors. And while these aspirations might seem more attainable than youthful dreams, sometimes they’re simply not, for whatever reason. Maybe you long to be CEO, but you’re just not suited to a management position. Maybe you always dreamed of starting your own company, but you’re risk-averse. Maybe you lack the education, experience, skills, motivation, or resources that it would take to fulfill your earlier career dreams. Continued here Raising male offspring comes at a high price for orca mothers - Popular Science    Only 73 Southern Resident killer whales are left in the wild—and raising sons may make this more complicated. By Laura Baisas | Published Feb 8, 2023 12:00 PM EST The unique and endangered Southern Resident killer whales (SRKW) that live off of the northwest coast of North America specialize in eating Chinook salmon, a particularly large, fatty, and nutritious Pacific salmon. The whales have become endangered for multiple reasons including reduced salmon availability, chemical pollution, and noise pollution.  Continued here

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