One lesser-known name caught our attention: Noor Inayat Khan, who spied for Britain during World War II.

Ms. Khan wasn’t what one would expect of a British spy. She was born a princess to Indian royalty, and she was a musician and a writer. But she spoke French and had excellent radio skills. She became the first female radio operator sent by Britain into occupied France.

She did the work of six radio operators, moving constantly and dyeing her hair blond to avoid detection. Her work became crucial to the war effort.

Ms. Khan never made it home; she was captured and executed at the Dachau concentration camp in 1944. She was 30.

Read more about her here.

That’s it for this briefing. Have a good weekend. — Chris

Thank you

To Eleanor Stanford for the cultural recommendations, and Kenneth R. Rosen and James K. Williamson for their Smarter Living tips. Amie Tsang, who works in our London office, wrote today’s Back Story. You can reach the team at briefing@nytimes.com.

P.S.

• We’re listening to “The Daily.” Today’s episode is about a Yemeni girl who drew attention to her country’s plight.

• Here’s today’s mini crossword puzzle, and a clue: Light green ( 4 letters). You can find all of our puzzles here.

• Do you have a story idea, feedback on our coverage or a question for our journalists? We’d love to hear from you.