Issue 1226

12 Mar 2018
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About this issue: Overview

When the American navy blocked Soviet nuclear missiles from reaching Cuba in the 1962 crisis, it did so with technology on its ships that would have prevented its torpedoes from being jammed by the enemy. Few knew it was technology invented by Hedy Lamarr, one of Hollywood’s biggest stars until the system spat her out. Antonia Charlesworth speaks to the maker of a new documentary about “the most beautiful woman in the world”.

From childrens’s centres to farms and hotels, many of the businesses pushed into GRG, the Royal Bank of Scotland’s restructuring division, were hit with huge interest rates, inflated fees and demands to hand over their assets. Some collapsed as a result. But even with the publication of a hard-hitting report by the regulator, the nightmarish tale of the victims may never be fully told, says Helen Nugent.

In the latest in our series The Way I Work, Keith Broni, the world’s first emoji researcher and interpreter, tells us about his working day. He’s your man if you want to make sure the little yellow symbol you choose to convey interest doesn’t actually mean indifference, or flirtiness doesn’t really signify contempt.

Plus news, arts and entertainment, Dita von Teese’s letter to her – shy – younger self, columnist Roger Ratcliffe on how Orwell would view the rise in rough sleeping today, crossword, Sudoku and more.