There are many quick, easy and delicious ways to eat an aubergine. Here are some of the best options, including salads and shakshukaThe aubergine hasn’t always had the most pristine reputation. There was a time when eating one required a complicated da…
My partner cheated on me – then told me about the fantastic lover she’d found
This man was well endowed, highly sexed and lasted longer than me. Is our relationship doomed?I have been with my partner for three years, and a month ago she cheated on me. We discussed the matter and from that I discovered that this guy she cheated w…
A moment that changed me: I realised I had become a masochist – and quit Twitter
Social media brought me better jobs, close friends and love. But I was ignoring the ways in which the constant criticism and approval were shaping my lifeIn March 2009, I type in “twitter.com” and sign up for the next 12 years of my life. I am 20, in m…
Illegally sterilised Czech women to be offered compensation
Hundreds of mostly Roma women were threatened, tricked or bribed into being sterilised until 2012Women sterilised without their consent are to be offered compensation in the Czech Republic after President Miloš Zeman signed a bill into law this week. T…
I don’t like to boast – but even my blood is special | Zoe Williams
It’s taken me 27 years to become a blood donor. Was I really put off by a few questions about sex?At lockdown’s very apex of misery, when all the novelty had passed and the sun wasn’t shining, when nothing was open and you couldn’t even remember what i…
‘Collective strength’: the LRA captive restoring dignity to survivors in Uganda
Kidnapped by Lord’s Resistance Army rebels as a girl, Victoria Nyanjura has pushed through major reforms for victims of abduction and rapeWhen Victoria Nyanjura was abducted from her Catholic boarding school in northern Uganda by members of the Lord’s …
‘Don’t beat yourself up’: 10 ways to feel happier with your body as the world reopens
Many of us are returning to the office or socialising for the first time in a year – and may be feeling anxious about physical changes. Here’s how to feel a little bit better about yourselfAs pandemic restrictions are lifted in England, many of us will…
Meet the crossword setter, plant scientist Soup: ‘A successful clue needs pith and, ideally, humour’
The latest in our series where we turn the tables on the torturers. Under the spotlight this time is the insect pollination expert Hamish Symington, AKA SoupThe Guardian’s newest cryptic setter, Soup, has been setting puzzles in this paper’s extraordin…
How we met: ‘She gave me strong signs that she wasn’t looking for romance’
Vinca, 37, and Lee, 40, were housemates in Manchester before they fell in love. They live in north Wales with their sonIn early 2008, Vinca was a self-confessed party girl, living the high life in Manchester. She worked for a recruitment firm during th…
Rhik Samadder tries … mindful painting: ‘It dawns on me that I’m a very talented artist’
Keen to unlock your inner creativity? De-stress and unwind? Or merely improve the quality of the gifts you make for friends? Step right this wayHave you ever forgotten to buy a loved one a birthday present? Here’s a tip. Get a card, then draw a picture…