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PaperclipPerfector  1d ago (text post)   122 thread views

Transnational Thursday for March 26, 2026

Transnational Thursday is a thread for people to discuss international news, foreign policy or international relations history. Feel free as well to drop in with coverage of countries you’re interested in, talk about ongoing dynamics like the wars in Israel or Ukraine, or even just whatever you’re reading.

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Reuters:

In London's pubs, love gets a PowerPoint makeover

Fed up of swiping left or right on dating apps, young London singles are returning to a classic British way of meeting people—the pub—with a modern twist: a PowerPoint presentation by a close friend pitching them as dating material.

Putting together a slide deck is second ‌nature for many younger millennials and older Gen Zers. Now, they're using that skill to enhance their mates' love lives, just as dating apps are losing their appeal.

"I hate the swiping," said Annie, 27, adding she was keen to see if her friend's two-minute pitch at a 'Date my Mate' event could land her a boyfriend—or at least a first date.

Organisers said all 150 tickets for the event, held at a north ⁠London pub, were sold in less than five minutes. And they're planning to roll out more, aiming for one a week across the country.

Having seen similar events in Australia and the US on social media, Emily Churchill, head of marketing at wine company Nice [1 2] who helped arrange the event, said she knew she had to bring the concept to London.

"It's just so much fun," she said, ⁠adding it gave coupled-up friends a way to help their single mates find love and escape "horrible dating stories."

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