Carnegie Mellon University wrongly tells 800 applicants they got in

(Reuters) – Carnegie Mellon University mistakenly informed about 800 applicants that they had won a place in one of the school’s prestigious computer science programs before retracting the acceptance letters, the school said. The acceptance letters were sent by email on Monday, according to the Pittsburgh-based school.

Read more

TransferWise launches U.S. money transfer service, eyes more markets

By Jemima Kelly LONDON (Reuters) – British online money transfer business TransferWise launched its U.S. operation on Tuesday, the first step of an international expansion that will use $58 million in new backing to compete with the likes of Western Union and MoneyGram. TransferWise is among the biggest of a clutch of internet start-ups that have begun to challenge the dominance of the established companies and banks that provide money transfer services for ordinary consumers.

Read more

Exclusive: Facebook hiring spree hints at ambitions in virtual reality and beyond

By Alexei Oreskovic and Bill Rigby SAN FRANCISCO/SEATTLE (Reuters) – Virtual reality goggles, drones and data centers are all driving a hiring spree at Facebook Inc that is set to swell its ranks as much as 14 percent in the near term, according to a review of job listings on the company's website. Oculus Rift, the maker of virtual reality headsets that Facebook acquired in a $2 billion deal last year, is among the key areas slated for growth, with 54 jobs listed on its website, according to a review by Reuters of listings. Among the roles that Facebook needs to fill for the Oculus business are managers to oversee logistics, procurement and global supply chain planning – a sign, some analysts say, that the product is nearing its commercial release

Read more

China dating app helps gay men banish the blues – and AIDS

BEIJING (Reuters) – Hua Ruobin started using Blued two years ago to meet other gay men in China, setting up weekend dinners or dates in karaoke bars. The gay dating app has been a godsend for Hua, allowing the university student in the southern city of Guangzhou to privately contact Chinese men seeking same-sex companionship. Homosexuality is not illegal in China, but remains a taboo subject in the world's most populous country

Read more