Microsoft hosting Hour of Code tutorials focusing on Minecraft

From December 4 to 8, Microsoft is supporting educators, students and nonprofits to drive awareness for Computer Science Education Week and Hour of Code, a global call to action to spend an hour learning the basics of coding.

To get students coding, Microsoft has released a new Minecraft tutorial called Hero’s Journey and starting on December 4, Microsoft Stores across the country will host free coding workshops, giving kids a chance to use fun, interactive coding to learn how creativity and problem solving come together to make something of their own.

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Apple and (RED) celebrate $160 million raised for AIDS awareness and treatment

Apple's been a staunch proponent of AIDS awareness with its involvement in the (RED) initiative. As one of the earliest partners of the program, Apple has released various (product) RED variants of products of which partial proceeds would go into AIDS awareness and treatment. The company also puts World AIDS Day front and centre by dressing up their stores with symbolic RED Apple logos and having their staff wear the colour. The company now celebrates a milestone.

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Andy Rubin takes leave from Essential for ‘personal reasons’ as investigation over ‘inappropriate’ Google relationship surfaces

The latest sexual harassment/misconduct to allegations hits a prominent name in the tech scene. Essential founder and CEO Andy Rubin is subject to a new report from The Information that claims Rubin left Google shortly after an internal investigation found he had an “inappropriate relationship” with a woman who worked under him in the Android division. While relationships are allowed within Google, they needed to disclose their relationship so one of them can be transferred out to another division or department. It isn’t clear what the relationship was like but during the duration of it the unidentified woman filed a complaint with Google’s human resources department. And shortly after this, Rubin left the company.

Rubin’s official spokesperson Mike Sitrick refutes The Information’s story saying, “Any relationship that Mr. Rubin had while at Google was consensual. Mr. Rubin was never told by Google that he engaged in any misconduct while at Google and he did not, either while at Google or since.” However, after this story broke, it’s been announced that Essential’s founder and CEO is taking a leave of absence for “personal reasons” and Essential’s President Niccolo de Masi will be in charge.

Source: The Verge + Android Central

Daisy Ridley is ready to hang up her lightsaber after ‘Episode IX’

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While we know that a new Star Wars trilogy is heading our way in the future, there might be one face we won’t see then. Actress Daisy Ridley, who plays Rey in the sequel trilogy, is ready to give up the role after Episode IX is done. Speaking to Rolling Stone she says, "I am really, really excited to do the third thing and round it out, because ultimately, what I was signing on to was three films. So in my head, it's three films. I think it will feel like the right time to round it out."

But the actress also isn’t completely ruling out showing up somewhere down the line in a similar manner as her co-stars Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford, and Mark Hamill did. "Who knows? I honestly feel like the world may end in the next 30 years, so, if in 30 years we are not living underground in a series of interconnected cells ... then sure," she said. "Maybe." If we keep the planet alive by then, and there are more Star Wars films to be made, then perhaps we’ll get our wish.