CNN underscored | Build your programming skills with these e-courses, from Python to SwiftUI

(CNN) —  If you’ve ever considered programming as a skill beyond your reach, think again. Every software and website developer started somewhere — and there are plenty of ways to break into the language of your choice and build your skills.

The CNN Store hosts a wide range of courses with such goals in mind. From Python to JavaScript to SwiftUI, you can learn to code on your own time and develop apps, create websites and even hone your data-analysis savvy. These courses are packed with lessons, some of which focus on specific projects, while others teach the basics, but most mix in both approaches.

We tried out a number of courses for ourselves, and we’re sharing our hands-on experience below.

How these courses work

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CNN underscored | How to get a personal loan, and what to watch out for when you’re applying

(CNN) —  Even though 2021 may eventually see the end of the coronavirus pandemic thanks to vaccines, right now it continues to wreak havoc on the world and the US economy. And if you’re recently lost your income and are strapped for cash, or if you’re having trouble getting a handle on your debt, you might consider applying for a personal loan.

But what exactly is a personal loan? How does it differ from a mortgage or a credit card? Is now a good time to get a personal loan, and what’s the best way to go about it? CNN Underscored has the answers to all your questions about personal loans to help you decide if getting one is right for you.

What is a personal loan?

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CNN BUSINESS | Mercedes’ new touchscreen system takes up the whole dashboard

(CNN) – Automakers have, for years, been offering larger and larger touchscreens in vehicle dashboards. Ram trucks, for instance, come with 12-inch screens, measured diagonally, while the new Ford Mustang Mach-E electric SUV has a screen that measures an impressive 15.5-inches.

Mercedes, however, has taken the trend to a whole new level.

Its new MBUX Hyperscreen covers almost the entire dashboard in front of the driver and passenger. It can’t even be measured diagonally because it isn’t a rectangle. It’s curved. Holes allow air vents to pass through. MBUX, which stands for Mercedes-Benz User Experience, is Mercedes’ name for the touchscreen software in its cars.  —read more—

CNN BUSINESS | Amazon to invest $2 billion to build affordable housing in these three cities

(CNN) – Amazon is pledging to invest more than $2 billion over the next five years toward affordable housing in three cities where it has major operations.

The tech giant’s new Housing Equity Fund will invest in moderate- to low-income housing around Seattle, Nashville and Arlington, Virginia, where the company ultimately expects to have at least 5,000 employees each.

“This new $2 billion Housing Equity Fund will create or preserve 20,000 affordable homes in all three of our headquarters regions — Arlington, Puget Sound, and Nashville,” said Jeff Bezos, Amazon’s founder and CEO, in a statement. “It will also help local families achieve long-term stability while building strong, inclusive communities.”  —read more—

CNN BUSINESS | Democracy is under attack. And Wall Street is sounding the alarm

New York (CNN Business) – Business leaders, investors and economists are sounding the alarm about the state of democracy in the aftermath of the 2020 presidential election.

The fear is that President Donald Trump’s efforts to sow doubt about the political system will harm the fragile recovery by causing social unrest, amplifying political division and paralyzing Washington when it needs to focus on rebuilding the economy from the worst pandemic in a century.

Longer term, the attacks on democracy could backfire by eroding confidence in the rule of law and cherished institutions that have made the United States the world’s strongest economy.  —read more—

CNN politics | Black Georgia voters’ high turnout helped solidify a historic win, organizers say

(CNN) – Black Georgia voters showed up in droves for the state’s pair of US Senate runoffs and voting rights groups say the high turnout plus aggressive organizing efforts helped solidify a historic win.

Rev. Raphael Warnock, the senior pastor of the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, was elected on Tuesday to be the first Black senator from Georgia, CNN projected early Wednesday morning. The control of the US Senate now comes down to Republican David Perdue, who is running to keep his seat against Democrat Jon Ossoff.

Warnock’s win is a repudiation of Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler and her adherence to President Donald Trump, who voting rights activists say has attempted to suppress Black voters by accusing majority-Black cities such as Atlanta of fraud in the general election after he lost to Biden.  —read more—