Good morning Her Campus! With a break-neck news cycle, there is no possible way for you to stay on top of every story that comes across your feeds—we’re all only human, after all.
But, life comes at you fast. So grab a cup of coffee and settle in for this quick and dirty guide to stories you might’ve been sleeping on (like, literally. It’s early.)
Deadliest NYC Fire in Decades Kills at Least 12
At least 12 people have died in a fire in a Bronx apartment building on Thursday night, The New York Times reports. Seen as the deadliest fire in New York City in more than 25 years, the threat also critically injured at least four people, according to Mayor Bill de Blasio. The fire broke out shortly before 7 p.m. in the five-story apartment building, with the New York City Fire Department responding to an emergency call within three minutes. The fire reached four-alarm status within an hour and required the service of more than 160 firefighters.
The fire is now under control, but its cause is still unclear as of Thursday night. The residential building, located near Fordham University and the Bronx Zoo, was reportedly more than a hundred years ago.
UPDATE: “Unspeakable tragedy” says @NYCMayor as death toll rises to 12 from Bronx fire, including a baby. Blaze broke out at a five-story building. VIDEO shows firefighters working in frigid temps to rescue people. #Bronxfire @KSL5TV @KSLcom @kslnewsradio https://t.co/1CAdsyvHmj pic.twitter.com/ipo6Ca7fWk
— Ladd Egan (@laddegan) December 29, 2017
Apple Will Offer Discounted Battery Replacements
After admitting that it slows down older iPhones, Apple has announced that it would offer discounted battery replacements to soothe the company’s relationship with customers. The New York Times reports that, when announcing the reduction of replacement prices, Apple denied that it had “intentionally” tried to shorten the lifespan of sold products. Apologizing for the “misunderstanding,” Apple will offer out-of-warranty iPhone battery replacements for $29 rather than the usual $79. The reduced prices will be available in late January and continue globally until December 2018.
Apple issues an apology (and a discount) over iPhone battery debacle https://t.co/x3trXA4sU9 pic.twitter.com/wclePLn3ze
— Popular Mechanics (@PopMech) December 28, 2017
What to look out for…
No Interruptions Day is observed on the last workday of the year, and while most college students may not be busy with a nine-to-five job over the Christmas holidays, some may not be so lucky. If you are stuck at work today, use the time to finish any pressing tasks and plan ahead for the new year without getting distracted by minor things. Good luck!