عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
World

Türkiye Arrests 15 Over Deadly Fire at Ski Resort

Mourners carry the coffin of Vedia Nil Apak during the funeral of Ferda Apak and her daughter Vedia Nil Apak, killed in a huge fire in a ski resort hotel in Bolu, at Sakirin Mosque in Istanbul on January 23, 2025. (Photo by Yasin AKGUL / AFP)
Mourners carry the coffin of Vedia Nil Apak during the funeral of Ferda Apak and her daughter Vedia Nil Apak, killed in a huge fire in a ski resort hotel in Bolu, at Sakirin Mosque in Istanbul on January 23, 2025. (Photo by Yasin AKGUL / AFP)
TT
TT

Türkiye Arrests 15 Over Deadly Fire at Ski Resort

Mourners carry the coffin of Vedia Nil Apak during the funeral of Ferda Apak and her daughter Vedia Nil Apak, killed in a huge fire in a ski resort hotel in Bolu, at Sakirin Mosque in Istanbul on January 23, 2025. (Photo by Yasin AKGUL / AFP)
Mourners carry the coffin of Vedia Nil Apak during the funeral of Ferda Apak and her daughter Vedia Nil Apak, killed in a huge fire in a ski resort hotel in Bolu, at Sakirin Mosque in Istanbul on January 23, 2025. (Photo by Yasin AKGUL / AFP)

Türkiye has arrested 15 people as part of an investigation into a fire that killed 78 people and injured dozens at a ski resort in the Bolu mountains earlier this week, state media reported on Sunday.

The tragedy has sparked calls for accountability and reform, and independent experts have said the Grand Kartal Hotel, at the Kartalkaya ski resort in western Türkiye, lacked basic fire safety measures.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday that Türkiye 's judiciary was working to punish all those responsible for the incident. The hotel's management has pledged full cooperation.
On Sunday, Türkiye 's state-owned Anadolu news agency said the hotel's owner, manager, director, and 12 others were arrested as part of the probe. According to Reuters, itt said judicial proceedings continued for the deputy mayor of the Bolu province and the head of the local fire department, while six others were released under certain conditions.
The blaze started in the restaurant floor of the 12-story building, which had 238 registered guests, at around 3:30 a.m.

Most Viewed

 
 
World

NATO: Ukraine Still Receiving Arms Despite Mideast War

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte via Reuters/File
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte via Reuters/File
TT
TT

NATO: Ukraine Still Receiving Arms Despite Mideast War

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte via Reuters/File
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte via Reuters/File

Ukraine is still getting essential defense equipment despite the war in the Middle East, which is depleting stockpiles in Europe and the United States, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said Thursday.

"The good news is that essential equipment into Ukraine continues to flow," he told reporters. That included American-made Patriot missile interceptors, which Ukraine desperately needs, he added, AFP reported.

The PURL program, launched last year, allows Ukraine to receive US equipment financed by European countries.

Some 75 percent of the missiles used by Patriot batteries in Ukraine have been supplied through the program, and 90 percent of the munitions used by other air-defense systems, Rutte added.

Rutte called on European countries to increase their own production capacity.

"They need to produce more extra production lines, extra shifts, opening new factories. The money is there," he said.

World

Germany FM Says 'Encouraging' if US Speaking Directly to Iran

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul. (Reuters: File Photo)
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul. (Reuters: File Photo)
TT
TT

Germany FM Says 'Encouraging' if US Speaking Directly to Iran

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul. (Reuters: File Photo)
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul. (Reuters: File Photo)

Germany's foreign minister Thursday said it was encouraging if the United States was talking directly to Iran to end the war in the Middle East, but Washington should make its intentions clear.

"I hear that there are signs that the US is speaking directly to Iran. I think that this is encouraging and this is welcome," Johann Wadephul told reporters before heading into the meeting of G7 foreign ministers outside Paris, AFP reported.

With US Secretary of State Marco Rubio set to join the discussions from Friday, he added: "For the German government it is of great importance to know precisely what our American partners are intending."

World

US Envoy Witkoff Says Iran is Seeking an Off-ramp

US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff speaks during a cabinet meeting at the White House in Washington, DC, US, March 26, 2026. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein
US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff speaks during a cabinet meeting at the White House in Washington, DC, US, March 26, 2026. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein
TT
TT

US Envoy Witkoff Says Iran is Seeking an Off-ramp

US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff speaks during a cabinet meeting at the White House in Washington, DC, US, March 26, 2026. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein
US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff speaks during a cabinet meeting at the White House in Washington, DC, US, March 26, 2026. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein

The United States has sent Iran a "15-point action list" as a basis for negotiations to end the current conflict, US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff said on Thursday, adding that there are signs that Tehran was interested in making a deal.

 

Witkoff, speaking during a cabinet meeting at the White House, said that the nascent talks could be successful if the Iranians realize there were no good alternatives - a realization Tehran might be coming to, he argued, Reuters reported.

 

"We will see where things lead, and if we can convince Iran that this is the inflection point with no good alternatives for them other than more death and destruction," Witkoff told reporters.

 

"We have strong signs that this is a possibility."

 

Witkoff said Pakistan had been acting as a mediator, confirming statements from Pakistani officials.