Wednesday, January 22

At least 76 people were killed yesterday after a massive fire at a hotel in northwestern Turkey, and nine people have been arrested as an investigation begins into the cause of the devastating incident.

The fire began at approximately 3:30 am at the Kartalkaya Ski Resort, located around 15 miles away from the city of Bolu. Bolu is home to around 185,000 people and is the capital of Bolu Province, which is situated in northwestern Turkey between the country's largest city of Istanbul and the capital of Ankara.

Specifically, the fire broke out in the Grand Kartal, a hotel within the resort complex. The hotel is 12 stories tall and had 238 checked-in guests at the time of the fire.

Nine people -- including the owner -- have been detained as an investigation begins into the cause of the fire. The hotel is also coming under scrutiny for failing to adhere to safety rules, as survivors of the fire reported that no fire alarms had gone off inside the building.

In total, 76 people were killed and another 51 were injured. The bodies of 45 victims have been identified and returned to their families, and the remaining victims are being identified by local police. They have also confirmed that most of the dead were killed due to suffocation and smoke inhalation.

27 people were injured after a 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck Taiwan yesterday, dealing moderate damage to some of the island.

The quake struck just after midnight and was centered in southwestern Taiwan, with the epicenter located in eastern Chiayi County at a depth of just 6 miles. However, the shaking was felt all the way on the northern side of the island in the country's capital of Taipei. 27 people were sent to hospitals due to minor injuries, but no one was killed.

The nearby cities of Tainan and Chiayi were the worst-hit, with damage being done to many buildings. Several bridges also suffered some damage, and some homes collapsed completely after the strong shaking. A printing factory in Chiayi also experienced a fire after the quake, but it was quickly brought under control.

Some people were also trapped in damaged buildings or elevators after the shaking had stopped, but they were quickly rescued by locals or the police. Many areas experienced power outages as well, as the quake had shaken up underground electrical lines or taken down power lines.

Unfortunately, due to Taiwan's location along the Pacific "Ring of Fire," it experiences frequent strong earthquakes from time to time. Taiwan is located along the boundary of the Eurasian and Philippine Sea Plates, the latter of which subducts under the former.

Fact of the Day (Reader's Digest): Bananas are actually radioactive due to the fact that they contain a large amount of potassium and potassium decays. However, you would have to eat around 10 million bananas in one sitting to die of radiation poisoning.

Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): As you start your journey, the first thing you should do is throw away that store-bought map and begin to draw your own. (Michael Dell)

Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Gourmand (noun, GOOR-mahnd) - A gourmand is a person who loves and appreciates good food and drink. Gourmand can also refer to someone who enjoys eating and drinking to excess.

In a Sentence: He was a gourmand who retired to New Orleans to live close to the cuisine he loved best.