1. Earthquake in Turkey Kills Nearly 590. A 7.2 magnitude earthquake leveled 970 buildings in eastern Turkey, killing 366 people and injuring over 4,000 others. The epicenter of the earthquake was about 12 miles from the city of Van. Rescue efforts were complicated by the scale of the damage, as well as near-freezing temperatures in the late night and early morning. Despite the temperatures, many Turks are opting to sleep outside for fear of aftershocks. Several aftershocks, including one measuring at a magnitude 6.0, have already hit the impoverished parts of eastern Turkey. (Source: CNN)

2. Tunisians Vote in First Elections since Arab Spring. More than 90% of registered voters turned out to vote in what are being regarded as the first free elections in an Arab country since the so-called “Arab Spring” began. Over 100 political parties registered to participate in the election. The voting is an encouraging sign for other nations who have undergone revolution to remove longtime autocrats from power, as in Egypt and Libya. Ex-president Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali was the first head of state deposed in a widespread popular uprising; he had ruled for 23 years. Results are not expected until after Monday, as all of the ballots are being hand-counted. (Source: BBC)

3. European Leaders Agree to Major Bailout Plan. European markets traded higher on Thursday based on news that leaders of Eurozone nations (nations that use the euro as currency) have agreed to a three-part bailout plan. European banks agreed to relieve some of Greece’s debt, accepting a 50% loss on the debt that they currently hold, while also having to raise additional funds. European governments will also add to the existing Eurozone bailout fund, which will expand to about 1 trillion euros ($1.4 trillion). The measures come as the Greek government implements tough economic cuts to reduce its debt – the amount of money that Greece owes to its creditors is 50% higher than the total amount of all goods and services made in Greece in a single year. There has been concern in Europe that Greece’s economic troubles would spread to other Eurozone nations and, at worst, collapse the euro as a viable currency. (Source: BBC)

4. U.S. Pulls Ambassador from Syria. The U.S. ambassador to Syria, Robert Ford, left his post due to “credible threats against his personal safety.” Syria’s ambassador to the United States was also recalled to Damascus following the announcement that the U.S. was withdrawing its ambassador. Ford had angered Syrian officials by expressing solidarity with anti-government protesters. In the past, Ford had been attacked with eggs and tomatoes when visiting a Syrian opposition figure. There is no word on whether or not Ford will return to his position.  (Source: BBC)

5. Wikileaks Loses 95% of Funding. Government efforts to starve the whistleblower website Wikileaks appear to be showing success, as founder Julian Assange announced that it would be forced to suspend its publication of leaked documents. Wikileaks will instead focus on fundraising, in order to recover some of their steep financial losses. Assange has said that if the financial blockade against Wikileaks is not lifted by the end of the year, the website would be forced to end its operations. Wikileaks faces legal action in the UK, Denmark, Iceland and Australia, as well as the European Union, for its controversial actions in releasing sensitive cables and documents for public viewing and distribution. (Source: The Guardian)