Gitmo: The US has transferred six inmates from the Guantanamo Bay prison for terror suspects to freedom in Uruguay. The six have been held 12 years without being tried or charged. The move reduces the Gitmo population to 136. Sixty-seven other lower-risk inmates who cannot return to their home countries are considered eligible for transfer. The Obama Administration is trying to reduce the Gitmo population to a number that would be considered acceptable for cheaper accommodation in the US.

Nation: Louisiana’s three-term Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu has been beaten in a runoff election by Republican congressman Bill Cassidy. Landrieu has been a powerful supporter of the Louisiana oil and gas industry, but she was unable to get a vote in favor of the Keystone XL pipeline, which would feed oil from Canada to the Gulf. Her defeat gives the Republicans 54 seats and comfortable control of the senate next year.

> A peaceful protest in Berkeley, Calif. last night turned confrontational with police firing teargas to scatter about 400 demonstrators marching against police violence. The police said demonstrators threw bricks, pipes, rocks, and bottles.

World: At least one of 43 students missing from Iguala, Mexico has been identified by burned remains. Investigators say the 43 students were arrested by the police in September and handed over to a criminal gang who killed them and burned the bodies.

The students from a teacher’s college had travelled to Iguala to demonstrate for the rights of teachers. At least 70 people have been arrested in connection with the case and Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto promises police reforms.

> Hundreds of thousand of people in the coastal areas of the Philippines were forced to evacuate as Typhoon Hagupit made landfall yesterday. The storm is cutting power and blowing away buildings. Three people have been reported killed so far. The storm could hit Manila. The country is still recovering from a more powerful storm just over a year ago that killed 7,000 people.

Sony Hack: North Korea denies it is behind the computer hacking of Sony pictures, but said it was a “righteous deed.” The North Koreans are angry about a new comedy “The Interview” in which Seth Rogan and James Franco play two journalists assigned by the CIA to assassinate dictator Kim Jong-un. North Korea’s state run news agency ran an article saying the hack attack may have been carried out by ” a great number of supporters and sympathizers” of North Korea “all over the world.”

The attack leaked four movies that had not been released, as well as salary and social security information. Sony’s computer systems were temporarily crippled and the company could lose millions in movie sales.

Indigestion: Ladies and gentlemen, The Nexium President of the United States! Complaining of throat trouble, President Obama was diagnosed yesterday with acid reflux. It was probably caused by a meeting with House Speaker John Boehner.

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