Armed conflicts and attacks
A hostage crisis at a post office in Colombes, Paris, ends with the attacker releasing the hostages and surrendering himself to the police. (Daily Mail) (CNN)
The Military of Chad enters Cameroon to assist in fighting against Boko Haram insurgents. (Reuters)
Syrian Civil War
The United States Department of Defense announces that it will send 400 troops to train moderate Syrian rebels in the spring of 2015. (AP)
Business and economy
U.S. federal magistrate Carl Barbier's ruling caps BP's fine under the Clean Water Act for its 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico at $13.7 billion. (Reuters)
The Obama Administration eases trade restrictions with Cuba, now permitting the sale of tools and equipment for private-sector use in Cuba. (USA Today)