Monday, December 8, 2014

THIS YEAR 2014

 

 

 

 

  • Getty Images have published their annual Year in Focus, which showcased the defining images of 2014
  • Poignant shots include the conflict in Gaza, the front line in Iraq and Syria and the crisis in Ukraine

The Ebola epidemic in west Africa, the World Cup in Rio and the ongoing conflict in Syria are just a few of the events that made for this year's most powerful images. 

Getty Images have published their annual Year in Focus - a stunning collection of the defining images of 2014 in news, sport and entertainment.

So far this year, Getty's award-winning photographers have covered more than 16,000 news events, 28,000 sports events and 50,000 entertainment events - to deliver outstanding imagery seen in newspapers and on websites across the world. 

Scroll down for video 

 

A reveler floats in the water and watches fireworks explode minutes after midnight along Copacabana Beach during New Year's celebrations  in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

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A reveler floats in the water and watches fireworks explode minutes after midnight along Copacabana Beach during New Year's celebrations in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Lake Michigan froze at North Avenue Beach in Chicago, Illinois, as temperatures  hit a record low of  -16 degree Fahrenheit on January 6

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Lake Michigan froze at North Avenue Beach in Chicago, Illinois, as temperatures hit a record low of -16 degree Fahrenheit on January 6

 

An anti-government protester, whose face is blackened by the smoke of burning tires, pauses as the crowd sings the Ukrainian national anthem on January 24

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An anti-government protester, whose face is blackened by the smoke of burning tires, pauses as the crowd sings the Ukrainian national anthem on January 24

After two months of primarily peaceful anti-government protests, new laws sparked violent clashes in Kiev, Ukraine on January 25

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After two months of primarily peaceful anti-government protests, new laws sparked violent clashes in Kiev, Ukraine on January 25

An Orthodox priest prays between police and protestors at the scene of anti-government protests near Dynamo Stadium in Kiev on January 25

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An Orthodox priest prays between police and protestors at the scene of anti-government protests near Dynamo Stadium in Kiev on January 25

California experienced its driest year on record this year. Pictured on January 28, a car in dried and cracked earth of what was the bottom of the Almaden Reservoir in San Jose, California

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California experienced its driest year on record this year. Pictured on January 28, a car in dried and cracked earth of what was the bottom of the Almaden Reservoir in San Jose, California

After a week of violence which saw dozens dead, men carry a casket containing the body of an anti-government protester killed in clashes with police from Independence Square on February 21

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After a week of violence which saw dozens dead, men carry a casket containing the body of an anti-government protester killed in clashes with police from Independence Square on February 21

Crowds mourn as coffins arrive in Independence Square

Protesters run from tear gas fired by the Venezuelan national guard during an anti-government demonstration in Caracas, Venezuela on February 27

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Protesters run from tear gas fired by the Venezuelan national guard during an anti-government demonstration in Caracas, Venezuela on February 27

SPC Taylor Burcham with the U.S. Army's 4th squadron 2d Cavalry Regiment gives a soccer ball to children during a patrol through a village near Kandahar, Afghanistan on March 9

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SPC Taylor Burcham with the U.S. Army's 4th squadron 2d Cavalry Regiment gives a soccer ball to children during a patrol through a village near Kandahar, Afghanistan on March 9

Vietnam War veteran Melvin Morris received the Medal of Honor at the White House on March 18. Pictured, Staff Sergeant Christopher Schneider, from U.S. Army Old Guard, 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment, uses a lint roller on Melvin's uniform in Washington DC

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Vietnam War veteran Melvin Morris received the Medal of Honor at the White House on March 18. Pictured, Staff Sergeant Christopher Schneider, from U.S. Army Old Guard, 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment, uses a lint roller on Melvin's uniform in Washington DC

A boy shows off his skills in the Complexo do Alemao pacified 'favela' community on March 23 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The 'favela' was previously controlled by drug traffickers and is now occupied by the city's Police Pacification Unit (UPP)

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A boy shows off his skills in the Complexo do Alemao pacified 'favela' community on March 23 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The 'favela' was previously controlled by drug traffickers and is now occupied by the city's Police Pacification Unit (UPP)

An Afghan National Army soldier looks out from a rocky overlook as American soldiers patrol below on March 31 near Pul-e Alam, Afghanistan

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An Afghan National Army soldier looks out from a rocky overlook as American soldiers patrol below on March 31 near Pul-e Alam, Afghanistan

A woman consoles Bizimana Emmanuel, 22, during the 20th anniversary commemoration of the 1994 genocide at Amahoro Stadium in Kigali, Rwanda on April 7. Thousands of Rwandans and global leaders, past and present, joined together at the stadium to remember the genocide, when more than 800,000 ethnic Tutsi and moderate Hutus were slaughtered over a 100 day period

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A woman consoles Bizimana Emmanuel, 22, during the 20th anniversary commemoration of the 1994 genocide at Amahoro Stadium in Kigali, Rwanda on April 7. Thousands of Rwandans and global leaders, past and present, joined together at the stadium to remember the genocide, when more than 800,000 ethnic Tutsi and moderate Hutus were slaughtered over a 100 day period

Five months after Typhoon Haiyan hit, a man stands in front of a large ship that was grounded on April 18 in Tacloban, Leyte, Philippines

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Five months after Typhoon Haiyan hit, a man stands in front of a large ship that was grounded on April 18 in Tacloban, Leyte, Philippines

Continuing to rebuild their lives after Typhoon Haiyan struck the coast, a group of men relax and drink Tuba (coconut wine) on a table off the beach on April 20 in Tacloban, Leyte, Philippines

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Continuing to rebuild their lives after Typhoon Haiyan struck the coast, a group of men relax and drink Tuba (coconut wine) on a table off the beach on April 20 in Tacloban, Leyte, Philippines

A grandmother mourns the death of her grandson, 24, as his body rests in a casket outside the family's home in the small village of Aleksandrovka near Slovyansk Ukraine on April 22 . The man, a pro-Russian activist, was killed during an Easter Sunday attack on a roadside checkpoint where he was working

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A grandmother mourns the death of her grandson, 24, as his body rests in a casket outside the family's home in the small village of Aleksandrovka near Slovyansk Ukraine on April 22 . The man, a pro-Russian activist, was killed during an Easter Sunday attack on a roadside checkpoint where he was working

Police take cover during a violent clash between pro-Russian and pro-government activists during a rally in Donetsk, Ukraine, on April 28

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Police take cover during a violent clash between pro-Russian and pro-government activists during a rally in Donetsk, Ukraine, on April 28

Incredible drone footage of the besieged Donetsk Airport

 

 

People try to repair their Russian Lada on the highway near a steel production plant on May 16 in Mariupol, Ukraine. Steelworkers from the plant displaced pro-Russian separatists who had been occupying government buildings in the area

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People try to repair their Russian Lada on the highway near a steel production plant on May 16 in Mariupol, Ukraine. Steelworkers from the plant displaced pro-Russian separatists who had been occupying government buildings in the area

A cut-out of a woman in Iranian dress stands in front of the Karim Khani Palace, a former prison, on May 29 in Shiraz, Iran, a city celebrated as the heartland of Persian culture

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A cut-out of a woman in Iranian dress stands in front of the Karim Khani Palace, a former prison, on May 29 in Shiraz, Iran, a city celebrated as the heartland of Persian culture

World War II veteran Charles Alford, from Waco, Texas, looks up Omaha Beach on June 4 where he landed as part of the invasion of Normandy in Vierville-Sur-Mer, France, ahead of the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings

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World War II veteran Charles Alford, from Waco, Texas, looks up Omaha Beach on June 4 where he landed as part of the invasion of Normandy in Vierville-Sur-Mer, France, ahead of the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings

Women hold up their hands pledging to offer their lives, if needed, for the Islamic Revolution outside the shrine of the Ayatollah Khomeini on the 25th anniversary of his death on June 4 in Tehran, Iran

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Women hold up their hands pledging to offer their lives, if needed, for the Islamic Revolution outside the shrine of the Ayatollah Khomeini on the 25th anniversary of his death on June 4 in Tehran, Iran

As the Californian drought continued, the lawn in front of the California State Capitol is seen dead on June 18 in Sacramento

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As the Californian drought continued, the lawn in front of the California State Capitol is seen dead on June 18 in Sacramento

Jackie Rozek spends a moment with the body of her boyfriend, U.S. Army Pfc. Aaron Toppen, in a chapel at Vandenberg Funeral Home in Mokena, Illinois, on June 22. The 19-year-old was killed alongside four other American soldiers and an Afghan soldier in a friendly fire airstrike 

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Jackie Rozek spends a moment with the body of her boyfriend, U.S. Army Pfc. Aaron Toppen, in a chapel at Vandenberg Funeral Home in Mokena, Illinois, on June 22. The 19-year-old was killed alongside four other American soldiers and an Afghan soldier in a friendly fire airstrike 

The span of the iconic Golden Gate Bridge disappears into the fog on June 27 in San Francisco, California, as the Golden Gate Bridge district's board of directors voted unanimously to approve a $76 million funding package to build a net suicide barrier

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The span of the iconic Golden Gate Bridge disappears into the fog on June 27 in San Francisco, California, as the Golden Gate Bridge district's board of directors voted unanimously to approve a $76 million funding package to build a net suicide barrier

Desperate Iraqis at the Khazair displacement camp for those caught up in the fighting in and around the city of Mosul, chase a Red Crescent society truck delivering food and other items on June 30 in Khazair, Iraq

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Desperate Iraqis at the Khazair displacement camp for those caught up in the fighting in and around the city of Mosul, chase a Red Crescent society truck delivering food and other items on June 30 in Khazair, Iraq

An Iraqi family who fled recent fighting near the city of Mosul prepares to sleep on the ground  as they try to enter a temporary displacement camp but are blocked by Kurdish soldiers on July 3 in Khazair, Iraq

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An Iraqi family who fled recent fighting near the city of Mosul prepares to sleep on the ground as they try to enter a temporary displacement camp but are blocked by Kurdish soldiers on July 3 in Khazair, Iraq

A boy wears a Neymar football shirt as he flies a kite from a rooftop in the Cantagalo favela at the start of the Brazil-Colombia match on July 4 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

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A boy wears a Neymar football shirt as he flies a kite from a rooftop in the Cantagalo favela at the start of the Brazil-Colombia match on July 4 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Police fire tear gas at Argentine soccer fans that turned violent near the Obelisco de Buenos Aires after their team lost 1-0 to Germany during the World Cup final on July 13 in Buenos Aires, Argentina

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Police fire tear gas at Argentine soccer fans that turned violent near the Obelisco de Buenos Aires after their team lost 1-0 to Germany during the World Cup final on July 13 in Buenos Aires, Argentina

Israelis look for outgoing rocket fire from Gaza and wait for Israeli airstrikes from a hill overlooking the Gaza Strip on July 14 in Sderot, Israel

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Israelis look for outgoing rocket fire from Gaza and wait for Israeli airstrikes from a hill overlooking the Gaza Strip on July 14 in Sderot, Israel

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) continued to carry out massive airstrikes across the Gaza Strip with reports suggesting more than 166 people were killed

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The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) continued to carry out massive airstrikes across the Gaza Strip with reports suggesting more than 166 people were killed

Chinese students stretch after swimming during training at a camp held for overweight children on July 15 in Beijing, China

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Chinese students stretch after swimming during training at a camp held for overweight children on July 15 in Beijing, China

Israeli soldiers sleep next to armored personnel carriers near the Israeli-Gaza border on July 15 near Sderot, Israel

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Israeli soldiers sleep next to armored personnel carriers near the Israeli-Gaza border on July 15 near Sderot, Israel

In Nahariya, Israeli soldiers weep at the grave of Israeli Sergeant Adar Barsano, who was killed on the twelfth day of operation 'Protective Edge' when  during his funeral on July 20Sergeant Barsano was killed along with another IDF soldier on the twelfth day of operation "Protective Edge," when Hamas militants infiltrated Israel from a tunnel dug from Gaza and engaged Israeli soldiers.  (Photo by Andrew Burton/Getty Images)

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In Nahariya, Israeli soldiers weep at the grave of Israeli Sergeant Adar Barsano during his funeral on July 20. Sergeant Barsano was killed along with another IDF soldier on the twelfth day of operation 'Protective Edge' when Hamas militants infiltrated Israel from a tunnel dug from Gaza and engaged Israeli soldiers

President Barack Obama speaks about the My Brother's Keeper initiative, intended to help young men and boys of colour, at the Walker Jones Education Campus on July 21 in Washington, DC

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President Barack Obama speaks about the My Brother's Keeper initiative, intended to help young men and boys of colour, at the Walker Jones Education Campus on July 21 in Washington, DC

Wounded Israeli soldiers are brought to a helicopter near Kafar Aza in Israel on July 23 as operation 'Protective Edge' entered its 16th day, with 29 Israeli soldiers killed and more than 600 Palestinians dead in Gaza

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Wounded Israeli soldiers are brought to a helicopter near Kafar Aza in Israel on July 23 as operation 'Protective Edge' entered its 16th day, with 29 Israeli soldiers killed and more than 600 Palestinians dead in Gaza

Police responded with tear gas and rubber bullets as residents and their supporters protested the shooting of unarmed black teenager Michael Brown on August 11. Pictured, a mailbox has been vandalised with the words 'F*** the police'

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Police responded with tear gas and rubber bullets as residents and their supporters protested the shooting of unarmed black teenager Michael Brown on August 11. Pictured, a mailbox has been vandalised with the words 'F*** the police'

Police stand watch as demonstrators protest the shooting death of 18-year-old Michael Brown on August 13 in Ferguson, Missouri. The unarmed teenager was shot and killed by a Ferguson police officer

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Police stand watch as demonstrators protest the shooting death of 18-year-old Michael Brown on August 13 in Ferguson, Missouri. The unarmed teenager was shot and killed by a Ferguson police officer

A burial team from the Liberian health department sprays disinfectant over the body of a woman suspected of dying of the Ebola virus in Monrovia, Liberia, on August 14

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A burial team from the Liberian health department sprays disinfectant over the body of a woman suspected of dying of the Ebola virus in Monrovia, Liberia, on August 14

Umu Fambulle stands over her husband Ibrahim after he staggered and fell, knocking him unconscious in an Ebola ward on August 15 in Monrovia, Liberia

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Umu Fambulle stands over her husband Ibrahim after he staggered and fell, knocking him unconscious in an Ebola ward on August 15 in Monrovia, Liberia

Gabrielle Walker, five,  protests the killing of teenager Michael Brown on August 17 in Ferguson, Missouri.  Despite the Brown family's continued call for peaceful demonstrations, violent protests erupted frequently in the town since his death

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Gabrielle Walker, five, protests the killing of teenager Michael Brown on August 17 in Ferguson, Missouri. Despite the Brown family's continued call for peaceful demonstrations, violent protests erupted frequently in the town since his death

A woman is helped as she tries to recover from a tear gas attack by police who attacked a crowd of hundreds protesting the killing of teenager Michael Brown on August 17 in Ferguson, Missouri

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A woman is helped as she tries to recover from a tear gas attack by police who attacked a crowd of hundreds protesting the killing of teenager Michael Brown on August 17 in Ferguson, Missouri

Tear gas rains down on a woman kneeling in the street in Ferguson, Missouri, with her hands in the air after a demonstration on August 17 over the killing of Michael Brown, who was shot by a police officer on  August 9 

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Tear gas rains down on a woman kneeling in the street in Ferguson, Missouri, with her hands in the air after a demonstration on August 17 over the killing of Michael Brown, who was shot by a police officer on August 9 

Demonstrators  cover their faces as tear gas fills the air fired by police against an unruly crowd in Ferguson, Missouri on August 18. Police sprayed pepper spray, shot smoke, gas and flash grenades

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Demonstrators cover their faces as tear gas fills the air fired by police against an unruly crowd in Ferguson, Missouri on August 18. Police sprayed pepper spray, shot smoke, gas and flash grenades

A Chinese woman and her daughter wear face-kinis as they walk on the beach on the Yellow Sea in Qingdao, China on August 19

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A Chinese woman and her daughter wear face-kinis as they walk on the beach on the Yellow Sea in Qingdao, China on August 19

As the severe drought in California continues for a third straight year, a section of Lake Oroville is seen nearly dry on August 19 in Oroville

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As the severe drought in California continues for a third straight year, a section of Lake Oroville is seen nearly dry on August 19 in Oroville

A worker looks at a pile of wine bottles that were thrown from the shelves at Van's Liquors following a reported 6.0 earthquake on August 24 in Napa, California

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A worker looks at a pile of wine bottles that were thrown from the shelves at Van's Liquors following a reported 6.0 earthquake on August 24 in Napa, California

Dry cracked earth is visible on the banks of Shasta Lake, which was at near 30 per cent capacity, at Holiday Harbor on August 30 in Lakehead, California

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Dry cracked earth is visible on the banks of Shasta Lake, which was at near 30 per cent capacity, at Holiday Harbor on August 30 in Lakehead, California

A U.S. Border Patrol agent tries to tackle an undocumented immigrant in dense underbrush near Falfurrias, Texas, on September 9. He missed but the immigrant was later caught by a fellow agent

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A U.S. Border Patrol agent tries to tackle an undocumented immigrant in dense underbrush near Falfurrias, Texas, on September 9. He missed but the immigrant was later caught by a fellow agent

A Honduran immigrant entertains a fellow immigrant's child in front a map of Mexico at a shelter for undocumented Central American immigrants on September 14 in Tenosique, Mexico

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A Honduran immigrant entertains a fellow immigrant's child in front a map of Mexico at a shelter for undocumented Central American immigrants on September 14 in Tenosique, Mexico

Yes campaigners stand near No supporters at Dumbarton Town Hall where Prime Minister Gordon Brown was attending a referendum rally on September 16 in Glasgow, Scotland

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Yes campaigners stand near No supporters at Dumbarton Town Hall where Prime Minister Gordon Brown was attending a referendum rally on September 16 in Glasgow, Scotland

Firefighters take pictures with their call phones as they monitor a backfire while battling the King Fire on September 17 in Fresh Pond, California. The King fire threatened more than 1,600 homes in the forested area about an hour east of Sacramento and consumed over 18,544 acres

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Firefighters take pictures with their call phones as they monitor a backfire while battling the King Fire on September 17 in Fresh Pond, California. The King fire threatened more than 1,600 homes in the forested area about an hour east of Sacramento and consumed over 18,544 acres

Protesters sing songs and wave their cell phones in the air after a massive thunderstorm passed over outside the Hong Kong Government Complex on September 30 in Hong Kong. Thousands of pro democracy supporters continue to occupy the streets, calling  for open elections and the resignation of Hong Kong's Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying

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Protesters sing songs and wave their cell phones in the air after a massive thunderstorm passed over outside the Hong Kong Government Complex on September 30 in Hong Kong. Thousands of pro democracy supporters continue to occupy the streets, calling for open elections and the resignation of Hong Kong's Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying

A Doctors Without Borders (MSF), health worker in protective clothing carries a child suspected of having Ebola in the MSF treatment center in Paynesville, Liberia on October 5

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A Doctors Without Borders (MSF), health worker in protective clothing carries a child suspected of having Ebola in the MSF treatment center in Paynesville, Liberia on October 5

A member of the Cleaning Guys Haz Mat clean up company works on sanitizing the apartment where Ebola patient Thomas Eric Duncan was staying before being admitted to a hospital on October 5 in Dallas, Texas

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A member of the Cleaning Guys Haz Mat clean up company works on sanitizing the apartment where Ebola patient Thomas Eric Duncan was staying before being admitted to a hospital on October 5 in Dallas, Texas

A health worker takes the temperature of U.S. Marines arriving to take part in Operation United Assistance on October 9 near Monrovia, Liberia

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A health worker takes the temperature of U.S. Marines arriving to take part in Operation United Assistance on October 9 near Monrovia, Liberia

A woman crawls towards the body of her sister as Ebola burial team members take Mekie Nagbe, 28, for cremation on October 10 in Monrovia, Liberia

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A woman crawls towards the body of her sister as Ebola burial team members take Mekie Nagbe, 28, for cremation on October 10 in Monrovia, Liberia

Malala Yousafzai holds a bouquet of flowers, given to her on behalf of the Pakistani Prime Minster, during a press conference at the Library of Birmingham after being announced as a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize on October 10

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Malala Yousafzai holds a bouquet of flowers, given to her on behalf of the Pakistani Prime Minster, during a press conference at the Library of Birmingham after being announced as a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize on October 10

An official looks at documents as she officially registers people as Internally Displaced on October 10 in Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine. The United Nations registered more than 360,000 people who have been forced to leave their homes due to fighting in the East

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An official looks at documents as she officially registers people as Internally Displaced on October 10 in Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine. The United Nations registered more than 360,000 people who have been forced to leave their homes due to fighting in the East

Demonstrators protesting the killings of Michael Brown by a Ferguson, Missouri Police officer and Vonderrit Myers Jr. by an off duty St. Louis police officer are confronted by police wearing riot gear on October 12 in St Louis, Missouri

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Demonstrators protesting the killings of Michael Brown by a Ferguson, Missouri Police officer and Vonderrit Myers Jr. by an off duty St. Louis police officer are confronted by police wearing riot gear on October 12 in St Louis, Missouri

A demonstrator holds up a poster during a rally on the Saint Louis University campus on October 13 in St Louis, Missouri. The St. Louis area has been struggling to heal since riots erupted following the August 9 killing of 18-year-old Michael Brown by a police officer

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A demonstrator holds up a poster during a rally on the Saint Louis University campus on October 13 in St Louis, Missouri. The St. Louis area has been struggling to heal since riots erupted following the August 9 killing of 18-year-old Michael Brown by a police officer

Former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton reaches for U.S. Senate Democratic candidate and Kentucky Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes while campaigning for Grimes on October 15 in Louisville, Kentucky. Pictured left is Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear

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Former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton reaches for U.S. Senate Democratic candidate and Kentucky Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes while campaigning for Grimes on October 15 in Louisville, Kentucky. Pictured left is Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear

A health worker takes Benson, aged two months, from her mother to carry him to a re-opened Ebola holding center in the West Point neighborhood on October 17 in Monrovia, Liberia

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A health worker takes Benson, aged two months, from her mother to carry him to a re-opened Ebola holding center in the West Point neighborhood on October 17 in Monrovia, Liberia

An Ebola tracing coordinator checks the temperature of Benson, finding her to have a fever of 100.76F (38.2C) in the West Point neighborhood on October 17 in Monrovia, Liberia. Health workers later came to take the baby, her mother and grandmother to a holding center for people suspected of having Ebola

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An Ebola tracing coordinator checks the temperature of Benson, finding her to have a fever of 100.76F (38.2C) in the West Point neighborhood on October 17 in Monrovia, Liberia. Health workers later came to take the baby, her mother and grandmother to a holding center for people suspected of having Ebola

An explosion rocks the Syrian city of Kobani during a reported suicide car bomb attack by Islamic State (ISIS) militants on a People's Protection Unit (YPG) position in the city center of Kobani, as seen from the outskirts of Suruc, on the Turkey-Syria border on October 20

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An explosion rocks the Syrian city of Kobani during a reported suicide car bomb attack by Islamic State (ISIS) militants on a People's Protection Unit (YPG) position in the city center of Kobani, as seen from the outskirts of Suruc, on the Turkey-Syria border on October 20

Supporters of Democratic Senate candidate Alison Lundergan Grimes, Sarah Ballard, Hannah Ballard and Emily Ballard,  hold signs as they watch early news reports of Mitch McConnell's apparent victory during an election night party on November 4 in Lexington, Kentucky

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Supporters of Democratic Senate candidate Alison Lundergan Grimes, Sarah Ballard, Hannah Ballard and Emily Ballard,  hold signs as they watch early news reports of Mitch McConnell's apparent victory during an election night party on November 4 in Lexington, Kentucky

LOUISVILLE, KY - NOVEMBER 4:  (ONE OF A 70-PICTURE PACKAGE)   (EDITORS NOTE:  (ONE OF A 70-PICTURE PACKAGE)  Retransmission with alternate crop.)  A voter gestures as Senate Minority Leader U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) votes in the midterm elections at Bellarmine University November 4, 2014 in Louisville, Kentucky. McConnell is running in a tight race against opponent Kentucky Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes. (Photo by Aaron P. Bernstein/Getty Images)

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A voter gestures as Senate Minority Leader U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell votes in the midterm elections at Bellarmine University on November 4 in Louisville, Kentucky

Voters get an 'I VOTED TODAY' sticker after casting their ballots on election day at the Red Oak Fire Department on November 4 in Red Oak, Iowa

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Voters get an 'I VOTED TODAY' sticker after casting their ballots on election day at the Red Oak Fire Department on November 4 in Red Oak, Iowa

Republican supporters, including John Eads, centre, cheer as a television broadcast declares the Republicans had taken control of the Senate at the Colorado Republican party's election night event at the Denver Tech Center Hyatt, in Denver, Colorado, on November 4

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Republican supporters, including John Eads, centre, cheer as a television broadcast declares the Republicans had taken control of the Senate at the Colorado Republican party's election night event at the Denver Tech Center Hyatt, in Denver, Colorado, on November 4

Teenage girls from the Cerro-Cora 'favela', or community, arrive at a group debutante ball at Ilha Fiscal castle on November 6 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The gala was held in the castle on Guanabara Bay and relied on volunteers who prepared makeup, hair dressing and loaned dresses, in an effort to build goodwill between 'favela' residents and the community's police force

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Teenage girls from the Cerro-Cora 'favela', or community, arrive at a group debutante ball at Ilha Fiscal castle on November 6 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The gala was held in the castle on Guanabara Bay and relied on volunteers who prepared makeup, hair dressing and loaned dresses, in an effort to build goodwill between 'favela' residents and the community's police force

First sergeant Tony Quismundo, from the US Army, practices his golf on waste ground at Kandahar airfield on November 10 in Kandahar, Afghanistan

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First sergeant Tony Quismundo, from the US Army, practices his golf on waste ground at Kandahar airfield on November 10 in Kandahar, Afghanistan

 

 

 

 

As the year comes to a close, it's time to take a look back at some of the most memorable events and images of 2014. Among the events covered in this essay (the first of a three-part photo summary of the year): Protests that drove Ukraine's President Viktor Yanukovych from office, the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, multiple protests worldwide, Ellen DeGeneres' much-retweeted selfie from the Oscars, the ongoing and brutal situation in war-torn Syria, the opening of the largest solar thermal power-tower system in the world, and a playful rocket battle in Vrontados, Greece. Come back for part 2 tomorrow, and part 3 on Wednesday. The series will total 120 images in all. Warning, some of the photos may contain graphic or objectionable content. [40 photos]

Use j/k keys or ←/→ to navigate Choose: 1024px 1280px

Anti-government protesters clash with police in Independence square, despite an earlier truce agreed between the Ukrainian president and opposition leaders on February 20, 2014 in Kiev, Ukraine. Early in 2014, violence flared between police and anti-government protesters, who called for the ouster of President Viktor Yanukovych over corruption and an abandoned trade agreement with the European Union. Yanukovych fled the country in February, but deep divisions within Ukraine spurred in part by Russian involvement, led to months of bloody conflict.(Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

2

A man moves out of the way of a leopard in the northern Indian city of Meerut, India, on February 23, 2014. Forestry officials and police armed with tranquilizer darts searched for the leopard that injured six people in the northern Indian city, creating panic and driving people indoors, police said. (AP Photo) #

3

Honda rider Paulo Goncalves of Portugal reacts as he sees his motorcycle on fire during the fifth stage of the Dakar Rally between the cities of Chilecito and Tucuman in San Miguel de Tucuman, Argentina, on January 9, 2014. (AP Photo/Victor R. Caivano) #

4

Sightseers look at a frozen rock face along the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore of Lake Superior, the world's largest freshwater lake, near Cornucopia, Wisconsin, on February 14, 2014. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory, about 94% of Lake Superior was covered with ice at the time, enabling thousands of people to visit the islands on foot for the first time since 2009. (Reuters/Eric Miller) #

5

A Mexican marine lifts a bathtub that leads to a tunnel and exits in the city's drainage system at one of the houses of Joaquin "Chapo" Guzman in Culiacan on February 27, 2014. Guzman, who rose from humble origins to become one of the most powerful drug barons in history, was captured in a raid in the beachside resort and fishing center of Mazatlan, 125 miles southeast of Culiacan, just days after escaping from the clutches of Mexican troops through the tunnel and sewers. (Reuters/Daniel Becerril) #

6

A woman carries her daughter in a nearby field as Mount Sinabung spews pyroclastic gas and ash in North Sumatra, on January 4, 2014.(Ulet Ifansasti/Getty Images) #

7

Residents of the besieged Palestinian camp of Yarmouk, queuing to receive food supplies, in Damascus, Syria, on January 31, 2014. At the time, a United Nations official called on warring sides in Syria to allow aid workers to resume distribution of food and medicine in a besieged Palestinian district of Damascus, devastated by Syria's 3-year-old conflict. (AP Photo/UNRWA) #

8

A man lies dead at a checkpoint wearing lucky charms around his waist following a shootout with Congolese peacekeepers, in Bangui, Central African Republic, on December 20, 2013. Three bodies lay baking in the sun at the checkpoint after being shot by Congolese peacekeepers, who said the men had attacked them. After a period of relative calm, violence flared anew in the Central African Republic, with angry demonstrations against Chadian peacekeepers, shootouts at checkpoints, and the destruction of a mosque.(AP Photo/Jerome Delay) #

9

Thousands of Bluebells bloom, carpeting a forest near Halle, south of Brussels, Belgium, on April 15, 2014. (AP Photo/Yves Logghe) #

10

Health officers in full protective gear wait to cross a road near a wholesale poultry market in Hong Kong on January 28, 2014. Hong Kong began culling 20,000 chickens and suspended imports of fresh poultry from mainland China for 21 days on Tuesday after the discovery of the H7N9 bird flu virus in a batch of live chicken from the southern province of Guangdong. (Reuters/Tyrone Siu) #

11

Men hold up a baby saved from under rubble, who survived what activists say was an airstrike by forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the Duma neighborhood of Damascus on January 7, 2014. The child, 27-day-old Rateb Malis, was later reunited with his father and sisters. (Reuters/Bassam Khabieh) #

12

Jewish bride Rivka Hannah (Hofman) looks at her groom Aharon Krois from behind a curtain during the Mitzvah Tans dance ritual following their wedding in an ultra-orthodox neighborhood of Jerusalem on February 18, 2014. During the Mitzvah Tans dance ritual the bride will dance with members of the community, family and with her groom at the end of the wedding ceremony.(Menahem Kahana/AFP/Getty Images) #

13

A priest holds a cross and shield during clashes between anti-government protesters and riot police in central Kiev, Ukraine, on February 20, 2014. Ukraine's brittle truce shattered on February 20 in fierce clashes between baton-wielding protesters and riot police that claimed dozens of lives just as EU envoys were holding crisis talks with the embattled president. Bodies of anti-government demonstrators lay amid smouldering debris after masked protesters hurling Molotov cocktails and stones forced gun-toting police from Kiev's iconic Independence Square. (Sergey Gapon/AFP/Getty Images) #

14

Riot police stand guard opposite a roadblock put up by anti-government protesters in Kiev, Ukraine, on January 28, 2014.(Aris Messinis/AFP/Getty Images) #

15

A protester wears a gas mask during street violence in Kiev, Ukraine, on January 23, 2014. (Reuters/David Mdzinarishvili) #

16

Four out of five Olympic rings are seen lit up during the opening ceremony of the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, on February 7, 2014. Photographer David Gray: "This image is a great example of the cliche 'always expect the unexpected'. Two days before, at the Olympic opening ceremony rehearsal, I had seen that the Olympic rings were supposed to open from a small, flower-shaped ball and then explode in flash of extreme brightness. The massive changes in light required a quick estimation as to how to adjust the exposure, so every photographer was anxious, knowing what was supposed to come next. I had just reduced my ISO and increased my shutter speed when I noticed the top-right ring was not forming like the others. So I took a few photographs, still anticipating the next stage. But no. Nothing. The incomplete Olympic symbol just hung there before disappearing completely. Did I manage to correctly adjust the camera settings for the unpredicted dull Olympic ring? Thankfully, you see the answer before you. Needless to say, it was the talking point of the opening ceremony, and became one of the most memorable images of the Sochi Olympic Games". (Reuters/David Gray) #

17

Estonia's Grete Gaim, wearing colored contact lenses, after crossing the finish line during the women's biathlon 7.5km sprint event in Rosa Khutor, on February 9, 2014. (Reuters/Carlos Barria) #

18

Kelly Clark of the United States trains for the women's snowboard halfpipe competition at the 2014 Winter Olympics, on February 8, 2014, in Krasnaya Polyana, Russia. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) #

19

Silver medalist Chloe Dufour-Lapointe of Canada (left) and her sister, gold medalist Justine Dufour-Lapointe of Canada hold hands during the flower ceremony following the Ladies' Moguls Final 3 at Rosa Khutor Extreme Park, on February 8, 2014.(Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) #

20

A selfie released by Ellen DeGeneres shows actors, front row from left, Jared Leto, Jennifer Lawrence, Meryl Streep, Ellen DeGeneres, Bradley Cooper, Peter Nyong'o Jr., and, second row, from left, Channing Tatum, Julia Roberts, Kevin Spacey, Brad Pitt, Lupita Nyong'o and Angelina Jolie as they pose for portrait on a cell phone during the Oscars at the Dolby Theatre on March 2, 2014, in Los Angeles. The image, distributed on Twitter, quickly broke the record for 'most-re-tweeted', and currently has been re-tweeted more than 3.3 million times. (AP Photo/Ellen DeGeneres) #

21

An anti-government activist is arrested by national police during a protest against Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro government in Caracas on March 13, 2014. More than 28 people were killed and 350 injured in anti-government protests rocking Venezuela, the country's top prosecutor said, lamenting an atmosphere of "violence and chaos". (Leo Ramirez/AFP/Getty Images) #

22

Amazon Chairman and CEO Jeff Bezos samples cooked cockroach at the 110th Explorers Club Annual Dinner at the Waldorf Astoria in New York, on March 15, 2014. The club, which promotes the scientific exploration of land, sea, air and space featured catering by chef and exotic creator Gene Rurka. Chef Rurka prepared a variety of dishes featuring an array of insects, wildlife, animal body parts and invasive species. (Reuters/Andrew Kelly) #

23

An aerial photo taken March 24, 2014 shows a massive mudslide that killed at least 43 people, near Oso, Washington.(AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) #

24

Local women watch armed men, believed to be Russian soldiers, assemble near a Ukrainian military base in Perevalnoe, Ukraine, on March 5, 2014. (Reuters/Thomas Peter) #

25

A patient being treated for multiple gunshot wounds to the face, chest and throat sits in a wheelchair in the Malakal teaching hospital in South Sudan on February 5, 2014. Recent fighting in the country has seen waves of brutal revenge attacks, as fighters and ethnic militia use the violence to loot and settle old scores, with the United Nations and rights workers reporting that horrific atrocities have been committed by both sides. (Carl De Souza/AFP/Getty Images) #

26

She Ping, a 34 year-old beekeeper, covered with a swarm of bees on a small hill in southwest China's Chongqing municipality on April 9, 2014. Ping released more than 460,000 bees, using queen bees to attract them to his body, and made himself a suit of bees that weighed 45.65kg (100 pounds) within 40 minutes. (Reuters/China Daily) #

27

Michael Phelps warms up prior to a 50-meter freestyle preliminary heat at the Arena Grand Prix swim event in Mesa, Arizona, on April 25, 2014. It is Phelps' second competitive event after a nearly two-year retirement. (AP Photo/Matt York) #

28

A young woman, held after she was wounded during clashes between riot police and protestors after the funeral of Berkin Elvan in Istanbul, Turkey, on March 12, 2014. Riot police fired tear gas and water cannons at protestors in the capital, while in Istanbul, crowds shouting anti-government slogans lit a huge fire as they made their way to a cemetery for Elvan's burial. A 15-year-old boy who died from injuries suffered during last year's anti-government protests, Elvan's story became a symbol for many Turks of the heavy-handed police tactics against mass anti-government demonstrators in June, a major challenge to Erdogan's 11-year-rule.(Bulent Kilic/AFP/Getty Images) #

29

South Korean coast guard officers and rescue team members try to rescue passengers from the ferry Sewol on April 16, 2014. The ferry sank with 476 people aboard, mostly secondary school students. 295 died as the Sewol sank, leading to widespread anger and criticism of the actions of the crew, captain, owners, and government regulators. (AP Photo/Yonhap, Hyung Min-woo) #

30

A man offers prayers before the sea for victims of the Sewol ferry at Jindo harbor, in South Korea, on April 25, 2014.(Ed Jones/AFP/Getty Images) #

31

Dr. Sulamita Chaibub assists Djalma Antonio Jardim who has a rare inherited skin disease known as xeroderma pigmentosum, or "XP" at the Hospital Geral de Goias in Goiania, Goias state, Brazil, on April 9, 2014. "I was always exposed to the sun, working, planting and harvesting rice and caring for the cows," said Jardim. "As the years passed my condition got worse." (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres) #

32

Gloria Lincoln-Thompson carries her 9mm Smith & Wesson pistol in her waistband during a rally in support of the Michigan Open Carry gun law in Romulus, Michigan, on April 27, 2014. (Reuters/Rebecca Cook) #

33

An aerial view of a solar receiver and boiler atop a tower at the Ivanpah Solar Electric Generating System (SEGS) in the Mojave Desert in California near Primm, Nevada, on February 20, 2014. The largest solar thermal power-tower system in the world, owned by NRG Energy, Google and BrightSource Energy, opened in January in the Ivanpah Dry Lake and uses 347,000 computer-controlled mirrors to focus sunlight onto boilers on top of three 459-foot towers, where water is heated to produce steam to power turbines providing power to more than 140,000 California homes. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images) #

34

An explosion is seen during a car bomb attack at a rally by militant group, Asaib Ahl Haq (League of the Righteous), to introduce its candidates for elections at a soccer stadium in Baghdad, Iraq, in this April 25, 2014 photo. Photographer Thaier al-Sudani: "After I was done taking pictures and trying to reach our driver's vehicle to return to the office a powerful blast hit an exit gate. We tried to find a place to hide because we were expecting a secondary explosion and at the same time we were keen to keep documenting the incident. Screams of the wounded, black smoke and bodies surrounded us, while security forces and militia members were shooting in the air to disperse the crowd. I tried to take cover behind anything close by. Along with Reuters cameraman Mahdi Talaat we could only hit the ground and film the event that was taking place in front of us. Then a minibus that was advancing towards the site caught our attention. The car was only a few meters away from our position and heading towards a gate when it blew up. The blazing fire, smoke and the blast's shockwave along with shrapnel raining down on us and the wailing of the wounded made us believe that we were witnessing judgment day. This incident has had a great impact on myself and resulted in raising my awareness and developing a great internal fear of street gatherings, protests and celebrations. Images of the incident are still fresh in my mind and they keep replaying in my head every time I see a large gathering of people and it even haunts me in my sleep at times". (Reuters/Thaier al-Sudani) #

35

Afghan National Army soldiers prepare to participate in a military exercise on the outskirts of Kabul, Afghanistan, on April 30, 2014.(AP Photo/Massoud Hossaini) #

36

An Afghan National Army soldier looks out from a rocky overlook as soldiers with the U.S. Army's 2nd Battalion 87th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division patrol below on March 31, 2014 near Pul-e Alam, Afghanistan.(Scott Olson/Getty Images) #

37

Medal of Honor recipient Sgt. 1st Class Leroy Petry stands with his prosthetic hand over his heart, wearing his Medal of Honor during the Pledge of Allegiance at the Capitol in Olympia, Washington on April 2, 2014, during a ceremony to honor him and other recipients of the Medal of Honor from Washington state. Petry lost his hand in 2008 when an enemy grenade he was throwing away from fellow soldiers detonated while in combat in Afghanistan. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren) #

38

This picture provided by ISNA, a semi-official news agency, taken on April 15, 2014 shows Maryam Hosseinzadeh, right, and her husband Abdolghani, left, removing the noose from the neck of blindfolded Bilal who was convicted of murdering their son Abdollah in the northern city of Nour, Iran. Bilal who was convicted of killing Abdollah Hosseinzadeh, was pardoned by the victim's family moments before being executed. (AP Photo/ISNA, Arash Khamoushi) #

39

Homemade rockets streak through the sky above Vrontados, Greece, on April 19, 2014. Two rival parishes of Vrontados village fire thousands of rockets every Easter Saturday aiming at the opposing church's bell tower in a centuries-old tradition.(Louisa Gouliamaki/AFP/Getty Images) #

40

Afghan refugee girl Nazmina Bibi, 7, poses for a picture, while playing with other children in a slum on the outskirts of Islamabad, Pakistan, on January 25, 2014.

 

 

 

 

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