The Most Compelling Pictures of 2014

Updated on Jan 4, 2015 at 11:51 AM

It's time to relive some of the most memorable moments with iconic, powerful pictures taken in 2014. Events like the World Cup and the Olympics made for unforgettable candids, while exciting holiday celebrations were captured in stunning snaps of cities like New York and Paris. There were also history-making moments for people like Malala Yousafzai and President Barack Obama, plus can't-miss pictures of royals, athletes, and celebrities around the world. Meanwhile, striking photos also captured some of the year's tragic events, like the disappearance of the Malaysia Airlines plane, plus buzzed-about headlines related to Ferguson, MO, and the Ebola virus. Take a look back at some of the most compelling pictures from across the globe, then check out more best of 2014 content, including the year's top viral videos.

Couples kissed at midnight in Times Square during the New Year's Eve celebration in NYC.

A woman spoke out during the Ukraine protests as she knelt in front of police in Kiev.

The Sochi snowflake malfunction made headlines during the opening ceremony of the 2014 Olympics.

In Washington DC, activists rallied against NSA surveillance while President Barack Obama delivered a speech.

Pope Francis posed for a selfie during a weekly audience in Vatican City.

In Chicago, a person braved -10°F temperatures to snap pictures of the steam over Lake Michigan.

Venice, Italy, saw the opening of Carnival with the traditional regatta on the Grand Canal.

US Army soldiers enjoyed a homecoming ceremony in Fort Knox, KY, reuniting with their friends and family following a nine-month deployment in Afghanistan.

Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius had his head in his hands during the trial in Pretoria, South Africa, where he pleaded not guilty to murdering his girlfriend.

Students from an international school in China lit candles to pray for the passengers of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 in Zhuji, China.

In Glasgow, Scotland, antiracism demonstrators marched through the city to coincide with the UN's Anti-Racism Day.

Germany's Nelli Zhiganshina and Alexander Gazsi competed in the ISU World Figure Skating Championships in Saitama, Japan.

People attended the Boston Marathon memorial exhibition at the Boston Public Library ahead of the one-year anniversary of the bombing.

A couple kissed in a sea of pink during the first-ever Paris Color Run, which followed a route between city hall and the Eiffel Tower.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge released an official family portrait featuring their son, Prince George, and their dog, Lupo.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver spoke about the Donald Sterling investigation, announcing that he was banned for life from any association with the league because of leaked racial remarks.

A young girl placed an American flag on the rubble of her grandparents' house after it was destroyed by a tornado in Louisville, MS.

Michael Sam addressed the media during a press conference in Earth City, MO, after he was drafted by the St. Louis Rams, becoming the first-ever openly gay player to do so.

After delivering remarks at the National 9/11 Memorial & Museum's dedication ceremony, President Barack Obama looked at photos of the people whose lives were lost.

In Yogyakarta, Indonesia, Buddhists released lanterns into the air for Vesak Day.

Following the Santa Barbara, CA, shootings, a photographer snapped a picture of flowers set inside a bullet hole in the window of IV Deli.

People gathered for a memorial celebrating the life of Maya Angelou in Winston Salem, NC.

In Nicosia, Cyprus, people gathered for the first-ever gay pride parade.

A WWII veteran stood by 20,000 paper flags that were on display near Asnelles, France, to honor those who lost their lives on D-Day 70 years ago.

As a UN special envoy, Angelina Jolie embraced Esther Ruth of Uganda during the End Sexual Violence in Conflict summit in London.

World Cup fans gathered in Chicago's Grant Park to watch the US men's national team's game against Portugal.

California's largest water reservoir was at historically low levels in the midst of the state's severe drought.

The US men's national team's goalkeeper, Tim Howard, reacted during the team's game against Belgium, which they eventually lost despite Howard's record-breaking 16 saves.

Spain's Queen Letizia gave her daughter Princess Leonor a sweet glance during King Felipe VI's coronation in Madrid.

The streets of Pamplona, Spain, were packed with revelers who ran with the bulls for the annual Running of the Bulls festival.

People checked out the first "supermoon" of the Summer in NYC.

Fireworks lit up the Parisian sky for the city's Bastille Day celebrations.

A man in NYC held up a newspaper that announced the first case of Ebola in the city.

Athletes kicked off the 14th stage of the 2014 Tour de France in Grenoble, France.

Muslims prayed together at the Grand Mosque in Kashmir, India, on the last Friday of Ramadan.

Tennis champion Serena Williams celebrated during the women's singles third-round match during the US Open in NYC.

In Boston, MA, fans created a memorial in honor of the late Robin Williams on the bench from Good Will Hunting.

A little girl held up a candle during a vigil in front of the White House to honor Palestinians who lost their lives in the Gaza conflict.

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, walked through the Tower of London poppy installation, which featured 888,246 poppies to honor each of the British and colonial lives lost in WWI.

Police officers guarded the street in Ferguson, MO, as demonstrators protested the grand jury's decision not to indict Darren Wilson.

Tightrope walker Nik Wallenda walked a tightrope between two Chicago buildings.

Lava flowed through a fence in Pahoa, Hawaii, from the Kilauea Volcano.

Thousands of people gathered in Hong Kong for a peaceful protest with umbrellas, which served as a symbol for the prodemocracy movement.

People in Buffalo, NY, shoveled snow from the roof of their house following a severe snowstorm.

After a grand jury in NYC decided not to indict the police officer who put Eric Garner in a chokehold, a man symbolically choked himself with a scarf during a protest in Grand Central Terminal.

At 17 years old, Malala Yousafzai became the youngest person to ever receive the Nobel Peace Prize.