2014

Events in 2014 93

• 1910 – 2014 Luise Rainer (1910-2014) German-born actress, the first to win two consecutive Oscars, who lived to 104.
• 1916 – 2014 Gough Whitlam (1916-2014) Died 21 October 2014, aged 98 Gough Whitlam, the reformist Australian prime minister whose government was controversially dismissed by the governor-general in 1975, died in Sydney. His government introduced universal healthcare and free university education in Australia. His dismissal remains a defining moment in Australian constitutional history.
• 1917 – 2014 Louis Zamperini (1917-2014) Died 2 July 2014, aged 97 Louis Zamperini, the Olympic runner and World War II airman whose survival as a Japanese prisoner of war was chronicled in the book and film "Unbroken," died in California. He survived 47 days adrift at sea after his bomber crashed before enduring brutal captivity. His story became a symbol of endurance and forgiveness.
• 1919 – 2014 Pete Seeger (1919-2014) Died 27 January 2014, aged 94 Pete Seeger, the folk singer and activist behind songs including "If I Had a Hammer" and "We Shall Overcome," died in New York. He used his music for decades in support of civil rights, labor and environmental causes. He was blacklisted during the McCarthy era for his political views.
• 1920 – 2014 P.D. James (1920-2014) Died 27 November 2014, aged 94 P.D. James, the English author best known for her Adam Dalgliesh detective novels, died at her home in Oxford. She was widely regarded as one of the leading crime writers of her generation. She continued publishing well into her nineties.
• 1920 – 2014 Mickey Rooney (1920-2014) Died 6 April 2014, aged 93 Mickey Rooney, one of the last surviving stars of Hollywood's golden age and a top box-office draw in the 1930s and 1940s, died in California. His career spanned nearly the entire history of American film, from silent movies to modern cinema. He appeared in over 300 films across nine decades.
• 1922 – 2014 Sid Caesar (1922-2014) Died 12 February 2014, aged 91 Sid Caesar, the pioneering comedian whose sketch show "Your Show of Shows" helped define early American television comedy, died in California. His writing staff over the years included Mel Brooks, Carl Reiner and Neil Simon. He was regarded as one of the founding figures of TV comedy.
• 1922 – 2014 Ruby Dee (1922-2014) Died 11 June 2014, aged 91 Ruby Dee, the actress and civil rights activist known for "A Raisin in the Sun" and "Do the Right Thing," died in New York. She and her husband Ossie Davis were prominent figures in both the entertainment industry and the civil rights movement. She received an Academy Award nomination late in her career for "American Gangster."
• 1923 – 2014 Richard Attenborough (1923-2014) Died 24 August 2014, aged 90 Richard Attenborough, the British actor and director who won two Academy Awards for directing "Gandhi," died in England. He also acted in films including "Jurassic Park" and "The Great Escape." He was a prominent figure in British cinema for over six decades.
• 1923 – 2014 Nadine Gordimer (1923-2014) Died 13 July 2014, aged 90 Nadine Gordimer, the South African novelist and Nobel laureate who chronicled the moral struggles of apartheid, died in Johannesburg. Several of her books were banned by the apartheid government during her lifetime. She remained an outspoken political and social commentator after the end of apartheid.
• 1924 – 2014 Lauren Bacall (1924-2014) Died 12 August 2014, aged 89 Lauren Bacall, the sultry-voiced Hollywood star known for "To Have and Have Not" and her marriage to Humphrey Bogart, died in New York. She won an honorary Academy Award in 2009 for her body of work. She remained active in film and theater throughout her long career.
• 1925 – 2014 Elaine Stritch (1925-2014) Died 17 July 2014, aged 89 Elaine Stritch, the brash Broadway actress and singer known for her performance of "The Ladies Who Lunch" in Stephen Sondheim's "Company," died in Michigan. She won a Tony and multiple Emmy Awards over a career spanning seven decades. Her one-woman shows became celebrated late-career highlights.
• 1926 – 2014 Jack Brabham Black Jack Three-time World Champion and the only person to win the title in a car of his own construction.
• 1926 – 2014 Ian Paisley (1926-2014) Died 12 September 2014, aged 88 Ian Paisley, the firebrand Protestant preacher and politician who became Northern Ireland's first minister after decades opposing power-sharing with Irish nationalists, died in Belfast. He founded the Democratic Unionist Party and the Free Presbyterian Church. His late-career political partnership with former IRA commander Martin McGuinness surprised many observers.
• 1927 – 2014 Gabriel Garcia Marquez (1927-2014) Died 17 April 2014, aged 87 Gabriel Garcia Marquez, the Colombian novelist and Nobel laureate who wrote "One Hundred Years of Solitude," died in Mexico City. He was the leading figure of the Latin American magical realism literary movement. His works remain among the most widely read in world literature.
• 1928 – 2014 Eduard Shevardnadze (1928-2014) Died 7 July 2014, aged 86 Eduard Shevardnadze, the Soviet foreign minister under Mikhail Gorbachev who later served as president of independent Georgia, died in Tbilisi. As foreign minister he was a key architect of the end of the Cold War. He was ousted as Georgian president in the 2003 Rose Revolution.
• 1928 – 2014 Ariel Sharon (1928-2014) Died 11 January 2014, aged 85 Ariel Sharon, the Israeli general and prime minister who withdrew Israeli settlers from Gaza in 2005, died in Israel after eight years in a coma following a stroke. He was a dominant and divisive figure in Israeli politics and military history for decades. His coma began in 2006 while still in office.
• 1928 – 2014 Maya Angelou American poet and memoirist Angelou wrote I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, reflecting on identity, racism, and resilience.
• 1928 – 2014 James Garner (1928-2014) Died 19 July 2014, aged 86 James Garner, the American actor known for the television series "Maverick" and "The Rockford Files" and films including "The Great Escape," died in Los Angeles. He was known for his affable, wisecracking screen persona. His career spanned television and film for over five decades.
• 1928 – 2014 Shirley Temple (1928-2014) Died 10 February 2014, aged 85 Shirley Temple, the child star who became Hollywood's biggest box-office draw of the 1930s, died at her home in California. She later served as a US diplomat under her married name, Shirley Temple Black. Her curly-haired image remains one of the most recognizable in film history.
• 1930 – 2014 Maximilian Schell (1930-2014) Died 1 February 2014, aged 83 Maximilian Schell, the Austrian-Swiss actor who won an Academy Award for "Judgment at Nuremberg," died in Innsbruck, Austria. He worked extensively in both European and Hollywood cinema. He was also nominated for an Oscar for his direction of a documentary about Marlene Dietrich.
• 1931 – 2014 Mike Nichols (1931-2014) Died 19 November 2014, aged 83 Mike Nichols, the director of films including "The Graduate" and "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?", died in New York. He was one of a small number of people to win an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony award. His five-decade career spanned film, theater and television.
• 1932 – 2014 Casey Kasem (1932-2014) Died 15 June 2014, aged 82 Casey Kasem, the radio host who created and hosted the long-running countdown show "American Top 40," died in Washington state amid a highly publicized family dispute over his care. He also voiced the character Shaggy in the "Scooby-Doo" cartoon franchise. His radio countdown format was widely imitated for decades.
• 1932 – 2014 Adolfo Suarez (1932-2014) Died 23 March 2014, aged 81 Adolfo Suarez, Spain's first democratically elected prime minister after the death of Francisco Franco, died in Madrid. He oversaw Spain's peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy in the late 1970s. He had suffered from Alzheimer's disease for years before his death.
• 1933 – 2014 Joan Rivers (1933-2014) Died 4 September 2014, aged 81 Joan Rivers, the pioneering comedian and television personality known for her sharp-edged humor and red carpet commentary, died from complications during a throat procedure in New York. She had built a decades-long career breaking ground for women in stand-up comedy. She remained a fixture of American television until her death.
• 1937 – 2014 Rubin Carter (1937-2014) Died 20 April 2014, aged 76 Rubin "Hurricane" Carter, the boxer wrongfully convicted of murder whose case became a cause celebre after Bob Dylan's song "Hurricane," died in Toronto. He spent almost 20 years in prison before his conviction was overturned in 1985. He spent his later years as an advocate for the wrongfully convicted.
• 1940 – 2014 H.R. Giger (1940-2014) Died 12 May 2014, aged 74 H.R. Giger, the Swiss artist whose biomechanical designs created the title creature in the film "Alien," died in Zurich following a fall. His surreal, nightmarish artwork won him an Academy Award for visual effects. His distinctive style influenced science fiction and horror design for decades.
• 1942 – 2014 Eusébio The Black Panther Widely considered one of the greatest footballers of all time and a national hero.
• 1942 – 2014 Bob Hoskins (1942-2014) Died 29 April 2014, aged 71 Bob Hoskins, the English actor known for "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" and "The Long Good Friday," died in a hospital in England from pneumonia. He had retired from acting the previous year after being diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. He was noted for his gritty, versatile screen presence.
• 1943 – 2014 Jack Bruce (1943-2014) Died 25 October 2014, aged 71 Jack Bruce, the Scottish bassist and singer for the rock band Cream, died in Suffolk, England. His playing helped define the power trio format alongside Eric Clapton and Ginger Baker. Cream was one of the most influential rock bands of the 1960s.
• 1944 – 2014 Joe Cocker (1944-2014) Died 22 December 2014, aged 70 Joe Cocker, the English singer known for his raspy voice and cover of "With a Little Help from My Friends" at Woodstock, died in Colorado. He had a string of hits over a five-decade career, including the Grammy-winning duet "Up Where We Belong." His performing style was widely imitated and celebrated.
• 1951 – 2014 Robin Williams (1951-2014) Died 11 August 2014, aged 63 Robin Williams, the Oscar-winning actor and comedian known for "Good Will Hunting," "Mrs. Doubtfire" and his frenetic stand-up comedy, died by suicide at his home in California. He had been suffering from severe depression and an undiagnosed form of dementia. His death prompted widespread public conversation about mental health and depression.
• 1957 – 2014 L'Wren Scott (1957-2014) Died 17 March 2014, aged 49 L'Wren Scott, the American fashion designer and longtime partner of Rolling Stones singer Mick Jagger, died by suicide in her New York apartment. She had built her own fashion label after a career as a stylist to celebrities. Her death came amid reported financial difficulties with her fashion business.
• 1958 – 2014 Rik Mayall (1958-2014) Died 9 June 2014, aged 56 Rik Mayall, the English comedian and actor known for "The Young Ones" and "Bottom," died suddenly at his home in England. He was a central figure of the alternative comedy movement that reshaped British television in the 1980s. His anarchic performing style influenced a generation of comedians.
• 1965 – 2014 Pink Floyd Pink Floyd are a British rock band formed in London in 1965 whose career spans five decades and encompasses psychedelic rock, progressive rock, art rock and beyond. Founded by Syd Barrett, Roger Waters, Nick Mason and Richard Wright, the band became one of the best-selling music acts in history with over 250 million records sold. Their landmark albums -- The Piper at the Gates of Dawn (1967), The Dark Side of the Moon (1973), Wish You Were Here (1975), Animals (1977), The Wall (1979) and The Final Cut (1983) -- define the progressive rock genre. Barrett's breakdown, Waters's conceptual dominance, Gilmour's ascendancy and the acrimonious splits and reunions make Pink Floyd one of the great human dramas in rock music.
• 1967 – 2014 Philip Seymour Hoffman (1967-2014) Died 2 February 2014, aged 46 Philip Seymour Hoffman, an Academy Award-winning actor known for "Capote" and roles in "The Master" and the "Hunger Games" series, was found dead in his New York apartment from an accidental drug overdose. He was widely regarded as one of the finest character actors of his generation. His death cut short several unfinished film projects.
• 1969 – 2014 The Allman Brothers Band American southern rock band Georgia band founded by Duane and Gregg Allman, the originators of southern rock and one of the great live bands.
• 1989 – 2014 Peaches Geldof (1989-2014) Died 7 April 2014, aged 25 Peaches Geldof, English television presenter and journalist, and daughter of musician Bob Geldof, died suddenly at her home in Kent from a heroin overdose. Her death echoed the accidental drug-related death of her mother, Paula Yates, in 2000. She left behind two young sons.
• 1995 – 2014 The question of sexuality -- 16 years of denial The question of Thorpe's sexuality follows him from his mid-teens, when journalists begin asking directly. He is, he later explains, genuinely uncertain about his own sexuality as a teenager -- too young to know the answer -- and defaults to the socially safe denial. The denial then calcifies: by the time he knows the truth, the lie is so public and so repeated (including in the 2012 autobiography) that correcting it feels like confirming that he has been dishonest about everything. He describes the experience of having been asked about his sexuality at 16 by a reporter as formative: "I was 16. I was just a kid." The years of enforced concealment are inseparable from the depression that runs through the same period.
• 1996 – 2014 Depression and the long struggle -- the hidden story Behind the gold medals, Thorpe has been struggling with depression since his teenage years -- a condition that intensifies after retirement and which he does not discuss publicly until 2014. The depression is severe enough, at points, to involve contemplation of suicide. Antidepressants fail to provide adequate relief. He turns to alcohol to manage the pain. The drinking becomes its own problem. He spends years in a cycle of treatment, partial recovery and relapse. His 2012 autobiography This Is Me addresses depression but does not resolve the underlying crisis. The full story -- the severity of the depression, the role of the alcohol, the connection to the concealment of his sexuality -- emerges only in the 2014 Parkinson interview.
• 2002 – 2014 The physical Thorpedo -- what made him exceptional Thorpe's physical profile is extraordinary even by elite athletic standards: 6 feet 5 inches tall, 230 pounds, with a shoe size of 17 (his custom-made racing fins are famously enormous), an arm span matching his height, and the most powerful leg kick of any swimmer of his era -- eight to ten beats per two arm strokes, compared to the standard six. His signature stroke is a rolling, rhythmic freestyle built around leverage and timing rather than brute force. His coach Doug Frost develops a race strategy in which Thorpe's second 100m of the 400m freestyle is faster than his first -- a negative split that becomes his tactical trademark. The combination of physical advantage and technical refinement is what produces 22 world records across distances from 200m to 800m.
• 2013 – 2014 The shoulder surgery and infection In 2013 Thorpe undergoes surgery on a shoulder injury sustained during his comeback attempt. The operation is complicated by a serious infection -- a medical crisis that requires extended treatment and leaves the prospect of further operations. He discusses the ongoing shoulder problems in the 2014 Parkinson interview, where they form part of a broader portrait of a man dealing with multiple simultaneous crises: the depression, the alcohol, the shoulder, and the sexuality he has not yet publicly acknowledged.
• 2014 Birdman Best Picture — 87th Academy Awards Alejandro G. Iñárritu's dark comedy starring Michael Keaton as a faded superhero actor, shot to look like one continuous take.
• 2014 Carlsen reaches peak rating 2882 Highest FIDE rating in history Magnus Carlsen reached a FIDE classical rating of 2882 in May 2014, the highest ever recorded in chess history, surpassing Kasparov's long-standing record of 2851.
• 2014 – present Crypto Valley Zug Tech Hub The emergence of the canton of Zug as a global center for blockchain and cryptocurrency companies.
• 2014 – present Dua Lipa The Disco-Pop Star Spearheaded the nu-disco revival with the "Future Nostalgia" era.
• 2014 – present Life after coming out -- recovery and advocacy In the years after the 2014 coming-out, Thorpe speaks publicly about the relief of no longer carrying the concealment -- and about the ongoing work of recovery from depression and alcohol dependency. He moves back to Australia from the United States in 2015. He takes on the role of mentor to Australia's next generation of Olympic swimmers. He campaigns for marriage equality in Australia (legalised in December 2017, following a postal survey in which 61.6% of Australians vote yes). He has expressed interest in a possible future career in politics. The arc from the most scrutinised teenager in Australian sport to an open, advocacy-active adult is one of the more complete personal transformations in the history of Australian public life.
• 2014 Lighthouse -- the tribute single Following Simone Battle's death, G.R.L. release "Lighthouse" as a tribute to their lost bandmate. The single is accompanied by the group's public partnership with Give an Hour, a mental health charity, and marks a shift in their public identity: from a pure pop-dance act to a group visibly engaged with questions of mental health and loss. "Lighthouse" is received with widespread sympathy and is one of the most emotionally significant releases of their career.
• 2014 Phil Jackson hired as president Hall of Fame executive Phil Jackson takes over basketball operations, beginning a turbulent five-year tenure.
• 2014 The death of Simone Battle -- G.R.L. loses a member In September 2014 G.R.L. member Simone Battle is found dead in her West Hollywood home. Police rule it a suicide. She is 25. The loss is devastating for the group and for Bennett personally -- Battle is both a close colleague and a founding member whose presence has shaped the group's identity. In response, G.R.L. release the tribute single "Lighthouse" and partner with the mental health charity Give an Hour. The tragedy casts a shadow over the remainder of the group's active period.
• 2014 Ugly Heart -- the biggest UK hit G.R.L.'s "Ugly Heart" (2014) is the group's highest-charting UK single, reaching number 11 on the UK Singles Chart and achieving similar success across Europe and Australia. The track is included on the group's self-titled EP and represents their commercial peak as a recording act. Its guitar-driven pop sound is more distinctive than much of their earlier material. "Ugly Heart" remains the song most associated with G.R.L. beyond "Vacation."
• 2014 Wild Wild Love -- with Pitbull G.R.L. feature on Pitbull's "Wild Wild Love" (2014), extending their commercial reach into the Latin pop crossover market that Pitbull dominates in this period. The collaboration is consistent with the group's positioning as a broadly appealing international pop act rather than a niche dance or R&B project. Bennett and her G.R.L. bandmates are by this point performing regularly and building a fanbase in both North America and Europe.
• 2014 Australian Open 2014 Men: Stan Wawrinka · Women: Li Na Wawrinka upset Nadal. Li Na won her second Grand Slam.
• 2014 2014 Winter Olympics XXII Winter Games - Sochi The most expensive Olympics in history at the time. Winner: Russia (Norway after disqualifications).
• 2014 Capture of Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman Mexican drug lord seized in Sinaloa after years as a fugitive Mexican marines captured Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, leader of the Sinaloa drug cartel, in a raid on a beachfront hotel in Mazatlan. He had evaded capture for 13 years following a 2001 prison escape. Guzman would later escape custody again in 2015 before his eventual extradition to the United States.
• 2014 Matteo Renzi becomes Prime Minister of Italy Renzi, 39, becomes Italy's youngest ever prime minister Matteo Renzi was sworn in as Italy's prime minister after his predecessor Enrico Letta resigned amid a party leadership challenge. At 39, Renzi became the youngest person to hold the office in Italian history. He pledged sweeping economic and constitutional reforms.
• 2014 Ukraine revolution Yanukovych flees to Russia Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych fled to Russia on February 22, 2014, following weeks of violent protests in Kyiv's Maidan Square after he rejected an EU association agreement.
• 2014 Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 disappears Boeing 777 vanishes over the Indian Ocean Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, carrying 239 people from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, lost contact with air traffic control and disappeared. Despite an extensive multinational search of the southern Indian Ocean, the aircraft's main wreckage was never found. It remains one of aviation's greatest unsolved mysteries.
• 2014 Russia annexes Crimea First European territory seizure since WWII Russia annexed the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine following a contested referendum on March 16, 2014, the first annexation of European territory by force since World War II.
• 2014 West African Ebola epidemic Deadliest Ebola outbreak in history declared an international emergency An Ebola virus outbreak centered on Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone became the largest and deadliest in history, ultimately killing over 11,000 people. The World Health Organization declared it a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on 8 August 2014. The crisis prompted a major international medical relief effort.
• 2014 Heartbleed security bug disclosed Major flaw found in widely used OpenSSL encryption software Security researchers disclosed Heartbleed, a serious vulnerability in the OpenSSL cryptographic library used to secure a large portion of the internet. The bug allowed attackers to read sensitive memory from affected servers, potentially exposing passwords and private keys. It prompted a mass scramble by websites and companies to patch systems and reissue security certificates.
• 2014 Boko Haram kidnaps schoolgirls in Chibok Nearly 300 girls abducted from a Nigerian secondary school The militant group Boko Haram abducted 276 female students from a government school in Chibok, Nigeria. The mass kidnapping drew global condemnation and spawned the #BringBackOurGirls campaign. Dozens of the girls remained missing for years afterward.
• 2014 Sinking of the MV Sewol South Korean ferry disaster kills over 300, mostly students The ferry MV Sewol capsized and sank off the coast of South Korea while traveling from Incheon to Jeju, killing 304 people, most of them high school students on a field trip. The disaster exposed serious safety failures and a botched government rescue response. It led to major reforms of South Korea's maritime safety regulations.
• 2014 2014 World Snooker Championship Selby First Title Winner: Mark Selby; Runner-up: Ronnie O’Sullivan. Score: 18–14.
• 2014 Soma mining disaster Turkey's deadliest mining accident kills 301 workers A fire triggered by an electrical fault caused an explosion at a coal mine in Soma, Turkey, trapping and killing 301 miners in the country's worst industrial accident. The disaster prompted nationwide protests over lax mine safety enforcement. Several company officials were later prosecuted.
• 2014 Transformers: Age of Extinction #1 film of 2014 — $1.10bn worldwide Directed by Michael Bay, starring Mark Wahlberg. Five years after the battle of Chicago, a mechanic and his daughter are caught up in a new Transformer conflict.
• 2014 Narendra Modi becomes Prime Minister of India BJP wins landslide victory in Indian general election Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party won a decisive majority in India's general election, the first single-party majority in India in 30 years. Modi was sworn in as prime minister on 26 May 2014. His victory marked a major shift in Indian politics toward Hindu nationalist governance.
• 2014 2014 FIFA World Cup German Dominance Germany became the first European team to win a World Cup in the Americas. Winner: Germany.
• 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil Germany defeats Brazil 7-1 in semi-final The 2014 FIFA World Cup was held in Brazil. Germany humiliated host nation Brazil 7-1 in the semi-final before beating Argentina 1-0 in the final to win their fourth World Cup.
• 2014 How to Train Your Dragon 2 #3 film of 2014 — $621m worldwide Directed by Dean DeBlois. Hiccup and Toothless discover a secret ice cave home to hundreds of wild dragons.
• 2014 Islamic State declares a caliphate Group announces control over territory in Iraq and Syria The Islamic State group declared the establishment of a caliphate across territory it controlled in Iraq and Syria, naming Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi as caliph. The declaration followed rapid militant advances, including the capture of Mosul. It triggered a US-led international coalition military response.
• 2014 Israel-Gaza war (Operation Protective Edge) Seven-week conflict between Israel and Hamas Israel launched a military offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip following rocket fire and the killing of three Israeli teenagers. The fighting killed over 2,000 Palestinians and more than 70 Israelis before a ceasefire took hold in late August. It was the deadliest round of Israeli-Palestinian violence in years.
• 2014 Joko Widodo elected President of Indonesia Former furniture businessman becomes first Indonesian leader from outside elite Joko Widodo, the governor of Jakarta and a former furniture exporter, won Indonesia's presidential election, becoming the first president without ties to the military or political elite. His victory was seen as a milestone for Indonesian democracy. He took office in October 2014.
• 2014 Coming out -- the Parkinson interview, July 2014 On 13 July 2014, in a television interview with British talk-show host Michael Parkinson broadcast on Australia's Channel 10, Ian Thorpe publicly confirms for the first time that he is gay. He is 31 years old. The interview is one of the most watched television events in Australian sporting history. Thorpe explains the long denial: he was first asked about his sexuality by a journalist when he was a teenager, too young to know his own answer; he said he was straight to avoid teasing from classmates; the lie then became too large to correct without appearing to have lied about everything. "I felt the lie had become so big that I didn't want people to question my integrity," he says. "I'm comfortable saying I'm a gay man." He adds that he wishes he had come out sooner.
• 2014 Death of Eric Garner in police custody Chokehold death in New York becomes a rallying point against police brutality Eric Garner died after a New York City police officer placed him in a chokehold during an arrest for selling loose cigarettes. His last words, "I can't breathe," became a protest slogan. A grand jury declined to indict the officer, prompting nationwide demonstrations.
• 2014 Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 shot down over Ukraine Passenger jet destroyed amid the Donbas war Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was shot down by a surface-to-air missile while flying over eastern Ukraine, killing all 298 people on board. Investigators later concluded the missile was fired from territory held by Russian-backed separatists. The incident sharply escalated international tension over the conflict in Ukraine.
• 2014 Glasgow hosts the Commonwealth Games Scotland stages the 20th Commonwealth Games Glasgow hosted the Commonwealth Games, drawing athletes from 71 nations and territories just weeks before Scotland's independence referendum. The games were widely regarded as well organized and boosted the city's profile. England topped the medal table.
• 2014 ALS Ice Bucket Challenge goes viral Social media campaign raises over $100 million for ALS research A viral social media challenge in which participants poured buckets of ice water over their heads and nominated others swept the globe, raising over $100 million for the ALS Association. Celebrities, politicians and ordinary users widely participated. The campaign is credited with funding significant advances in ALS research.
• 2014 Guardians of the Galaxy Marvel surprise hit — $774m worldwide Directed by James Gunn. A group of intergalactic criminals must pull together to stop a fanatical warrior from acquiring a dangerous power.
• 2014 Ferguson unrest following shooting of Michael Brown Police killing of unarmed Black teenager sparks nationwide protests The fatal shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown by a police officer in Ferguson, Missouri, set off weeks of protests and rioting. A grand jury's decision not to indict the officer in November triggered renewed unrest. The events fueled the growing Black Lives Matter movement.
• 2014 Islamic State beheads journalist James Foley Killing of American hostage broadcast in propaganda video The Islamic State released a video showing the beheading of American journalist James Foley, who had been kidnapped in Syria in 2012. The killing, and subsequent videos of other hostages, galvanized international outrage and support for military action against the group. It marked a turning point in Western public opinion on intervening against ISIS.
• 2014 Apple unveils the Apple Watch Company enters the smartwatch market Apple announced its first wearable device, the Apple Watch, alongside the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus at an event in Cupertino. It marked the company's first new product category since the iPad. The watch went on sale the following year.
• 2014 Scottish independence referendum Voters reject leaving the United Kingdom Scotland held a referendum on whether to become an independent country, with 55% voting to remain part of the United Kingdom. Turnout was exceptionally high at 84.6%. The vote led to promises of further devolved powers for the Scottish Parliament.
• 2014 Alibaba's record-breaking IPO Chinese e-commerce giant lists on the New York Stock Exchange Chinese e-commerce company Alibaba Group raised $25 billion in its initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange, the largest IPO in history at the time. Founder Jack Ma became one of China's richest people. The listing underscored China's growing economic influence.
• 2014 Hong Kong Umbrella Movement Mass pro-democracy protests occupy the city center Protesters occupied major thoroughfares in Hong Kong for weeks, demanding open nominations for the territory's chief executive election. The movement took its name from umbrellas used to block police pepper spray. Police eventually cleared the last protest sites in mid-December without the demands being met.
• 2014 Malala Yousafzai and Kailash Satyarthi win Nobel Peace Prize Pakistani and Indian activists honored for children's rights work The Nobel Peace Prize was jointly awarded to Pakistani education activist Malala Yousafzai and Indian children's rights campaigner Kailash Satyarthi. At 17, Yousafzai became the youngest Nobel laureate in history. The award recognized their work against the suppression of children and for children's right to education.
• 2014 Ottawa Parliament Hill shooting Gunman kills soldier before being shot inside Canada's parliament A lone gunman fatally shot a soldier standing guard at Canada's National War Memorial before storming into the Parliament Buildings in Ottawa, where he was killed by security personnel. The attack, linked to a radicalized individual, prompted a review of security at Canadian government buildings. It came amid heightened concern about lone-wolf terrorism in the West.
• 2014 Virgin Galactic SpaceShipTwo crash Test flight accident kills co-pilot over the Mojave Desert Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo experimental spacecraft broke apart during a test flight over California's Mojave Desert, killing co-pilot Michael Alsbury and seriously injuring pilot Peter Siebold. An investigation found the co-pilot had prematurely unlocked a braking system. The accident delayed Virgin Galactic's commercial space tourism plans by years.
• 2014 Rosetta lands on a comet First soft landing on a comet ESA's Philae lander, released from the Rosetta spacecraft, made the first soft landing on a comet on November 12, 2014, touching down on comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko after a 10-year journey.
• 2014 Sony Pictures hack Cyberattack exposes internal data ahead of "The Interview" release Hackers, later attributed by the US government to North Korea, breached Sony Pictures' computer systems, leaking unreleased films, executive emails and employee data. The attack was linked to the studio's release of "The Interview," a comedy about a plot to assassinate Kim Jong-un. Sony briefly canceled the film's theatrical release amid threats.
• 2014 Sydney Lindt Cafe siege Lone gunman holds hostages in central Sydney A gunman claiming allegiance to Islamic State held hostages inside a Lindt chocolate cafe in Sydney's central business district for over 16 hours. Police stormed the cafe after the gunman began shooting, and two hostages were killed along with the gunman. The siege prompted debate in Australia over counter-terrorism and mental health policy.
• 2014 Peshawar school massacre Taliban gunmen kill over 140 at an army-run school Pakistani Taliban militants stormed an army-run school in Peshawar, killing 149 people, most of them children. It was the deadliest terrorist attack in Pakistan's history. The massacre prompted Pakistan to end a moratorium on the death penalty and launch a renewed military crackdown on militants.
• 2014 United States and Cuba announce restoration of relations Obama and Castro end decades of Cold War-era estrangement US President Barack Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro simultaneously announced that their countries would move to normalize diplomatic relations after more than five decades of hostility. The announcement followed a prisoner exchange and secret negotiations brokered partly by the Vatican. It led to the reopening of embassies in Washington and Havana the following year.