2014 was filled with some pretty huge news stories. Which one do you think was the biggest? Vote on one of ours or add your own if you think we forgot one!
http://www.ranker.com/list/what-is-2014-and-_39_s-news-story-of-the-year-/kpcc893,
Ferguson
On August 9, 2014 in the St. Louis suburb of Ferguson, Missouri, an unarmed 18-year-old black man, Michael Brown, was shot and killed by a white police officer, Darren Wilson, after an altercation. A grand jury's decision not to indict Wilson for Brown's murder touched off protests across the U.S. and ignited a nationwide discussion about the state of relations between law enforcement and the African-American community.
2014 Ebola Outbreak
A deadly outbreak of the Ebola virus began in West Africa and eventually makes its way to the U.S. Though there were only a small number of cases, it became a hot-button topic.
Malaysia Airlines Flight 370
Malaysia Air Flight 370 with service from the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, China took off on Saturday, March 8th, just like every other flight that day. However, about an hour after takeoff, air traffic controllers lost contact with the Boeing 777 as it flew over the South China Sea. Despite exhaustive search efforts, rescue crews have yet to locate any wreckage from the plane or bodies of the deceased. Exactly what happened to MH370 that day remains a mystery.
Shocking Celebrity Deaths
2014 was not without its share of shocking and untimely celebrity deaths: Robin Williams commits suicide, Philip Seymour Hoffman overdoses on drugs, and Joan Rivers dies after an operation. These were just a few of the celebrity deaths from 2014, but each of them
Pot Reaches New High
On the first day of 2014, marijuana dispensaries in Washington and Colorado opened their doors to recreational pot users for the first time. The two states were the first to legalize marijuana for sale and recreational use. Oregon, Alaska, and Washington D.C. followed suit in the November midterms. Laws in these places are still hazy, as marijuana is still classified as a Schedule I narcotic under federal law
Ice Bucket Challenge
Over the summer of 2014, the "ALS Ice Bucket Challenge" went viral across social media. Participants would be filmed dumping a bucket of ice water over their heads to raise awareness for ALS, a debilitating muscular condition.
The NFL's Off-The-Field Issues
Record profits and ratings weren't enough to break up the shadow cast over the National Football League by a string of domestic violence incidents at the beginning of the 2014 season. Most notably, Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice was arrested on assault charges after video was released of him knocking his wife out in an elevator, and Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson was indicted on child abuse charges in September.
Cuba Thaw Out
In December 2014, U.S. President Barack Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro announced join plans to begin reestablishing diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Cuba. The two countries had been in a diplomatic gridlock since the 1960s.
Immigration Reform
In November of 2014, President Obama announced sweeping executive action that would defer the deportation of almost 4 million illegal immigrants.
The Rise of the So-Called Islamic State
Al-Qaeda has been the name most Americans have associated with radical Islamist terrorism since 9/11, but 2014 was the year of the so-called Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS). They gained power in parts of the Middle East and have been flexing their muscles since with lofty proclamations and videotaped beheadings.