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. See also part 2, and part 3. The series comprises 120 images in all. Warning, some of the photos may contain graphic or objectionable content.