7 Things Everyone Will Remember about 2014 ...

I really hope this is one of the things that everyone will remember about 2014! Malala Yousafzai became the youngest-ever winner of the Nobel Peace Prize for her work campaigning for girls’ education around the world. Malala initially hit the headlines after being shot in the head by the Taliban in retaliation for being a proponent of literacy and education for girls in Pakistan. She recovered, and gave an emotional and thought-provoking speech to the UN on her 16th birthday. She also started the Malala Fund, released a memoir, achieved an honorary Master of Arts from the University of Edinburgh and was shortlisted for Person of the Year.

You’d be forgiven for not recognizing Michelle’s name, although everyone should know her story! Before July, the U.S. Navy had never had a female four-star officer in its entire 238 year history. Michelle became the first woman to achieve that post, and became the first African-American woman to command a navy ship, too. She’s now the Vice Chief of Naval Operations. Hats off, Admiral Howard.

There has been a lot of talk about feminism this year, especially with Beyonce’s iconic performance. It was Emma Watson that had the years’ biggest moment, though. The United Nations Women Goodwill Ambassador gave a speech at the UN, compelling men to join the battle for gender equality. She also launched the HeForShe campaign, which encouraged men to speak out against discrimination and violence against women. If you haven’t watched it, it should definitely be on your to-do list.

What do you think the most popular song of all time would be? Well, if digital viewing figures are anything to go by, it’s Gangnam Style. Psy’s catchy tune (and brilliant dance moves) was loved at parties everywhere, and it seems everyone was streaming it at home, too. The video became the first to rack up over 2 billion views on YouTube, breaking the music site's counter for a while. Crazy.

Enough said. Liverpool soccer player Luis Suarez was no stranger to controversy, having served a 10 game ban in the English Premier League for biting a Chelsea player, but it seems he didn’t learn his lesson. He bit down on Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini during the World Cup, leading to a riot of hilarious parodies online. He was given a hefty ban, sold by Liverpool, and accused the press of being biased against him.

In March 2014, the World Health Organisation reported a major Ebola outbreak in Guinea. It was traced back to a two-year-old girl who had died in December 2013, and since then had spread to Sierra Leone and Liberia. On August 8th, the WHO declared the epidemic to be an international health emergency. Over 7,000 people were reported dead, with 18,232 suspected cases. There have even been 17 cases treated outside of Africa. A $100 million emergency response fund hasn’t stopped the outbreak yet, but we’ve been constantly amazed at the people risking their lives to help out wherever they can.

Kim launched a plan to break the internet in late 2014, using some racy photos from a free photoshoot with Paper magazine. The shots, which showed Kim totally naked, exposed her famous bottom, as well as a full frontal view, and a bizarre shot of Kim balancing a champagne glass on her butt. The internet certainly responded, with a variety of hilarious memes being created and spread. Perhaps not the intended result, but Kim certainly got some attention, and Paper magazine got the best exposure they could have hoped for. As things that everyone will remember from 2014 goes, this will be up there!

Remembering the things that everyone will remember from 2014 certainly gets you wandering what 2015 will bring. Kate Middleton's due with another royal baby, who is almost certainly going to steal headlines, and there are some amazing films due out… What are the things that you think everyone will remember from 2014, and what are you most looking forward to in 2015? Let me know!