- Barcroft Media focuses on finding the most awe-inspiring news stories from across the globe
- The round-up includes everything from global events and bizarre pets to stunning wildlife photography
- Highlights include a photobombing baboon, a gymnast born with no legs and a supercell thunderstorm
From the parliament shooting in Ottawa and a volcanic eruption in Indonesia to supercell thunderstorms, giant cats and a photobombing elephant - a press agency has compiled its best pictures 2014 in an astonishing series of photographs that show some of the year's most incredible, weird and wonderful events.
The stunning images offer a celebration of the awe-inspiring stories that were caught on camera by Barcroft Media - a press agency focused on finding the most incredible news stories from across the globe - throughout 2014.
The end-of-year round-up includes major news stories, such as the gunman who went on a shooting rampage in Canada's parliament and the eruption of Mount Sinabung volcano in Indonesia, which killed at least 15 people and forced thousands to evacuate their homes.
But it also shows the stories that didn't make the headlines such as the gymnast born with no legs who is now training to be a dancer, and the tragic story of tale of Kaleem, the eight-year-old boy with abnormally large hands.
This year also saw the story of Kyle Jones, a 31-year-old self-confessed 'cougar hunter' who only dates senior citizens, and an expose of the Ku Klux Klan, which offered snapshots of family life in the Klan.
Looking at the lighter side of life in 2014, the series also includes a photobombing baboon, pugs dressed in Game of Thrones costumes, the world's largest turban, a pregnant weightlifter and some of the year's most stunning wildlife photography.
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Giant ash clouds erupt from Mount Sinabung volcano as villagers watch on November 3 in Karo district in Indonesia. The volcano, which has been active since September 2013, erupted in February killing at least 15 people and forcing thousands to evacuate their homes
Emergency responders escort VIPs out of building on Sparks Street on October 22 in Ottawa, Canada. A gunman shot dead a soldier as he was standing guard at the National War Memorial and then went on a shooting rampage through parliament buildings before he was shot dead
Sam and Amanda with their kids at a Ku Klux Klan rally held at Mountwood Park on April 26 in Parkersburg, West Virginia. A group of KKK members says it is planning military style combat training - exactly 60 years after the birth of the African-American Civil Rights Movement. Klan bosses say an influx of military troops plan to train the Loyal White Knights (LWK) faction. LWK leaders say they are preparing for a race war they believe will break out soon with the collapse of modern society, and will learn armed combat, hand-to-hand combat and survival skills
A dust storm rolls over the city of Phoenix at sunset on July 3 in Phoenix, Arizona. Avid storm chaser Mike Olbinksi, 39, captured this photo as he watched the wall of thick orange dust roll over the city with a population of 1.4 million
A front view of Shockwave getting ready to launch down a track in Ontario, Canada. Powered by three jet engines and hitting speeds approaching 400mph, Shockwave is the world's fastest jet-powered truck. The three-tonne 1957 Chevy generates an incredible 36,000 horsepower and can cover a quarter mile in just six-and-a-half seconds
Brightly colored umbrellas look oddly uniform on the Adriatic Coast in August in Italy. Hundreds of colorful deck chairs and parasols were arranged in stunning symmetry on the beach. Bernhard Lang, 44, trained his camera on the coastal resorts as he flew 500 metres above ground in a helicopter in August
Jen Bricker poses on Santa Monica beach on September 25 in Los Angeles, California. The gymnast's childhood dreams came true when she discovered her idol was in fact her long-lost sister. Jen, 27, was adopted at birth after being born with no legs due to a genetic birth defect. Despite her disability, Jen was drawn to gymnastics and idolised American Olympic gymnast Dominique Moceanu. And after competing in - and winning - gymnastic competitions at State level, Jen learned a shocking secret - that Dominique was actually her biological sister
Participants build castells of human towers during the 25th Castells Competition on October 5 in Tarragona, Spain. A total of 30 human tower groups gathered to compete to build the most difficult human tower structure
A photographer takes a selfie using a special panoramic camera from the top of the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest man-made structure on October 8 in Dubai. Gerald Donovan, 47, was there to put the finishing touches to the Dubai 360 project, which includes a virtual tour of the city and a 360 degree panoramic timelapse. Cheltenham-born Donovan used a camera controlled by an iPhone app to capture the selfie at 830m
Eight-year-old Kaleem shows his abnormally large hands in his hometown in East India. His hands weigh eight kilograms each and measure 13 inches from the base of his palm to the end of his middle finger. The cricket fan is unable to do many basic tasks and has been bullied and shunned most of his life. His parents earn just £15 a month and have been desperately trying to find help for their son but to no avail. Doctors have been left baffled by his condition but believe it may be the result of either lymphangioma or hamartoma - both treatable conditions
Avtar Singh is seen wearing a huge traditional Punjabi turban called 'pagdi' in the Indian town of Patiala on July 19 in Punjab. The impressive headgear weighs a hefty 100lbs and measures in at a staggering 645m when unwrapped - the same as 13 Olympic-sized swimming pools. The 60-year-old has been regularly adding to it for the past 16 years and it can take him up to six hours to put it on. His supersize turban made him one of the most respected preachers in the Pubjab, but it causes day-to-day problems such as fitting through doorways and getting into cars
A picturesque view of daybreak is captured on camera in the woods near Brompton Ralph village on December 3 in Somerset, England
The rotating updraft base of a supercell thunderstorm, and a rear flank downdraft containing rain and hail, backlit by the setting sun on May 10 in Climax, Kansas. The huge formations, also known as rotating thunderstorms, are among the most powerful weather phenomenon found over land. They can occur anywhere where the conditions are right, but are normally found in more arid climates
A caver stands outside one of the entrance of the Hang Son Doong cave in Quang Binh Province, Vietnam. At more than 200m high, 150m wide and 5km long, this is the biggest chamber in the Hang Son Doong cave. Australian photographer John Spies, 59, spent a week photographing the natural wonder and the tourists flocking to marvel at its beauty
A model dives under the blue water as an aircraft flies above in September in Maho Beach, Sint Maarten. Holidaymakers will find it difficult to relax on the beach and soak up the summer sun with airplanes flying just above their heads. Princess Juliana International Airport on Sint Maarten is just a stone's throw away from Maho Beach and as a consequence planes have to land from a nail-biting low-altitude on approach
Rose-ringed parakeets in flight on their way to roost pass over an urban cemetery in January, 2014, in London, England
A great white shark breaches out of the water to attack a plastic seal decoy in Cape Town, South Africa. These amazing full breaches were conceived using a plastic seal decoy, which is dragged behind a tourist diving boat, as a way of enticing the hungry predator. The footage demonstrates the frightening power and agility of the iconic animal
A curious polar bear puts its paws up on the boat in July in Svalbard, Norway. Polar bears have a reputation for being fearsome predators in and these images of the blood-covered grizzlies prove why. Their white fur and black snout is covered with blood after a three-day long meal
A pelican is nearly swallowed by a humpback whale. The bird had been feasting on anchovies among a group of eight humpback whales in Monterey Bay, California. A hundred sea lions and other species of seabirds also gathered for the feeding frenzy on November 23. The pelican had been sitting on the surface of the water gobbling up the fish when the humpback whale burst from the sea to collect a mouthful of anchovy
A lemon shark opens its mouth before feeding on fish on August 2 in Jupiter, Florida. Wildlife photographer John Chapa, 41, has taken jaw-dropping images while swimming just inches away from sharks. For a fee of $100, John dives with brave tourists and captures the up close and personal experiences they have while feeding sharks
Doug Seus looks into the open jaws of Bart 2 in Heber City, Utah. For the last four decades, Doug and wife Lynne have shared their ranch in the with their four bears. The bears' ease in human company has helped them carve out an impressive showreel working alongside Hollywood stars including Brad Pitt, Jennifer Anniston and Eddie Murphy, while Bart 2 recently starred in the hit HBO series Game of Thrones
A humpback whale jumps out of the water on June 24, 2013 in Port St. Johns, South Africa. A huge humpback whale leaps out of the water in an amazing display of strength and agility. These awe inspiring pictures were taken in June 2013 by marine tour guide Steven Benjamin who was documenting over 1000 whales migrating from the coast of South Africa to the warmer waters of Mozambique and Madagascar
A close up of a caracal lynx's face looking into a camera in January in Western Cape, South Africa. The nimble cat approached the lens after being released by a farmer who had earlier trapped it on his land. It was a lucky escape for the animal - a type of lynx - as many farmers blame them for killing livestock and shoot them on sight
A baboon 'photobombs' a beautiful landscape photo in Cape Point, South Africa. The playful animals had been monkeying around at Cape Point, the southern tip of Cape Peninsula in South Africa, and putting on a show for tourists
Doug Seus poses alongside the 8ft 6in Bart 2 on his ranch in Heber City, Utah. For the last four decades, Doug and wife Lynne have shared their ranch in the the Heber Valley, Utah, with their four bears: Bart the Bear 1, who died of cancer in 2000, brother and sister team Bart 2 and Honey Bump, and Tank
Carl Bovard, 43, interacting with Sampson, a five-year-old Siberian tiger on July 12 in his backyard in Melrose, Florida. Carl set up Single Vision - his educational, non-profit company - nine years ago and welcomes tours to his house and garden where his wild animals live with him. His biggest tiger is Samson who weighs more than 700lbs and is over nine and a half feet tall when he stands on his back legs
A huge male elephant photobombs (from left to right) Lisa Marie Winther, from Norway, Deb Sulzberger, from Australia, Sarah Daly, from Scotland, Jane Burnett, from England, and Nicky Walker, from England, at Imire: Rhino and Wildlife Conservation area in Wedza, Zimbabwe
Glen Bonin approaches an 11 ft alligator to move it from the middle of the road on June 8 in Sulphur, Louisiana. Glen Taylor Bonin, 23, spotted the massive reptile blocking the road during an outing with pals. The carpenter and friends attempted to move the alligator by first using their t-shirts to blindfold it. But Glen narrowly avoided serious injury when the beast clamped its jaws round his hand and shook him like a rag doll
Bono as Jon Snow, Blue as Ned Stark and Roxy as Bran Stark in February in Los Angeles, California. Blinkbox has teamed up with three adorable pugs to create the cutest Game of Thrones remake ever. Owners Phillip Lauer, 57 and his wife Sue, 47 have been dressing their pugs up as characters from cinema and TV since they were puppies
Hans, a 12-week-old mixed breed, looks dismayed as he shakes off water, in Portland, Oregon. A series of sopping wet puppies shake their fur in an adorable slow-motion photo book. The speedy motion has been slowed down using a high-speed camera to capture every wiggle
Owner Andrew poses with Pickles the cat at their home in Boston, Massachusetts. The pet cat weighs almost 21 pounds and 40 inches long. He was rehomed twice because he didn't play well with other cats - but he's now found a loving home
Britain's biggest dog - an 18-month-old Great Dane named Freddy - is seen relaxing on the sofa with his owner Claire Stoneman at their home in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, England. The huge dog has been measured at 7ft 4in (2.24m) on his hind legs
Bodhi the dog models a look at a Meatpacking District photo studio on October 5 in New York City. Bodhi, a five-year-old Shiba Inu dog - also known as Menswear Dog - has gained over 146,000 followers on his Instagram, where he is featured wearing suits, ties and glasses. His owners Dave Fung, 29, and Yena Kim, 27 started dressing him up as a weekend hobby, but have since turned their pet's good looks into a business. Now big name designers, including Coach, Salvatore Ferragamo, and ASOS have signed Bodhi up as a PAID model for their brands
Model Lowri Thomas poses after her tarantula transformation on March 14 in Leicester, England. The super-sized spider is the handiwork of body painter Emma Fay, 27, who used water-based paints to turn the ultra-flexible model into the giant arachnid. The set also includes some of Fay's other stunningly realistic animal transformations, including a spiralling seahorse and a giraffe. The Leicester-based artist, who has been body painting for three years, spends around five hours on each work and created the series to celebrate the marvels of the natural world
Michelle Rovinsky, 32, poses while holding a BFG 50-A gun at home on June 30, 2014 in Tampa, Florida. The slim 32-year-old looks more like Barbie than Rambo - but she is trained to survive in the wild and shoot with military grade firearms. Michelle, who carries a concealed weapon at all times, wants to inspire a generation of girls 'brainwashed' by celebrities such as Kim Kardashian and Miley Cyrus
Marilyn Mansfield, 36 poses for a photograph with her husband Zoth Ommog 40, and their children Skylar 15, and Damian, 10 in their living room holding the life like baby dolls on August 17 in Statem Island, New York City. Marilyn Mansfield has spent tens of thousands of dollars on her incredible doll collection - which includes 300 ultra-realistic handmade dolls
Amazon Amanda and Sergio are seen having a session on May 26 in New York City. Amazon Amanda is a 6ft 3 ins, 20 stone model who is paid to dwarf men. She is a big hit with guys who like being squashed, crushed, wrestled or simply seen out in public with super-sized women. After growing too big to be a mainstream model, Amanda discovered a subculture where she could put her natural assets to good use. With 63 inch hips and a 44DD bust Amanda is worshipped by amazon fans all over the world
Kyle Jones, 31, poses for a picture with Marjorie McCool, 91, at a local park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. 'Cougar hunter' Kyle says he has never dated a woman his own age - preferring the attention of pensioners. He says he is only attracted to elderly women and prefers them 65 or older
Charity Pierce at her home on March 28 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The 56 stone mum has found love with a toyboy almost half her age. Charity fell for Tony, 21, three years ago and the pair have since become engaged. Now Tony is helping housebound charity find a doctor willing to perform a bypass operation which she hopes will save her life - and let them be married
Arlindo de Souza, 43, shows off his muscles outside his home in Olinda, Brazil. He believes he has grown the biggest arms in Brazil - after injecting a cocktail of mineral oil and alcohol into them. His 29in biceps are filled with a synthetic filler. But the bricklayer's size has not made him any stronger and he can only lift normal size weights. He turned to the substance to make him the king of his competitive local gym
Katja Harjanne lifting weight in a gym on September 28 in London, England. Superfit Katja Harjanne can still lift 100 kilo weights, despite being eight months pregnant. She is 38 weeks pregnant with her first child, but with the support of her fiancee Jason Depner she is continuing her grueling regime. The couple believe that cross fit has benefited Katja's pregnancy by keeping her and the baby healthy and strong
Gagan Satish practices limbo-skating at a local sports complex on July 7 in Bengaluru, India. Gagan is a six-year-old boy who is a roller skater from Bangalore. He flattened himself and passed underneath 39 cars, squeezing in a space of seven inches above the ground on his roller skates. Gagan covered the distance in 29.8 seconds and emerged unscathed from the 20 centimetres of space underneath the SUVs. This feat has landed Gagan to stake claim for an entry into the Guinness Book of World Records
Zac Mihajlovic, 29, dressed as Batman poses for a photograph with his Batmobile vehicle on July 4 in Camden, Australia. He turned down six-figure offers for his home-made Batmobile - so he can continue helping sick children. Businessmen from across the world, including a Sheik in Dubai, have offered Zac big bucks for the Batmobile. And rather than cash-in on his dream machine, Zac decided to use his powers for good by teaming up with the Make-A-Wish foundation, who make dreams come true for terminally ill children
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