At the end of each year, editors and news directors of the AssociatedPress in the United States vote for the top ten news stories of the year.

They named the American economy as the top news story of twothousand nine. The governmentapproved more than seven hundred eightybillion dollars to help the struggling economy. Yet the unemployment ratewas over ten percent. Many banks failed. And thefederaldeficitreached arecord one point four trillion dollars.

In 2008, the top news story was the election of Barack Obama as thefirst African-American president ofthe United States. This year, MisterObama’sinauguration was voted thesecond top story.

The battle between Republicansand  Democrats  over  health  carereform was voted the third top storyof the year. Reform of the country’shealth care system was one of PresidentObama’s top goals.

The American auto  industrywas fourth on the list. Two of the bigthree American auto makers filed forbankruptcy after suffering sharp dropsin sales.

Next on the list was the H1N1virus, also known as swine flu. Thevirus affected tens of millions of peopleworldwide. Officials said swine flu sickened about fifty million Americansand killed ten thousand.

The war in Afghanistan was also among the top news stories. Lastmonth, President Obama decided to send thirty thousand more Americantroops to Afghanistan. Public opinion studies show that the war has grownincreasingly unpopular with Americans.

The AP editors said the death of singer Michael Jackson in June wasalso among the top news stories. The fifty year old international star wasjust days from beginning a series of performances in London. Jackson’sdoctor became the subject of a policeinvestigation afteradmitting he gaveJackson a powerful drug to help him sleep.

Another top story happened in November. Thirteen people were killedin a shooting at Fort Hood military base in Texas. Armypsychiatrist MajorNidal Hasan isaccused of the killings.

Senator Edward Kennedy’s death in August was also among the topnews stories. Mister Kennedy was one of the nation’s longest-serving andmost respected senators.

And finally, the tenth news story of the year has been called the“Miracle on the Hudson”. Pilot Chesley Sullenberger safely landed a USAirways passenger plane on New York’s Hudson River after both its enginesfailed.

For the first time, the AP invited members of the public to name theirtop news stories. A separate vote was held on Face book. More than onethousand four hundred people took part.

They chose President Obama’s inauguration as the top story, followingthe economy. Eight stories appeared on both top ten lists.