Bin Laden death voted top news story

NEW YORK – The killing of Osama bin Laden during a raid by Navy SEALs on his hideout in Pakistan was the top news story of 2011, followed by Japan’s earthquake/tsunami/ meltdown disaster, according to the Associated Press’ annual poll of U.S. editors and news directors.

The death of bin Laden, the al-Qaida leader who masterminded the Sept. 11 terror attacks, received 128 first-place votes out of 247 ballots cast for the top 10 stories. The Japan disaster was next, with 60 first-place votes. Placing third were the Arab Spring uprisings that rocked North Africa and the Middle …

NEW YORK – The killing of Osama bin Laden during a raid by Navy SEALs on his hideout in Pakistan was the top news story of 2011, followed by Japan’s earthquake/tsunami/ meltdown disaster, according to the Associated Press’ annual poll of U.S. editors and news directors.

The death of bin Laden, the al-Qaida leader who masterminded the Sept. 11 terror attacks, received 128 first-place votes out of 247 ballots cast for the top 10 stories. The Japan disaster was next, with 60 first-place votes. Placing third were the Arab Spring uprisings that rocked North Africa and the Middle East, while the European Union’s financial turmoil was No. 4.

The international flavor of these top stories contrasted with last year’s voting – when the Gulf of Mexico oil spill was the top story, President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul was No. 2, and the U.S. midterm elections were No. 3.

The rest of the 2011 list included: No. 5, the U.S. economy; No. 6, the Penn State sex-abuse scandal; No. 7, the toppling of Libyan ruler Moammar Gadhafi; No. 8, the fiscal showdowns in Congress; No. 9, the Occupy Wall Street protests; and, No. 10, the shooting of Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and 18 other people, including six who died.