The epic election that made Barack Obama the first African-American president was the top news story of 2008 — followed closely by the economic meltdown that will test his leadership, according to US editors and news directors voting in The Associated Press' annual poll.

　　The campaign, with subplots emerging throughout the year, received 100 first-place votes out of 155 ballots cast for the top 10 stories. Two other political sagas — the history-making candidacies of Hillary Rodham Clinton and Sarah Palin — also made the list.

　　The vast economic crisis, plunging the US into recession and ravaging many business sectors worldwide, was the No. 2 story, receiving 49 first-place votes. The precipitous rise and fall of oil prices was No. 3.

　　The top story of 2007 was the massacre of 32 people at Virginia Tech University by a mentally disturbed student gunman.

　　Here are 2008's top 10 stories, as voted by AP members:

　　1. US ELECTION: Obama emerged from Election Night as a decisive victor and a symbol for the world of America's democratic promise.

　　2. ECONOMIC MELTDOWN: It was the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, and will cost the federal government well over $1 trillion in various rescue and stimulus packages.

　　3. OIL PRICES: The price of crude soared as high as $150 a barrel in July before crashing to $33 this month. In the U.S., the average price for a gallon of regular gas peaked at $4.11, then plunged below $1.70.

　　4. IRAQ: The much-debated "surge" of US troops helped reduce violence after more than five years of war, but Iraq is still buffeted daily by bombings, ambushes, kidnappings and political uncertainty. A newly ratified U.S.-Iraqi security agreement sets a timetable for U.S. troop withdrawal by 2012.

　　5. BEIJING OLYMPICS: China hosted the Olympics for first time, drawing praise for logistical mastery. The games themselves were rated a success, highlighted by the record-shattering performances of swimmer Michael Phelps and sprinter Usain Bolt.

　　6. CHINESE EARTHQUAKE: A huge quake in May killed 70,000 people in Sichuan province.

　　7. SARAH PALIN: Few Americans outside Alaska knew much about its governor when Republican John McCain picked her as his running mate.

　　8. MUMBAI TERRORISM: Ten attackers allegedly sponsored by a Pakistan-based Islamic group terrorized India's financial capital in November, killing 164 people in coordinated attacks on hotels, markets and a train station..

　　9. HILLARY CLINTON: She didn't win, but Clinton came closer than any other woman in US history to becoming a major party's presidential nominee.

　　10. RUSSIA-GEORGIA WAR: The two nations waged a five-day war in August ignited by a Georgian artillery barrage on the breakaway region of South.

日前，美聯社在全美的新聞主管和編輯中發起了一年一度的“十大新聞”投票活動。票選結果顯示，奧巴馬在“史詩般的總統大選”中獲勝，當選美國首位非洲裔總統，這是2008年度頭號熱門新聞；緊隨其后的便是將考驗奧巴馬執政能力的經濟危機。
　　
　　今年有關總統大選的新聞層出不窮，在收到的155張選票中，共有100張選票提名總統大選為今年的年度最熱門新聞。另外兩位政治“傳奇人物”——創造了美國歷史的女候選人希拉里?羅德姆?克林頓和薩拉?佩林也榜上有名。
　　
　　第二大熱門新聞是眼下讓美國陷入衰退，波及全球很多經濟領域的大規模經濟危機，這一事件共得到49張選票。國際油價暴漲暴跌位列第三。
　　
　　去年的年度最熱門新聞是發生在美國弗吉尼亞理工大學的校園槍殺案，當時一名精神錯亂的學生在校園內開槍打死了32人。
　　
　　美聯社評選出的“08年度十大新聞”如下：
　　
　　1美國總統大選：大選之夜，奧巴馬以決定性優勢贏得勝利，成為向世界展示美國民主諾言的象征。
　　
　　2經濟危機：這是自上世紀“經濟大蕭條”以來最嚴重的一次經濟危機，美國政府的一攬子經濟救援和刺激方案至少將耗資1萬億美元。
　　
　　3國際油價：今年7月，國際油價一度飆升至每桶150美元，此后逐漸下滑，本月跌至每桶33美元。美國國內市場的普通汽油均價也由每加侖4.11美元跌至1.70美元。
　　
　　4伊拉克：伊戰五年來，美國向伊增兵計劃飽受爭議，美國部隊雖然協助減少暴力事件的發生，但伊拉克目前每天仍是爆炸、伏擊和綁架事件不斷，政治局勢動蕩不安。按照新簽署的美伊安全協議，美國將在2012年之前從伊拉克撤軍。
　　
　　5北京奧運會：今年中國首次舉辦奧運會，并因組織得力受到廣泛贊揚。本屆奧運會大獲成功，“泳壇飛魚”邁克爾?菲爾普斯和“百米飛人”烏塞恩?博爾特連破紀錄的不俗表現更是為本屆奧運錦上添花。
　　
　　6中國汶川大地震：今年5月發生在中國四川省的這場大地震使7萬多人遇難。
　　
　　7薩拉?佩林：共和黨總統候選人約翰?麥凱恩選擇其為競選伙伴之前，除了阿拉斯加州以外，幾乎沒人知道這位州長。
　　
　　8孟買恐怖襲擊：聲稱受巴基斯坦伊斯蘭組織支持的10名恐怖襲擊者于上月在印度經濟中心城市孟買制造了一起恐怖襲擊事件。他們襲擊了酒店、市場和火車站，致使164人喪生。
　　
　　9希拉里?克林頓：雖然希拉里最終未能獲勝，但她是離主要政黨總統候選人最近的一位女性。
　　
　　10俄格沖突：格魯吉亞炮轟南部分離地區南奧塞梯，導致俄格之間發生持續五天的武裝沖突。