02 Jan 2004, 22:06 UTC

This is Steve Ember with IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English.

American news experts at the Associated Press have chosen the topstories of two-thousand-three. Almost all the news directors namedthe war in Iraq as the most important event of the year.

The United States led a military coalition against Iraq beginningMarch nineteenth. The military action began after President Bushrepeatedly warned Iraq to report about its weapons of massdestruction. By April seventh, much of Baghdad was under control ofthe coalition. Mister Bush declared major combat operations over onMay first.

Many Iraqis said they were happy that Saddam Hussein's rule wasover. But Iraqi resisters have continued to attack and killcoalition fighters and Iraqi civilians.

American troops captured Saddam Hussein on December thirteenth.But so far the coalition has found no weapons of mass destruction inIraq.

The news experts named the loss ofthe American space shuttle Columbia as the second most importantstory of the year. Columbia broke apart on February first as itreturned to Earth after a sixteen-day research flight. Sevenastronauts died in the explosion.

The Associated Press experts said a special recall vote bycitizens in the state of California was the third most importantstory of the year. On October seventh, California voters removedDemocrat Gray Davis as governor. They chose actor ArnoldSchwarzenegger, a Republican, to replace him. Under Governor Davis,California had suffered severe financial problems.

The news experts said the disease SARS was another top story. InFebruary, health experts in Asia reported the first cases of a newdisease later named Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome. Over time,about eight-thousand people around the world became sick with thedisease. Almost eight-hundred people reportedly died.

The news agency experts identified a power loss in North Americaas the next most important event. On August fourteenth, a powercompany computer failed in the American state of Ohio. This caused aloss of electricity in eight American states and part of Canada.

Next, the experts noted America's improving economy. The nation'sgrowth rate from July through September was the best in nineteenyears. But estimates said the federal debt increased tofive-hundred-thousand-million dollars.

Another top story was the deadly wildfires in California inOctober and November. The news experts said the tax cut ofthree-hundred-thirty-thousand-million dollars for American taxpayerswas also an important story.

The safe return of a kidnapped fifteen-year-old girl was votedthe ninth biggest story. Finally, the news experts chose thecampaign for the Democratic Party's nomination for president in thetwo-thousand-four election. Former Vermont governor Howard Dean nowappears to lead eight other competitors.

In the News, in VOA Special English, was written by JerilynWatson. This is Steve Ember.