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Reuters file
Saudi-born dissident Osama bin-Laden addresses a news conference in Afghanistan, where he and his organization are based, in a May 26,1998 file photo. News of bin Laden's death on May 2 was the top news story on msnbc.com in 2011.
The killing of Osama bin Laden by Navy SEALs at his hideout in Pakistan was the top news event of 2011, followed by the earthquake and tsunami disaster in Japan, according to a ranking on msnbc.com by page views as of Dec. 20.
Here's a look at those events and the three other stories with the most page views:
1. The May 2 death of bin Laden, the al-Qaida leader who masterminded the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Several stories about his death generated more than six million page views each, but a story that detailed how the U.S. used intelligence about the people in bin Laden's circle, including his personal couriers, was by far the No. 1 single story:
How the US tracked couriers to elaborate bin Laden compound
NBC's Bruce Hall takes a look at Osama bin Laden's transformation into the alleged mastermind of numerous world-wide terror attacks.
2. Japan's earthquake and tsunami on March 11 left nearly 20,000 people dead or missing. The quake triggered a tsunami that caused massive inland flooding and crippled the Fukushima nuclear reactor, sparking the largest nuclear disaster since the 1986 Chernobyl disaster in Ukraine. Here are the two stories on Japan's tragedy that got the most attention:
Vast devastation, search for survivors after Japan quake
Japan overwhelmed by scale of quake damage
The search is on for thousands of people still missing in the aftermath of the most powerful earthquake to ever strike Japan. The quake triggered a devastating tsunami that was responsible for at least several hundred deaths. NBC's Kaori Enjoji reports.
See The Year in Pictures: 2011
3. An article on the murder acquittal on July 5 of Florida mother Casey Anthony, who had been accused of killing her toddler daughter, had the second-most page views on the site. After a trial that lasted six weeks, a jury found Anthony not guilty of first-degree murder, aggravated child abuse and aggravated manslaughter of a child, but guilty of four misdemeanor counts of providing false information to a law enforcement officer. With credit for time served, she was released July 17.
Casey Anthony found not guilty of murdering daughter
A Florida jury found Casey Anthony not guilty of killing her 2-year-old daughter. Watch the video of the verdict.
4. The July 23 death of 27-year-old British jazz-soul singer Amy Winehouse, whose problems with alcohol and drugs began to overshadow her brilliant musical talent.
Singer Amy Winehouse found dead in London home
Images: Amy Winehouse: 1983-2011
Grammy winning artist Amy Winehouse was found dead in her London home on Saturday. NBC's Kurt Gregory looks at her life.
5. Charla Nash, the victim of a chimpanzee attack, revealed her new face after a transplant. Nash was getting out of her car in 2009 when her friends' pet chimp went berserk and attacked, leaving her without a nose, eyes or lips. After a remarkable recovery, she showed off her new face during an interview on TODAY.
Chimp attack victim reveals her new face
NBC's Meredith Vieira sits down with Charla Nash, who recently underwent a face transplant that's helped her regain the life she had before being brutally attacked by a chimp.
Which story resonated most with you this year? Vote below or sound off on our Facebook page.
Leave a Comment:
We should now be prepared better for both, the evils of terrorism, and tsunamis.
Unfortunately we learn from tragedy, and complacency,inwhich we should bever be again.
RealAmericanValues:
I'm pretty sure it wasn't Obama that 'got' Osama. It was our military forces. It was inevitable. Wow, Obama said yes to a question- that's quite admirable. Something clearly Bush wouldn't have done because he was drunk right? But then again if you knew how sophisticated the planning and execution of such a mission was, you'd be pulling your foot out of your mouth. Just another narrow minded simpleton spewing foddor thinking his opinion matters. I'd be checking your house for gas leaks if I were you.
@ real and mark; Before this vine goes goes back and forth on this, let it be known that Bush initiated this mission long before Obama was in office. ie He was the one that got the ball rolling. Most do not know this and will argue as you two are.
Just be happy with the outcome,not who gets the glory.
This is just a quick note,for now,it goes much deeper than this.
So, the policies of a previous administration influence what happens happens during a current administration's watch? I just want to make sure I get this straight because there's been a lot of confusing posts on newsvine on this concept.
@ newstart; This is a very arguable subject, which is why I just generalized by saying he "got the ball rolling",this you can not deny.Not that he was soley responsible.
the policies of a previous administration influence what happens happens during a current administration's watch?
Definitely, this sitiuation could of lasted through three administrations, how much attention is given too it .(which Bush put it in the backburner,for a time)would be one example of a different administrations views,or effect on it in the future, but the tools that were being used,ie special ops,cia,seals, would usually remain the same, Obama just threw new wood on the fire that was already lit.
@Caral; I agree 100%. When an administration starts 'the ball rolling' it takes almost a full term to turn this car around; it doesn't 'turn on a dime' you know.
Credit always rightly goes to both the boss and the workers. Are you a communist or something?
@ Coral Taxi,
It was never so much about who gets credit. Look back at how this was all started. Russia wanted to invade Afgan mountains. Os bi La, was trying to fight them off. Daddy Bush was CIA and was helping Os bi La with his mission. Then Daddy became fearless leader, and Congress wasn't going to back his play. So many of bin Laden's rebel army were killed because on no support from US armed forces. Pissed off Osama big time, and he planned get even. Waited until Baby Bush stumbled into office, and then took his best shot on 9/11/01. Your comment was bush started the chase, had him in cross hairs more than one time, and let him skate. WHY ? Because you need to have a reason to be in those mountains. WHY ? To conferm what the Russians were after. It wasn't poppy flowers. Could it be MINERAL$ ?!?! When you chase a bad guy, with such a large force, and you want drop bombs and blast mountain sides so the geotechknows can sift thru the rubble, you can't kill your moving target that is no where insight, but hidden in another country. American public is so easy to play with. Tell them a story, invent a bad guy in the hills and go chase... How many bomb blasts were actual reverberation blasts to test mineral content. How deep, how much, coal, copper, gold, and what ever is there. Blast a cave and dig, nope he wasn't there. Lets go over to that mountain and bomb an area to sift the rubble. Bush and Obama have different agenda, and why things happen the way they do. How long did CIA know where O. b Laden was hiding? More than a day, more than a week, more than a month. Long enough to build a compound just like Osamas and run drills on how to pull this off. All the while they are hot on his heals in them there magic mountains full of gold, silver, copper, coal, and what ever else. The whole Iraq war and Osama bin Laden thing was well played out. You have to ALWAYS ask yourself, WHAT MOTIVATED THEM TO DO THE THINGS THEY DO ??? Keep asking yourself that question until you start to get the same answer. Sometimes it is hard to see the reasons thru the smoke and BS. But with time and some attention to details, the answer jumps out at you. If you discount all answers to the question, and keep getting different answers, you have NOT discovered the true answer. Only when the answer keeps popping the same, is when you are onto something. The Bush admin. took full advantage of a bad guy running around as the most wanted and decided to chase his (name) thru the Afgan mountains looking for ?$?$ what minerals that are there. Another question I like to ask myself, Why did the Seals kill Osama? Hmmm did they really kill him? Now that Seal team is dead? How can that be? Hmmm !?!? I'll keep asking...
The bin laden story will loom larger next year when obama begins to wipe out his gop challenger. Mr grover & the gop & the rushbo will not have bin laden to pop up in a video declaring death to all those who live in this country. Nope. Obama buried the gop's best campaigner.
Hey what about the economy stupid? This moron Obama has been a total failure, and is out shopping with his dog, his Christmas card is a picture of only his dog. Somebody call Animal Cruelity, I think theres something really weird about Obama and his dog.
Umm,this is about the two top stories of the year, but hey every subject seems to be a chance to rail on Obama, so digress this vine as so many others I guess.
I cannot even comment on a post that is so STUPID! Climb out of that hole in the wall you live in. You insult dog lovers throughout this country. I can't get over how ridiculous you sound. Obama has such a long list of accomplishments that help ALL PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES! The ignorance of the right is shown in the issue of the tax cuts.
Velma Adams- Please elaborate on all of the wonderful things obama has done for me and this country? I am not being complacent and genuinely would like to know your opinion on this.
This mess we are in did not start over night and will not end like that either, we as the people (Americans) need to rally behind the best person for the job and nothing else, AND I mean nothing else!. Open up your minds America, those of you who have one..
What about the economy stupid! More people are homeless on welfare, and or unemployment, 43 million American's with out jobs, and you liberals just pretent there isnt a crisis. Actual unemployment is 23% and this moron Obama is going on a 4.6 million dollar, Christmas vacation in Hawii. He's a idiot. Thinks a job is a pack of rolling papers.
Pretend there isn't a crisis? Who said that? Wake up.
Oh, and you REALLY don't want to start a debate on Obama's vacation time or expense; you'll only embarrass yourself.
@ David; WOW,that was right on cue brother.lol
David:
Isn't it the GOP fault that the economy is tanking? I'm not sure what planet you are on but while Obama is trying to do everything he can to strike deals with the GOP to help the job situation and especially the middle class the GOP agenda is simply to have him fail at all cost. You are probably in need of a job or some extra disposable income like many but instead of actually knowing what you are talking about and why your emotions are all in a frenzy you simply will oppose Obama just for the sake of opposing him. I like to think I am independent and conservative but the GOP is doing all they can to see to it that only the rich gets richer. There is so much more to refute you on but I need to go make some of this money that the GOP is trying to take form me and give to the millionaires. Talk about redistribution of wealth...try reverse redistribution of wealth. Take from the poor and middle class and give to the rich with the intentions of them providing jobs. Unfortunately, our best intentions are but a fabrication. Look at the weak GOP field. I know you don;t want any of them to try and lead this country do you? You need to throw the philosophical approach out the window and look into the real issues and vote them up or down. The GOP and their talking points made me sick a long time ago.
omg...so many of you blame Obama...! wtf
DAVID707...STOP POSTING MAN , YOU KNOW NOTHING!
BIN LADEN hit our country hard on 9/11...but REP BUSH (part of the1% in this country)started a war that had nothing to do with 9/11..thousands of soldiers died, 10's of thousands of kids with out a parent now, 10's of thousands coming back now that wont be able to find jobs, 10's of thousands that have come back with serious disabilities both physical and mental, many of them handicapped....and this is OBAMAS fault ? I dont think so...
I lost my equity in my home on REP PRES BUSH'S watch...I lost my job on his watch too !
DAVID707 must be related to BUSH...or in the 1%....same thing right? yup
we are in trouble in this country, America should never have this many homeless people, unemployed...etc
But lets not point the finger at Obama...when he took office h e was handed a buffet of SH**...
Am i thrilled with his performance ? not really...could of been better...he can try all he wants...congress unfortunately rules...
OH....AND A GREAT 1% STORY...My wife works as a personal assistant to a BIG VIP in her company....she makes a good salary , her VIP BOSS got 1.7 MILLION xmas bonus...more than the COO of the co......she got to chose from a gift basket catalog with a $200.00 limit !
can u FU**ING believe it ?
The economy, with the millions homeless and starving, kids living under bridges and in cars. Where the outcry. This moron Obama walks around and pretends all is fine. Obama should be tried for treason for purposely destroying the economy. He is a moron, stupid than Carter.
You should stop posting David707. You are letting everyone know that you are a moron. You have absolutely no facts on which to base your comments.
Ahh, yes, Velma...but the point is "where the outcry", don't you know?
If Oabam had a brain he would be stupid. I proclaim from now on the phrase empty suit, shall be defind with a picture of Obama,and forever more all shall know what exactly the phrase empty suit means. Obama is pure destruction, everything he touches he destroys, should have left solar alone,they all went under, Chevy Volt blowing up like a Pinto. Stimulas caused 43 million jobs. He claimed Obama care was going to reduce employers cost 3000% yet 1.2 million companies have opt out and it hasn't even started. Wants payroll tax cut, and pay for it by cutting social security by 500 billion to pay for it. Hell Obama just go out and machine gun down the elderly. Oh thats next term. Thats why this moron can not win. America will lash back and get his Kenyan ass back to Africa where he was begotten out of camel dung.
David707, please stop or learn how to spell. Get the facts or perhaps you really are an unlearned buffoon.
Speaking about buffoon, has that hope and change working for you?
I think David must be just kidding--no one can put that many misspellings in one post, and then combine them with poor grammatical constructions. He is just goofing on you. No one that illiterate would be able to sign on the internet.
Whens the last time Obama took a drug test, as his employer I demand he take one now! He's got to be on crack again.
Then again, maybe David is that vacuous.
Judging by his rantings, perhaps David707 should take a drug test.
Yeah you liberal morons can't believe the facts but this is what this moron has done to our great nation, google what I said and see if your moron didn' say or do these things. You can't find facts watching the cartoon network.And another thing you tree hugging saps, I've be pondering on this thought, one I agree abortion is great, and we need more of them, since you have sliced and diced 30 million liberal babies keep up the good work, but would it be possible to not flush them down the toliet and into our drinking water, but possibly convert thier carcusses into ethanol, go green, imagine put a liberal in your tank,or even America runs on liberals, catchy phrase. Will you morons have a good night, and we at least honor and bury are dead. Dont get me wrong,but if it wasn't for liberals we wouldn't have any strippers,or hookers.
...Seriously?
Seriously??... Thank God we live in America...any other place you would be committed or shot....and it seems the God fearing right wingers can't keep there zipper zipped more so than the liberals!.....but I'm sure under your plan the high class hookers and there clients get a 45% tax break after members of congress paid for the hookers with taxpayers money!....get real live in the real world...and you will find out why many of us on both sides are pissed!!! about them all!!!!!!
Yeah point out my spelling, but never the issues, amazing. Can't defend your moron in charge. Nobody can but the voters and he is toast. Hee hee ha ha ha ha, he'll be shinning shoes at the Ritz in 2012.
The only liberals I ever liked where the hot sleazy strippers and hookers. Wow 98% of all prisoners our libewrals, and 100 gang bangers. Amazing you all suc.
Where are you little commies, I'll go find you on another blog, this is fun. Hey theres 50 states not 57, and 3 more to go. Hee he hahahahahahhooohhhohhhoo.
They left because you are obviously just uber-trolling. I am also wondering if Obama was counting territories as states; Puerto Rico for example.
@Coral Taxi: Does it really matter who got the 'ball rolling' - really? Would another President go about such a horrible event the same way? I hope to never find out. The fact of the matter is Obama didn't execute the mission thus deserves no credit unless of course, giving that 'yes' warrants one! I'll say this though, Obama was sure quick to take the credit for a mission well done.
I think David is talking about just in USA news.
And economy is not good whole world for right now. Not just USA.
Devid look at the world. Not just United State in America.
I mistake USA name. Sorry.
I can not delate or change tho.
bin laden its not dead, only fools believe the government.
who cares about what happen last year worst things are goin to happen on the new year.
What happened to Japan was the most horriblist thing I have ever seen. Like death in slow motion. All those people that they will never find. Not to mention that body that washed up in the US west coast! The power of nature it even slowed the earths rotation; it was so powerful. My prayers are with the people of Japan.
Obama is the Commander in Chief, in the chain of command nothing happens without his say so. To some Americans, especially the families of the 911 victims, this was the most important news event of the year. To Japanese Americans who have relatives in the Quake zone that was the most important news event. The fact of the mattter is that it depends on your perspective as to how you vote on this.
If Obama is truly the Commander in Chief, why did Panetta have to make the call to go ahead with the mission? Obama did not have the stones to make such a decision. He was so informed about what was going on that they had to haul him away from his golf game so he could watch Bin Laden being killed. Obama had no part of any decision in this operation. If he had, Bin Laden would still be sitting in Pakistan and Obama would still be trying to make up his mind what to do. Now it appears he needs to go to Pakistan and bow to the leaders and military and tell them what a terrible country the US is.....Maybe they will be his friend again.