Even with the outcome unknown, the threat of war and demand for disarmament directed at Iraq’s Saddam Hussein riveted the world’s attention in 2002.

The ultimatums from the U.S. government and the U.N. Security Council were voted the top story of the year in The Associated Press’ annual survey of its American members. The story also was voted No. 1 in a separate survey of AP subscribers outside the United States.

The showdown with Iraq received first-place votes from 132 of the 262 AP newspaper and broadcast members who voted in this year’s survey.

In second place, with 83 first-place votes, was the deadly series of sniper shootings that terrorized the Washington, D.C., area. The sex abuse scandal that roiled the Roman Catholic Church was No. 3.

Last year, the Sept. 11 terror attacks were the unanimous choice of AP members as the top story. The first anniversary of those attacks was voted the No. 10 story in this year’s poll.

Here are the top 10 stories of 2002, as ranked by AP members:

1: Ultimatums to Iraq: In January, President Bush denounced Iraq as part of an “axis of evil,” and pressure on Saddam mounted steadily thereafter. U.S. forces expanded their presence around Iraq; Congress authorized the use of force, if necessary, to rid Iraq of weapons of mass destruction; and the Security Council demanded that Saddam comply fully with arms inspections or face dire consequences.

2: Sniper Killings: Residents of the nation’s capital and its Maryland and Virginia suburbs were terrorized for three weeks in October by sniper attacks that struck victims randomly at malls, gas stations, even a schoolyard. After an exhaustive manhunt, two suspects were arrested and accused of killing 13 people.

The demand for Iraq's Saddam Hussein to disarm was ranked the top national news story of 2002.

3: Catholic sex abuse scandal: The scandal surfaced early in the year in Boston, with revelations that Roman Catholic leaders had sheltered priests who were known to have abused children. By year’s end, Cardinal Bernard Law had resigned as Boston’s archbishop, and at least 325 priests nationwide either quit or were dismissed from their duties because of the scandal.

4: Corporate scandals: Numerous companies were battered by financial scandals during the year, including WorldCom, Tyco, ImClone and Adelphia. Martha Stewart, homemaker-in-chief for many Americans, became entangled in the ImClone insider-trading case.

5: U.S. economy: Markets seesawed wildly, the jobless rate climbed to its highest level since 1994, and state governments across the country confronted huge deficits that prompted talk of cutbacks and tax hikes.

6: U.S. election: Defying predictions, Republicans rode Bush’s popularity to a strong election performance, recapturing the Senate and gaining seats in the House.

7: War on terror: With arrests in several U.S. cities and military strikes abroad, America and its allies pursued a vast, often frustrating campaign against global terrorism.

8: Mideast conflict: Palestinian militants escalated their campaign of suicide bombings of Israeli targets, with often devastating results, while Israel responded with tough crackdowns on Palestinian areas. Prospects for peace seemed remote.

John Lee Malvo and John Allen Muhammed, were arrested in October after a three-week sniper spree.

9: Mine rescue: After a 77-hour ordeal that transfixed the nation, nine Pennsylvania coal miners were rescued from an underground shaft.

10: Sept. 11 anniversary: With bell-ringings, recitations of names, and moments of silence, America commemorated the first anniversary of Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

In the poll of AP’s international subscribers, the Middle East conflict placed second, followed by the deadly hostage-taking at a Moscow theater and the terrorist bombing of a nightclub in Bali. The U.S. corporate scandals placed fifth and the expansion of the European Union sixth.

Cardinal Bernard Law of Boston resigned his position in December at the end of a year marked by sex abuse scandals.

Among the more uplifting stories of 2002, nine miners were rescued from a watery, 240-foot-deep shaft where they had been trapped for three days. Here, the final miner is brought up from the Quecreek Mine on July 28 in Somerset, Pa.