Rank 1993'S Top News Stories

As we do each year, The Times is asking readers to judge the most important news stories of the year. Look through the list below (in rough chronological order), select the top 10 national/international stories and, separately, the top 10 Northwest stories.

Write "1" by your choice for the top story in each category, "2" for your second choice and so on. If there's a story you feel should be in the top 10 but isn't listed, write it in.

Ballots must be received by Dec. 22. Mail them to: The Seattle Times, Top 10 news stories, P.O. Box 70, Seattle, WA 98111. Results will be published Sunday, Dec. 26.

National/international

-- START II. George Bush and Boris Yeltsin agree to cut strategic weapons two-thirds over a decade.

-- New presidency. William Jefferson Clinton inaugurated as 42nd president.

-- Savings & loan. As savings and loan bailout continues, Charles Keating and his son convicted on all counts of looting Lincoln Savings.

-- Somalia. A mercy mission turns deadly. Warlord Aidid is hunted. Eighteen U.S. Army Rangers killed, 75 wounded in one fight; dead American dragged through streets; Michael Durant captured.

-- Bosnia. Former Yugoslav republic remains a bleeding wound during U.N., U.S. relief operations.

-- World Trade Center. A bomb explodes in World Trade Center; 6 die. Nine tried for plotting bombing.

-- Waco inferno. A 51-day standoff ends when 86 Branch Davidian cult members perish in a windswept blaze at their Waco, Texas, compound.

-- LA aftermath. Two white Los Angeles cops convicted in federal trial of depriving motorist Rodney King of his civil rights. In a related case, Damian Williams is acquitted of attempted murder in hitting trucker Reginald Denny with a brick in 1992 riots.

-- Economy. IBM announces the first layoffs in its history, and General Motors hemorrhages red ink. The recovery is anemic; stock market hits record high; interest rates drop to lowest levels in 20 years.

-- Gays-military. Clinton moves to lift the ban on gays serving in the military, then accepts compromise of "don't ask, don't tell."

-- Haiti. Clinton continues Bush policies on Haiti. UN imposes an embargo on oil and weapons. U.S. troops are turned back by army-backed toughs.

-- Summit. Clinton and Yeltsin hold first summit in Vancouver, B.C. Clinton offers $1.6 billion in aid.

-- Taxes and spending. Clinton's deficit-reduction plan and tax increases barely pass Congress.

-- One Europe. Maastricht treaty approved, moving European Community closer to goal of currency and foreign-policy union.

-- Flood of '93. Devastating floods in the Upper Mississippi Basin. More than 40 killed, thousands displaced, millions of acres flooded in nine states.

-- Russian turmoil. Yeltsin dissolves parliament. Armed uprising quashed, and hard-liners routed from burning parliament building.

-- Supreme Court. Ruth Bader Ginsburg becomes the second woman seated on the U.S. Supreme Court, succeeding Justice Byron White.

-- Mideast peace. Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization recognize the other exists. Israel and Jordan also agree to work out differences.

-- Health care. The Clintons announce national health-care package.

-- Crime. Eleven foreign tourists are killed in Florida this year, and crime becomes a top domestic issue.

-- Air time. NBA All Star Michael Jordan endures the murder of his father and announces his retirement.

-- India quake. 9,748 people killed, 120,000 homeless and 67 villages flattened.

-- Bobbitts. John Bobbitt acquitted of sexual assault; earlier his penis was sliced off by his wife, Lorena, while he slept. Charges against Lorena are pending.

-- Canadian change. Jean Chretien's Liberals sweep to power in recession-battered Canada.

-- Michael Jackson. He cancels his world concert tour and treats his addiction to painkillers following allegations of sex abuse. -- California fires. Fanned by desert winds, fires consume 200,000 acres of woodlands, 1,000 homes.

-- NAFTA. President Clinton persuades Congress to approve the North American Free Trade Agreement after Vice President Al Gore debates Ross Perot on Larry King Live.

-- Buttafuoco. After three TV movies, Joey Buttafuoco pleads guilty to statutory rape of Amy Fisher, who is doing time for shooting Joey's wife, Mary Jo.

-- Guns. Congress passes the Brady bill to impose a five-day waiting period on handgun purchases.

-- Packwood. Sen. Bob Packwood faces new allegations of sexual harassment while a red-faced Senate publicly debates the turning over of his diary.

-- South Africa. South Africa moves toward democracy and sets elections open to black majority.

-- Space probes. NASA launches shuttle to repair Hubble space telescope. Earlier, it loses contact with Mars explorer.

Others:

Washington

-- Death penalty. Westley Allan Dodd execution.

-- Windstorm. Inauguration Day windstorm in Western Washington.

-- E. coli. Jack in the Box E. coli outbreak.

-- Arsons. Arrest of serial arsonist Paul Keller.

-- Boeing. Layoffs of 15,000 announced for 1993.

-- Sexual predator. Home of sexual predator Joseph Gallardo torched; Gallardo leaves the state, later returns.

-- Forest summit. Clinton forest summit in Portland in early April; release of forest plan in July.

-- Jessie. Custody fight over "Jessie," who could be sent to Mexico if his father wins the case.

-- Gay couple. Custody fight over Megan Lucas' baby, whom Seattle gay couple wants to adopt.

-- Bombing. Bombing of Tacoma NAACP offices, arrests in California, pleas and sentencing.

-- Pepsi. Pepsi-syringe tampering cases.

-- Sudafed. Joseph Meling trial and conviction in Tumwater Sudafed tampering case.

-- APEC. Clinton and Asian leaders meet in Seattle at Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum.

-- Tax revolt. Initiative 601 passes, 602 fails; fallout is being felt at year's end as lawmakers get ready for spending cuts and tax limits at the upcoming session.

-- 1993 Legislature: Action includes passage of comprehensive health-care legislation; $1 billion tax-fee-and-tuition package, spending cuts, education reform, civil-service overhaul and other major legislation as Democrats control both houses for the first time in five years.

-- Health care. State plan, called most comprehensive in the nation, passed by Legislature.

-- New governor. Mike Lowry inaugurated, has bumpy first year in office.

-- Hanford cleanup. Rising criticism of the cost and slow pace of cleanup activities at Hanford nuclear reservation; regulators shocked when worker deliberately drops rock inside a potentially explosive nuclear-waste storage tank.

-- Nuclear power. Washington Public Power Supply System says it may decide soon to terminate two unfinished nuclear plants mothballed for a decade.

Others: