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the attack on the world trade center
On September 11, 2001, 19 militants associated with the Islamic extremist group al-Qaeda hijacked four airliners and carried out suicide attacks against targets in the United States. Two of the planes were flown into the towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, a third plane hit the Pentagon just outside Washington, D.C., and the fourth plane crashed in a field in Pennsylvania. -
Barack Obama elected president
Senator Barack Obama of Illinois was elected president on November 4, 2008 over the senator John McCain of Arizona. Obama was the 44th president and the first African American president. He was subsequently elected a second term over former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney.