WINNIPEG (CBC) - The Globe and Mail and La Presse led Canada's 59th National Newspaper Awards Friday night, with many prizes handed to stories concerning Canada's involvement in Afghanistan.

The Globe's writers claimed six of the 21 awards while Montreal's La Presse netted five.

Stephanie Nolen earned her third NNA in the explanatory work category for her story in the Globe about how cheap vaccinations, vitamins and mosquito nets are saving children in the developing world.

Her colleague, Graeme Smith, captured the international reporting division with articles on the torture of detainees in Afghanistan, while the Globe's Ian Brown won the long feature category for his story on spring cleaning and clutter.

Other Globe winners included Roy MacGregor for his short feature on the funeral of RCMP Const. Christopher Worden, killed while responding to a call alone in Hay River, NWT, and photographer John Lehmann for his picture of a mother kissing her conjoined twins in Vernon, B.C.

The paper's business team of Boyd Erman, Jacquie McNish, Tara Perkins and Heather Scoffield captured a business trophy for stories on the subprime mortgage crisis in the U.S.

Over at La Presse, Serge Chapleau won his sixth NNA for editorial cartooning, while the paper also garnered an honour in the special project category for its examination of a world without a clean and abundant supply of water.

Other La Presse winners included Bruno Bisson for beat reporting on Montreal's transportation issues, Mich?le Ouimet for investigative reporting concerning Canada's mission in Afghanistan and what happens to aid sent there and Andr? Pratte for editorials.

Those taking home awards at Friday's gala in Toronto included:

- Politics: Kathryn May, Ottawa Citizen.

- Columns: Gordon Sinclair, Winnipeg Free Press.

- Arts & Entertainment: Mary Klinkenberg, New Brunswick Telegraph-Journal.

- Sports: Colin Hunter, Waterloo Region Record.

- News Photography: David Chidley, Canadian Press.

Winners of the NNA's, founded by the Toronto Press Club in 1949, also get $1,500.

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