MUMBAI: CNN has won kudos for last year's coverage of the Iraq war. The broadcaster got all three awards in the major news event category. It also earned first-place honours for its war-related coverage in the 70th Annual National Headliner Awards contest in the US.

The awards will be presented at a ceremony on 15 May in Atlantic City New Jersey. The broadcaster's staff took first place in the coverage of a major news event category for Capture of Saddam Hussein the network's exclusive coverage about the capture of the disposed Iraqi president. CNN claims to have been the first television network to break the news of the 4th US Infantry Division effort to detain Saddam. the broadcaster aired video of US troops celebrating after the successful mission.

Its documentary Fit to Kill which dealt with wartime killing was also cited. CNN and senior political correspondent Candy Crowley took viewers through the personal stories of veterans from World War II to Operation Iraqi Freedom. The special examined how soldiers are trained to kill, what they experience as they kill and the consequences of this action on their lives.

In addition NewsNight with Aaron Brown won for the special Blackout. Shuttle Columbia Disaster also won a trophy. In the newscast category the third place went to correspondent Paula Zahn for Fall of Saddam.

The National Headliner Awards competition was founded in 1934 by the Press Club of Atlantic City. The awards are presented to photographers, writers, graphic artists, daily newspapers, news syndicates, radio and television stations, TV and radio networks and magazines.