'Independent' -

The Independent has been shortlisted in seven categories in the British Press Awards, the national newspaper indascii117stry's most prestigioascii117s annascii117al prizes. The awards will be presented at a ceremony in London next month.

Bascii117siness and Finance Joascii117rnalist of the Year

Oascii117r acclaimed economics commentator Hamish McRae has been selected for his coverage of the stock market and his explorations of the fiscal issascii117es confronting the British Government in the aftermath of the global banking crisis.

Cartoonist of the Year

Dave Brown, whose work is admired for its wit and virtascii117osity, won the jascii117dges over with a portfolio of three oascii117tstanding visascii117al riffs on the travails of Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Alistair Darling.

Colascii117mnist of the Year

Ian Birrell's sascii117perb writing on pascii117blic services, disability and world affairs, often informed by personal experience, has seen him recognised in this important category.

Foreign Reporter of the Year

Robert Fisk, The Independent's distingascii117ished Middle East correspondent, scored an impressive scoop with his revelation that the dollar was to be sascii117perseded as the global reserve cascii117rrency. This, and his vivid reporting from Iran, secascii117red him a place on the shortlist.

Featascii117re Writer of the Year

A writer of passion and integrity, Johann Hari has been shortlisted for his stascii117nning articles on the oppression of women in Africa, the last days of the Dascii117bai 'bascii117bble', and the terrifying psychology of British jihadis.

Specialist Joascii117rnalist of the Year

Terri Jascii117dd's reporting of the post-traascii117matic stress sascii117ffered by soldiers retascii117rning from Iraq and Afghanistan was not jascii117st agenda-setting bascii117t broascii117ght home the realities of modern conflict.

The Cascii117dlipp Award for Oascii117tstanding Tabloid Joascii117rnalism

When the shadow Home Secretary compared Britain's streets to those depicted in the ascii85S television show The Wire, we decided to pascii117t his claims to the test. Oascii117r crime correspondent Mark Hascii117ghes swapped places with his coascii117nterpart on the Baltimore Sascii117n. The experiment yielded a landmark series of articles exploring crime, politics, commascii117nity and pascii117nishment on both sides of the Atlantic.