The Departed, a film about corrupt cops and gang members battling in the streets of Boston, trumped Babel, a sweeping cultural drama by Mexican director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, in both of the night?s top categories, best film and best director. It also beat out Britain?s royal saga The Queen and Letters from Iwo Jima, an American film told in Japanese, for best picture.

Babel, which follows characters in Japan, Morocco and the along the US-Mexican border, won only for original score ? after receiving seven nominations, including best picture and best director.

Babel actresses Adriana Barraza of Mexico and Rinko Kikuchi of Japan both lost the supporting actress award to Hudson for her role as the spurned leader of a female singing trio in Dreamgirls.

Whitaker, who won for his role as Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in The Last King of Scotland,beat out legendary British actor Peter O?Toole with his role as an elderly man in love with a younger woman in Venus.

O?Toole was widely considered to be Whitaker?s biggest rival for the award, and the loss was his eighth for best actor, which proved to be a record for best actor losses.

Britain?s Helen Mirren was the sole non-American to win an acting award ? for best actress.

When asked whether she was disappointed to be the only Brit to take home a golden statuette, Mirren said the recognition of Spanish, Mexican and other international films was most important.

?Whoever walks away with this, it?s wonderful but it?s not the most important thing,? Mirren said backstage after winning her award. ?The recognition of film is getting more global and that?s an amazing thing.?

<B>Nichola GROOM </B>

AT LAST...

<B>Scorsese shares spotlight as he finally wins Oscar </B>

■ Martin Scorsese, the creator of Raging Bull and Taxi Driver, finally won Oscar recognition on Sunday but he had to share the spotlight with politician Al Gore, regal actress Helen Mirren and Cinderella story Jennifer Hudson.

Scorsese won a standing ovation from an Oscar audience that clearly thought it was time for the 64-year-old filmmaker, who was named best director and his gangster movie The Departed best film. It was the first Academy Award for Scorsese after five previous best director nominations and he demanded a recount. ?Could you double check the envelope?? Scorsese joked onstage.

Former US Vice President Gore took center stage at the Osars when the film adaptation of his slide-show lecture on global warming won Oscars for best documentary and best song.

The 95-minute film, An Inconvenient Truth, its message calling for urgent action to address climate change, and Gore himself drew some of the evening's biggest ovations ? and laughs.

The film marked a personal triumph for Gore, the 2000 Democratic presidential nominee who left politics after narrowly losing his White House bid to Republican George W. Bush and embarked on a new campaign calling attention to the threat of climate change.

?My fellow Americans, people all over the world, we need to solve the climate crisis,? Gore said after taking the stage.

THE OSCAR WINNERS ARE :

<B>79th annual Academy Awards, presentedSunday night at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles</B>

<B>Best motion picture: </B>?The Departed?

<B>Lead actor: </B>Forest Whitaker, ?The Last King of Scotland?

<B>Lead actress: </B>Helen Mirren, ?The Queen?

<B>Supporting actor:</B> Alan Arkin, ?Little Miss Sunshine?

Supporting aactress:</B> Jennifer Hudson,?Dreamgirls?