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| Nobel peace prize winner to be revealed | Nobel peace prize winner to be revealed |
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| The winner of the 2012 Nobel peace prize will be revealed later today, amid frenzied speculation that this year's award could be given to bloggers from the Arab spring, Russian rights activists or even to Julian Assange, currently holed up in an embassy next to Harrods. | The winner of the 2012 Nobel peace prize will be revealed later today, amid frenzied speculation that this year's award could be given to bloggers from the Arab spring, Russian rights activists or even to Julian Assange, currently holed up in an embassy next to Harrods. |
| The five members of the Nobel peace prize committee will announce their decision at 10am BST. Some 231 individuals and organisations have been nominated for this year's prize, to be awarded in Oslo on 10 December – slightly fewer than 2011, which had a record 241 entries. | The five members of the Nobel peace prize committee will announce their decision at 10am BST. Some 231 individuals and organisations have been nominated for this year's prize, to be awarded in Oslo on 10 December – slightly fewer than 2011, which had a record 241 entries. |
| Last year three women shared the award – Liberia's president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the Liberian activist Leymah Gbowee and the Yemeni politician Tawakkul Karman. It significantly boosted the number of women winners – the tally was previously just 12 since 1901. The committee praised their "non-violent struggle for the safety of women and for women's rights to full participation in peace-building work". | Last year three women shared the award – Liberia's president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the Liberian activist Leymah Gbowee and the Yemeni politician Tawakkul Karman. It significantly boosted the number of women winners – the tally was previously just 12 since 1901. The committee praised their "non-violent struggle for the safety of women and for women's rights to full participation in peace-building work". |
| However, in an embarrassing blow to the committee, Gbowee recently launched a scathing attack on Sirleaf, her fellow laureate and Africa's first female head of state. Gbowee accused Liberia's president of nepotism and complacency over poverty reduction, and dramatically quit her post as head of the government's Peace and Reconciliation Commission. | However, in an embarrassing blow to the committee, Gbowee recently launched a scathing attack on Sirleaf, her fellow laureate and Africa's first female head of state. Gbowee accused Liberia's president of nepotism and complacency over poverty reduction, and dramatically quit her post as head of the government's Peace and Reconciliation Commission. |
| This year, the bookies' favourite for the Nobel prize is Gene Sharp, one of the world's leading theorists of non-violence and an emeritus professor at the University of Massachusetts. (Paddy Power has installed him at 6/4.) Sharp is credited with inspiring peaceful protests across the globe, from Cairo to Beijing. Two other activists prominent during the Arab spring are also tipped – 29-year-old Tunisian blogger Lina Ben Mhenni and the celebrated Egyptian internet activist Wael Ghonim. | This year, the bookies' favourite for the Nobel prize is Gene Sharp, one of the world's leading theorists of non-violence and an emeritus professor at the University of Massachusetts. (Paddy Power has installed him at 6/4.) Sharp is credited with inspiring peaceful protests across the globe, from Cairo to Beijing. Two other activists prominent during the Arab spring are also tipped – 29-year-old Tunisian blogger Lina Ben Mhenni and the celebrated Egyptian internet activist Wael Ghonim. |
| The most politically controversial choice, however, would be to give the prize to campaigners from eastern Europe. Since his return to the Kremlin in May, Russia's president Vladimir Putin has enacted a series of repressive new measures in response to growing anti-government protests. He has expelled USAID and demanded that western-funded Russian non-governmental organisations brand themselves as "foreign agents" – a move straight from the KGB's playbook. | The most politically controversial choice, however, would be to give the prize to campaigners from eastern Europe. Since his return to the Kremlin in May, Russia's president Vladimir Putin has enacted a series of repressive new measures in response to growing anti-government protests. He has expelled USAID and demanded that western-funded Russian non-governmental organisations brand themselves as "foreign agents" – a move straight from the KGB's playbook. |
| One activist mentioned for the prize is Svetlana Gannushkina and her Moscow-based human rights organisation Memorial. Another is Lyudmila Alexseyava, the 85-year-old doyenne of Russia's human rights scene, and chair of the Moscow Helskinki Group. Alexeyeva is one of the few survivors of the Soviet dissident movement, a veteran enemy of state power, and was arrested two years ago at a New Year's Eve protest dressed as the Snow Maiden. | One activist mentioned for the prize is Svetlana Gannushkina and her Moscow-based human rights organisation Memorial. Another is Lyudmila Alexseyava, the 85-year-old doyenne of Russia's human rights scene, and chair of the Moscow Helskinki Group. Alexeyeva is one of the few survivors of the Soviet dissident movement, a veteran enemy of state power, and was arrested two years ago at a New Year's Eve protest dressed as the Snow Maiden. |
| Another contender is Ales Belyatsky, an activist from Belarus. Belyatsky was detained in August 2011 and jailed after a show trial condemned as "political" by the European Union. Putin and his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko are likely to react badly if the peace prize is given to activists from their countries, and to regard it as unacceptable western meddling. | Another contender is Ales Belyatsky, an activist from Belarus. Belyatsky was detained in August 2011 and jailed after a show trial condemned as "political" by the European Union. Putin and his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko are likely to react badly if the peace prize is given to activists from their countries, and to regard it as unacceptable western meddling. |
| Following his nomination in 2011, the WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is also on the list – and tipped by the bookies at 16/1. It seems far-fetched, however, that Assange will get the award at a time when he is fighting rape allegations and an EU arrest warrant for extradition to Stockholm, home of the Nobel Foundation. Assange has been living in the Ecuadorean embassy in London since June and has been given political asylum. He would have to get past the Scotland Yard policemen waiting on the doorstep to arrest him to collect his prize. | Following his nomination in 2011, the WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is also on the list – and tipped by the bookies at 16/1. It seems far-fetched, however, that Assange will get the award at a time when he is fighting rape allegations and an EU arrest warrant for extradition to Stockholm, home of the Nobel Foundation. Assange has been living in the Ecuadorean embassy in London since June and has been given political asylum. He would have to get past the Scotland Yard policemen waiting on the doorstep to arrest him to collect his prize. |
| There are several long-shot suggestions also on the bookies' list including Facebook (33/1), the European Union (40/1) and Bono (100/1). Other more plausible names doing the rounds in Oslo include the former German chancellor Helmut Kohl, now in poor health; the Mexican bishop Jose Raul Lopez; Cuban dissident Oscar Elias Biscet; blogger Yoani Sanchez; and the instigators of the Myanmar reform process. | There are several long-shot suggestions also on the bookies' list including Facebook (33/1), the European Union (40/1) and Bono (100/1). Other more plausible names doing the rounds in Oslo include the former German chancellor Helmut Kohl, now in poor health; the Mexican bishop Jose Raul Lopez; Cuban dissident Oscar Elias Biscet; blogger Yoani Sanchez; and the instigators of the Myanmar reform process. |
| The award consists of a Nobel diploma, a gold medal and 8m Swedish kronor (£700,000). Previous winners who have provoked controversy include Barack Obama – he had only just become US president in 2009, leading many to wonder what he had actually achieved – and Henry Kissinger. | The award consists of a Nobel diploma, a gold medal and 8m Swedish kronor (£700,000). Previous winners who have provoked controversy include Barack Obama – he had only just become US president in 2009, leading many to wonder what he had actually achieved – and Henry Kissinger. |
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