Colombia tipped for peace Nobel

Oslo, September 29 

A Colombian peace accord ending a half-century of war is widely tipped for the Nobel Peace Prize next week, returning the award to its roots after a run of wins for organisations including the EU.

The prize might be shared by President Juan Manuel Santos and Marxist FARC rebel leader Timochenko - the nom de guerre of Rodrigo Londono - after they signed a deal on Sept. 26 to end a war that killed a quarter of a million people.

"The agreement ... is one of the most obvious peace prize candidates I've ever seen," said Asle Sveen, a historian who tracks the awards. Still, he said a prize may hinge on a "Yes" to the agreement in a referendum in Colombia on Sunday. It would be the first award for Latin America since Guatemalan human rights activist Rigoberta Menchu won in 1992.

Other candidates for the 8.0 million Swedish crown ($934,000) prize include Svetlana Gannushkina, a Russia campaigner for human rights and refugees, Syria's White Helmets, a civilian group that seeks to rescue victims of air strikes, or Greek islanders who have aided Syrian refugees.

Others tips include negotiators of a deal over Iran's nuclear programme or former US spy contractor Edward Snowden who leaked details of US surveillance. — Reuters