Arab Spring focus of speculation for Nobel Peace Prize

THE Arab Spring is the focus of speculation over this year’s Nobel Peace Prize, with an Afghan human rights activist and the European Union as possible outsiders.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee gives no clues ahead of the October 7 announcement, but judging by previous selections the rebellion sweeping across North Africa and the Middle East would appear to tick all the right boxes.

“It would be consistent with their effort to give attention to high-profile and extremely important, potentially breakthrough developments by movements and by people,” said Bates Gill, director of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.