Snowden, Putin among nominees for this year’s Nobel Peace Prize

OSLO: US whistleblower Edward Snowden, Pakistani schoolgirl Malala Yousafzai and Russian President Vladimir Putin are among the nominees for this year's Nobel Peace Prize, as the Nobel Institute announced on Tuesday a record 278 candidates.

"The number of nominations increases almost every year, which shows a growing interest in the prize," the head of the institute, Geir Lundestad, told AFP.

The Nobel committee convened on Tuesday for the first time this year to examine the candidate list and will announce the laureate in Oslo on October 10.

Even though the list is kept secret for at least 50 years, the sponsors can choose to reveal the name of their nominee.

Putin is thought to be on the list, since Russian figures proposed his name in October, citing his role in the Syrian crisis.

The former KGB agent is credited with averting a US attack against Syria by suggesting putting Bashar al-Assad's regime's chemical weapons arsenal under international control.

Being nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize is relatively easy, since thousands of people can suggest candidates: lawmakers and ministers, university professors and former laureates.

At their first meeting, the five committee members themselves can add more names to the list.

The committee insists that being nominated does not imply an endorsement on its part.

Putin's chances of winning the prize appear limited given the ongoing crisis in Ukraine.

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Snowden, Putin among nominees for this year’s Nobel Peace Prize