Whistleblower Edward Snowden, Pope Tipped for 2014 Nobel Prizes

File photo of NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden. (Agence France-Presse)

Last year, the physics prize awarded to Peter Higgs and Francois Englert for the Higgs particle was widely predicted, but Nobel pundits and bookmakers tend to focus more on who will get the prestigious peace and literature awards.

This year saw a record 278 peace prize nominations and, while the list is secret, some names have been revealed by their sponsors, including US whistleblower Edward Snowden, who was nominated by two Norwegian members of parliament.

Kristian Berg Harpviken, director of the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO) is one of few experts to publish an annual shortlist of likely winners, even if he has yet to predict one accurately.

Nonetheless the five members of the Nobel Committee could award Mr Snowden, considered a fugitive by the US and living in exile in Russia to "underline the independence of the Nobel Committee" from the Norwegian and US authorities, according to Nobeliana.com, a website run by leading Norwegian Nobel historians.

'Too controversial'

Others have rubbished the Mr Snowden speculation.

"It would be really courageous to give it to Mr Snowden," Robert Haardh, head of Stockholm-based Civil Rights Defenders told AFP.

"But judging from the past, I can't see that coming. It's too controversial and Scandinavians are too fond of the (United) States."

Pope Francis, topping bookmaker Paddy Power's list with 9/4 odds would be another controversial choice.

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Whistleblower Edward Snowden, Pope Tipped for 2014 Nobel Prizes