Nobel Peace Prize 2016: Winner to be revealed Published duration 7 October 2016 Related Topics Nobel Prize

image copyright AP image caption The winner of the Nobel Peace Prize 2016 is due to be announced on Friday

The winner of the 2016 Nobel Peace Prize is set to be announced later in Norway's capital, Oslo.

The winner of the prestigious award has been selected from a list of 376 candidates - 228 are individuals and 148 are organisations.

However, who or what they are is meant to be kept closely guarded secret.

Despite this, a list of front-runners has emerged - including Syria's White Helmets, and the negotiators of the Iran nuclear deal.

A number of less obvious suggestions to win the prize have also been rumoured, including Donald Trump for his "vigorous peace through strength ideology".

Syria's White Helmets, volunteers who pull victims from bombed buildings in the war-torn country, appear to be the public's favourite choice. A petition backing them for the prize has more than 304,000 signatures.

image copyright Reuters image caption Syria's White Helmets have emerged as a popular favourite to win the prize

But the committee is known for defying expectations.

Last year, the prize went to the Tunisian National Dialogue Quartet, a group lauded for helping their country's transition to democracy, instead of Angela Merkel - who was widely thought to be in the running for her work with refugees.

How the prize is decided

Eligible nominators from around the world can put forward candidates up to 1 February of the award year, while Nobel Committee members have more time

All nominations are reviewed by the committee - whose five members are chosen by the Norwegian parliament - before a shortlist of 20-30 candidates are selected

A group of Norwegian and international advisers write individual reports on the shortlisted candidates. Using these and further reports, the committee narrows the selection down to a handful

A decision is reached in the last meeting of the committee, usually in late September or early October, before the prize is announced

If a unanimous decision can't be reached, a simple majority vote is used

After the announcement is made, the award ceremony takes place on 10 December, the date of Alfred Nobel's death