Who Will Win the Peace Prize?

What do you have to do to win the Nobel Peace Prize? Jimmy Carter might like to know. Although the former president worked tirelessly for peace in Bosnia and Haiti, the Nobel committee has repeatedly denied him membership in the world's most esteemed club of peacemakers — and it looks as if he shall be locked out once more Friday. Although guessing a winner can be as difficult as predicting an earthquake, several candidates are seen as frontrunners this year, and Carter is not among their number. There is Selim Beslagic, who became mayor of Tuzla in 1990 and managed to make the Serbs, Croats and Muslims in his town hang together through the entire Bosnian conflict. There is Wei Jingsheng, China's most prominent dissident, who is currently serving a 20-year prison term for his advocacy of democracy. His counterpart, Wang Dan, the imprisoned student leader of the Tiananmen protests, could offer some stiff competition. There is Medicins Sans Frontier, the international medical organization, for aiding citizens in war-torn countries. The death of Princess Diana, who advocated an end to land-mine use, could also propel The International Campaign to Ban Landmines to the top of the list.

Place your bets: The Peace Prize committee announces its winner early Friday.