WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has a new companion in Ecuador's embassy in London - a tiny kitten.

The as yet unnamed cat descended from the original European wildcat.

She was a gift from Assange's young children to keep their father company.

The cat sleeps in a top hat for most of the day and prowls the embassy at night - sniffing out bugs of all types.

The cat is equipped with the latest in cat-based counter-surveillance equipment and will be broadcasting online at @EmbassyCat.

Assange has been living in the embassy for almost four years.

He is wanted for questioning in Sweden over a sex allegation, which he denies, but believes if he leaves the embassy he will be extradited to the United States to be questioned over the activities of WikiLeaks.

In February, a United Nations' working group found that Sweden and the United Kingdom were violating Julian Assange's rights and should release him and award compensation for detaining him without charge.

Assange's lawyers have made an application to the courts in Sweden to enforce the UN group's finding and are filing arguments again today.

They have asked for an oral hearing, which if accepted could happen by the end of May.

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