NEWS FROM AROUND THE WORLD

WORLD/ MILIARY DOG RUMOURED TO HAVE ASSISTED IN BIN LADEN RAID: There is wide speculation that US SEAL Team 6 used a dog to sniff out Osama bin Laden and hunt for explosives around his hideout. According to media reports, the mystery dog is likely to be a German shepherd or Belgian Malinois, the breeds trained by US military dog handlers. "There should be little reason to speculate about why there was a dog involved, man's best friend is a pretty fearsome warrior," said the deputy managing editor of ForeignPolicy, who writes a weekly war dog column. "They're a central part of US efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan, as of early 2010 the US Army had 2800 active-duty dogs deployed, the largest canine contingent in the world," Rebecca Frankel wrote. A military dog is also believed to have been used in the capture of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein in December 2003. Reports say that Team 6's dog would have been strapped to one of the SEALs and dropped into Osama bin Laden's compound from a helicopter. The dog could have been decked out in a waterproof tactical vest worth more than $21,000. Infrared and night-vision cameras would have been attached to the dog's vest so its handler could see what it was seeing up to nearly a kilometre away using a remote monitor. The vest would be either in camouflage or coyote tan and have a speaker on it so its handler could talk to the dog during the raid. In the photo, a military working dog wears Doggles to protect his eyes as a Chinook helicopter takes off in Afghanistan.

WORLD/ AL-QAEDA CONFIRMS BIN LADEN DEATH: Al-Qaeda has confirmed the death of its leader, Osama Bin Laden, according to a statement attributed to the group and posted on jihadist internet forums.The statement said his blood would not be "wasted" and al-Qaeda would continue to attack the US and its allies. Bin Laden's death would be a "curse" for the US and urged an uprising in Pakistan, the statement added. The militant was shot dead on Monday when US commandos stormed his compound in the Pakistani town of Abbottabad. Meanwhile, reports from the US says documents found at the compound suggest Bin Laden was planning further attacks on the US, including on the 10th anniversary of September 11, 2001. One plan was to target a US rail route, officials said, although no imminent threat was detected. Officials are examining computers, DVDs, hard-drives and documents seized from the compound where Bin Laden is believed to have been hiding for about 6 years.

WORLD/ INQUEST RULING HANDED DOWN IN LONDON 7/7 BOMBINGS: The coroner at the 7/7 London bombings inquests has formally ruled today that the 52 people who died in the suicide attacks were unlawfully killed. Lady Justice Hallett's report made recommendations she said "may save lives," such as how Emergency Services responds to disasters. However,  ruled out any further inquiries or inquests for the bombers. She said there was no evidence that any organizational or individual failings "caused or contributed to the deaths". She did say that MI5 could have done some things differently, but also acknowledges the massive burden it faced combating al-Qaeda in 2004-05. More than 700 people were injured in the 4 suicide bomb attacks on July 7, 2005. The bombers targeted Tube trains at Aldgate, Edgware Road and Russell Square and a double decker bus, pictured, in Tavistock Square. Speaking to a packed courtroom that had awaited her conclusions during 19 weeks of evidence, she thanked the bereaved for their "understanding, support and quiet dignity". The inquests heard 309 witnesses and a further 197 statements. After Hallett gave her unlawful killing verdicts, counsel to the inquests read the names of the victims.

WORLD/ BRAZIL SUPREME COURT RULES IN FAVOR OF GAY RIGHTS: Brazil's Supreme Court has voted overwhelmingly in favor of allowing same-sex couples the same legal rights as married heterosexuals. The decision was approved by 10-0 with 1 abstention. The ruling will give gay couples in "stable" partnerships the same financial and social rights enjoyed by those in heterosexual relationships. The ruling makes Brazil one of very few South American nations, after Argentina and Uruguay, to allow gay unions with benefits similar to those afforded a heterosexual married couple. "The freedom to pursue one's own sexuality is part of an individual's freedom of expression," said Justice Carlos Ayres Britto, the author of the ruling. Gay activists welcomed the decision, saying it marked an "historic day" for the country. From now on same sex couples will be able to register their civil partnerships with solicitors and public bodies, giving them proper inheritance and pension rights. However, the landmark ruling stops short of recognising gay marriage, which could involve public or religious ceremonies. Brazil's Roman Catholic Church had argued against the decision to allow civil unions, saying the only union referred to within Brazil's constitution was that between a man and a woman. But the country's recently elected President Dilma Rousseff has made the issue one of her big social policy reforms.

WORLD/ SMOKEY THE CAT PURRS INTO THE RECORD BOOKS: A cat from Northamptonshire, England, has been officially recognized for having the loudest purr in the world. Guinness World Records announced that Smokey, 12, who is a British short-hair cat, achieved the loudest purr by a domestic cat, peaking at 67.7dB. Her owner from Pitsford, Northampton, said she was delighted. Guinness World Records' editor-in-chief said: "It's incredible to think that a cat's purr can be as loud as a vacuum cleaner". There were 4 witnesses to the cat's world record attempt, including a British MP, a nurse and a Pilot from British Airways. Smokey, pictured above at home, still has a way to go to compete with blue whales and fin whales.Their low-frequency pulses, the loudest sounds emitted by any living source, reach 188dB on the decibel scale. A lawnmower reaches 90dB, a car horn 110dB and a rock concert 120dB.