Airstrikes Against IS Have Killed 459 Civilians

US-led airstrikes against Islamic State in Iraq and Syria have killed at least 459 civilians in the last year, according to a report.

The report by Airwars said it believed 57 strikes killed civilians and caused 48 suspected "friendly fire" deaths.

Those same airstrikes are said to have killed more than 15,000 IS militants.

The report said: "Almost all claims of non-combatant deaths from alleged coalition strikes emerge within 24 hours - with graphic images of reported victims often widely disseminated.

"In this context, the present coalition policy of downplaying or denying all claims of non-combatant fatalities makes little sense, and risks handing (the) Islamic State and other forces a powerful propaganda tool."

The US began airstrikes against IS in Iraq on 8 August last year, and in Syria on 23 September.

A coalition of countries has since joined the operations which have seen more than 5,800 airstrikes in Syria and Iraq.

The US has only acknowledged killing two civilians in its airstrikes - two children who died during a strike against al Qaeda-linked militants in Syria in 2014.

That airstrike is the subject of one of at least four ongoing investigations by the US military into allegations of civilian casualties.

US Army Colonel Wayne Marotto, a spokesman for the coalition, said: "There is no other military in the world that works as hard as we do to be precise.

"When an allegation of civilian casualties caused by coalition forces is determined to be credible, we investigate it fully and strive to learn from it so as to avoid recurrence."

Four investigations into alleged civilian casualties have been completed by US Central Command. Three were judged to be unfounded, while the fourth found two innocent civilians were killed and two other people wounded.

Six investigations are still ongoing.

Airways - a project aimed at tracking international airstrikes against extremists - said it identified the 57 strikes through reporting from "two or more generally credible sources, often with biographical, photographic or video evidence".

It comes after Britain announced it would be extending airstrikes by RAF Tornados for another year.

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Strongest Storm In The World So Far This Year

Super Typhoon Soudelor is barrelling towards Taiwan, Japan and China after leaving a trail of destruction in the Northern Marianas islands.

The cyclone has developed into the world's most powerful storm of the year with wind gusts up to 220mph (354kph) that have ripped down telegraph poles and flipped over cars.

A state of emergency has been declared on the islands where hundreds of residents are sheltering in temporary accommodation after the storm tore roofs off homes and caused power cuts.

"I've seen multiple primary power poles down; I've seen cars flipped over the road; I've seen lots of torn roofs," John Hirsh, from the American Red Cross in Saipan, told Pacific Daily News.

According to the National Weather Service, Saipan was hit by waves up to 30ft (nine metres) high.

Saipan resident Jacquelyn Belk said: "The wind busted out my bedroom window and flooded the room. I was terrified that my shutters would break my sliding doors.

"I saw power lines down everywhere and trees blocking roads. Driving around was like a maze just trying to weave around fallen trees."

Food, water and other supplies are being sent to Saipan from Hawaii and Guam together with cots and generators.

Soudelor is forecast to surge west-northwest over the western Pacific Ocean during the next few days where it is expected to weaken before hitting Taiwan at the weekend.

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Downey And Bollywood Stars In Best-Paid List

Robert Downey Jr has been revealed as the world's top-earning actor by Forbes, in a list that also features some of Bollywood's top names for the first time.

The Iron Man star, 50, earned an estimated $80m (£51m) in the past year, helped by the success of his superhero film Avengers: Age of Ultron, which saw box office success to the tune of more than $1.3bn worldwide.

Chinese actor and martial arts veteran Jackie Chan grabbed second place, earning around $50m from films including Dragon Blade and its associated merchandise.

The 61-year-old Chan beat Hollywood's Vin Diesel, who took third place with $47m, helped by his stake in the Fast and Furious series.

Bradley Cooper, Adam Sandler and Tom Cruise were all not far behind.

But the new names on the list came from the growing cinematic powerhouse of Bollywood, where Amitabh Bachchan and Salman Khan both tying for seventh place.

Bachchan, 72, and Khan, 49, earned $33.5m each.

Akshay Kumar, 47, came in at number nine with $32.5m.

Forbes' list of the most highly-paid actresses will be released later in the year.

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Ex Bond Brosnan Stopped With Knife At Airport

Former James Bond star Pierce Brosnan was stopped by security as he tried to board a plane at a US airport with a knife.

Brosnan, 62, was stopped by US Transportation Security Administration agents with the blade, reportedly a ten-inch hunting knife, in his hand luggage.

The actor was allowed to continue his journey through Burlington International Airport in Vermont after the issue was resolved, said Lieutenant Shawn Burke.

In footage showing the incident on Sunday, Brosnan, who starred in four Bond films, is seen removing his belt in the security area and speaking to staff.

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Kermit The Frog And Miss Piggy Announce Split

Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy, the once inseparable Muppets couple whose love seemed eternal in a jaded world of celebrity break-ups, have announced they have split.

After more than three decades together, the pair dropped the bombshell during a Television Critics Association (TCA) event in Los Angeles while plugging their forthcoming ABC mockumentary series.

Kermit said: "Piggy and I have gone our separate ways, romantically."

Miss Piggy wrote on Facebook: "After careful thought, thoughtful consideration and considerable squabbling, we have made the difficult decision to terminate our romantic relationship.

"We will continue to work together on television."

She added: "Our personal lives are now distinct and separate, and we will be seeing other people, pigs, frogs, et al.

"This is our only comment on this private matter...unless we get the right offer. Thank you for your understanding."

Miss Piggy first announced the pair were engaged to be married in 1979, but they apparently never officially tied the knot.

Kermit is now said to be already dating another pig named Denise, who works in marketing.

Miss Piggy put a brave face on the break-up on Tuesday.

The porcine diva told the audience at the TCAs: "Dating moi is like flying close to the sun.

"It was inevitable that Kermit would drop down to the ground while I stayed in the heavens."

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An image of Whitney Houston's daughter, Bobbi Kristina Brown, lying in her casket has reportedly been sold for a six-figure sum. TMZ claims the picture was auctioned off for more than $100,000 (£64,000) and was taken when family viewed her body the day before her funeral. The showbiz website does not say which media outlet has allegedly bought the photograph. The 22-year-old suffered irreversible brain damage after being found face-down in a bathtub in her Georgia home six months ago. She had been in a medically-induced coma, but died last week and was buried next to her mother on Monday.

A police report described the death as a drowning, but authorities are still investigating what happened.

A weekend memorial service for the 22-year-old was interrupted by the airing of a long-standing rift between the families of her parents.

Bobbi Kristina's father is R&B singer Bobby Brown.

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An image of Whitney Houston's daughter, Bobbi Kristina Brown, lying in her casket has reportedly been sold for a six-figure sum.

TMZ claims the picture was auctioned off for more than $100,000 (£64,000) and was taken when family viewed her body the day before her funeral.

The showbiz website does not say which media outlet has allegedly bought the photograph.

The 22-year-old suffered irreversible brain damage after being found face-down in a bathtub in her Georgia home six months ago.

She had been in a medically-induced coma, but died last week and wasburied next to her mother on Monday.

A police report described the death as a drowning, but authorities are still investigating what happened.

A weekend memorial service for the 22-year-old was interrupted by the airing of a long-standing rift between the families of her parents.

Bobbi Kristina's father is R&B singer Bobby Brown.

The families are now blaming each other for the picture, despite measures being taken to stop such a thing happening, claim TMZ sources.

Bobbi Kristina's death was eerily similar to the way her mother died.

In 2012, Whitney Houston's body was found face-down in a foot of water in her bathtub at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.

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School Officer Sued For Handcuffing Children

A school security officer and a county sheriff's office have been sued for putting two Kentucky elementary school children in handcuffs.

The eight-year-old boy and nine-year-old girl, both of whom have been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), had the handcuffs put around their biceps, with their arms locked behind them.

Distressing video footage shows the little boy crying and struggling as he sits on a chair.

In the video, which was captured by a school administrator, school resource officer Kevin Sumner tells the boy: "You don't get to swing at me like that. You can do what we've asked you to, or you can suffer the consequences."

The federal lawsuit claims the boy - who is 3ft 6ins tall and weighs 52lbs - was removed from class because he was not following the teacher's directions.

The boy then tried to leave the principal's office, but was physically restrained by school administrators until Mr Sumner arrived to escort him to the bathroom.

On the way back from the bathroom, he tried to hit Mr Sumner with his elbow, according to a report from the Kenton County Sheriff's office, and was then handcuffed.

The girl, who weighed 56lbs, was sent to an isolation room at her school last August for being disruptive.

School officials asked Mr Sumner to help after the girl tried to leave the room and was restrained by the principal and vice principal.

A report from the sheriff's office said Mr Sumner put the girl in handcuffs because she was "attempting to injure school staff".

The lawsuit claims the girl suffered "a severe mental health crisis" and Mr Sumner called for a "medical crisis team". She was taken to a hospital by ambulance for a psychiatric assessment and treatment.

Kentucky state regulations ban schools from physically restraining students that are known to have conditions like ADHD.

The lawsuit states that officials at both schools were aware of the students' ADHD, which is characterised by "impulsivity, difficulty paying attention, complying with directives, controlling emotions and remaining seated".

Susan Mizner, disability counsel for the American Civil Liberties Unionwhich released the video, said: "Shackling children is not okay.

"It is traumatising, and in this case it is also illegal."

Robert Sanders, a lawyer for Mr Sumner, said he put the children in handcuffs because "they were placing themselves and other people in danger of harm and that's what the book says to do".

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