Muslims living in Ireland are scared they will be tarred with the same brush as extremists who carry out terrorist attacks in the name of Islam.

Heavy monsoon rains and flash floods have inundated homes and crops in north-eastern Bangladesh, stranding more than 200,000 people.

THE US military said yesterday that hostile fire likely brought down a Chinook helicopter that crashed in eastern Afghanistan, and officials said the status of the 17 American soldiers aboard was unknown.