■ Poland
Troops to leave Iraq
Ending months of uncertainty over the precise timing, Poland announced on Tuesday that it would withdraw all its troops from Iraq once the UN mandate for the multinational force expires in December. Defense Minister Jerzy Szmajdzinski said the Cabinet had decided to bring home the 1,700 troops in Iraq. He left open the possibility that the mission could be extended if the UN mandate were renewed, but said that Prime Minister Marek Belka's government would not in the meantime be committing troops to any new missions. Poland was the fourth largest contributor of troops to Iraq.
■ Canada
Gay marriages on track
Members of the Canadian parliament on Tuesday voted down a Conservative motion that would have derailed the minority Liberal govern-ment's bill to legalize gay marriage. New Democratic Party and most Bloc Quebec-ois lawmakers joined with a majority of Liberals in voting 164 to 132 against a Tory motion to block legislation to legalize gay marriage nationally. The Conservative Party motion called for no second reading of the bill. Canada would join Belgium and the Netherlands in allowing gay marriage if parliament passes the bill, which has yet to come up for a vote.
■ United States
CD-player carrier detained
The man who was tackled and detained at the Capitol on Monday is an Australian citizen and will be expelled for violating the terms of his visa, a federal immigration official said. The man, Wen Hao Zhao, is a native of China who entered the US legally on Friday through Los Angeles International Airport. US Capitol Police officers knocked him down, detained him and blew open his luggage on Monday after he stationed himself on the west plaza of the building, a suitcase on either side of him, and refused to speak or move. The luggage contained a CD player, police said later.
■ United Kingdom
`Superwoman' foils muggers
Assailants smashed a celebrated "superwoman" over the head in London after she refused to hand over her valuables when they tried to mug her, police said yesterday. Nicola Horlick, who became known as superwoman for juggling a high-flying career in the city with looking after five chil-dren, was attacked outside her home in south Kensing-ton on Monday night. Two men drove up to the 43-year-old on a scooter, one jumped off and threatened her with a handgun, demanding she hand over her possessions. Horlick refused and threw a diamond ring into a nearby bush to prevent them from grabbing it. She was then struck across the head with a pistol and knocked to the ground, but her attackers fled empty handed.
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