Warsaw - Polish member of parliament Janusz Palikot resigned Tuesday as head of the Friendly State commission after insulting a former opposition minister, local media reported.

His party had recommended that Palikot be taken off the commission after he accused Grazyna Gesicka of "prostitution" over the former minister's alleged poor management of European Union funds for Poland.

Palikot said he did not agree with the recommendation, but did not want to put fellow party members in an "awkward situation."

Warsaw - Once doubtful and pessimistic, a majority of Poles now believe preparations will be completed in time to co-host the Euro 2012 football tournament with Ukraine.

Seventy-eight per cent now believe their cities will make it before deadline, said a survey of 3,000 people in the daily Rzeczpospolita on Monday.

The survey marks a swing in mood before the football championship. In June, some three-quarters were afraid the country might not be ready or didn't have enough time, according to a poll from the Public Opinion Research Center.

Zakopane, Poland  - Gregor Schlierenzauer edged fellow Austrian Wolfgang Loitzl to win the World Cup ski jumping event at Zakopane, Poland on Saturday.

Schlierenzauer had jumps of 130.5 metres and 138.5 metres for 285.7 points, seven more than Four Hills tournament winner Loitzl who posted 130 metres and 136.5 metres.

It was a 16th World Cup win for ski flying world champion Schlierenzauer and a seventh successive win for the Austrian team.

Zakopane, Poland  - Four Hills champion Wolfgang Loitzl led an Austrian one-tow finish from Gregor Schlierenzauer in a large hill World Cup ski-jumping event on Friday.

Loitzl, 29, soared the longest distance in each round with 129.5 metres and 132m for a winning total of 272.7 points for his fourth career victory. He got his first three wins en route to the Four Hills title less than two weeks ago.

Warsaw - An Israeli attacked Gaza demonstrators who interrupted a ceremony that honored Poles who rescued Jews during World War II, Polish Radio reported on Thursday.

Members of the Anarchist Federation entered a lecture theatre Wednesday in Poznan and unfurled a banner saying, "Enough of the slaughter in Gaza" during a speech by Israel's ambassador.

A scuffle broke out when an Israeli citizen attacked the protesters, Polish Radio said.

The Israeli was taken to a hospital and three Poles were detained.

Warsaw - Despite an economic slow-down that has hit much of Europe, Poles are spending some 12 per cent more on groceries, the daily Rzeczpospolita said on Thursday.

Polish spending on groceries and toiletries shot up by 11.7 per cent from December 2007 to November 2008, the daily said, citing market research company GfK.

Consumers in Germany, Britain and France have been pessimistic, with many opting for cheaper or domestic grocery goods, the daily said, but the slowdown has not yet been felt in Poland.