Prague  - The Czech government could collapse this autumn, months before it takes on the European Union's rotating presidency, Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek was quoted as saying on Saturday.

Prague- The Czech government agreed Tuesday to abolish health care fees for small children, seeking to soften the burden on patients introduced as part of a public finance reform in January.

Leaders of three coalition parties in the centre-right government of Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek hammered out a comprise late Monday to gradually abolish medicare fees for children up to the age of six.

The coalition leaders also agreed to lower the cap on some of the fees and medicine co-payments for children up to 15 from 5,000 koruny (314 dollars) to 3,000 koruny.

The government introduced a 30-koruny payment for doctor's visits and prescriptions and 60 koruny for hospital stays in a bid to curb demand for care and medicines.

Prague - Czech Republic's average monthly real wage was up 2.8 per cent year-on-year in the

Prague  - Serbia has withdrawn its ambassador from the Czech Republic in a move anticipated after Prague's recognition of independent Kosovo, the Czech Foreign Ministry said Friday.

Prague  - Nuclear energy, a cheap and carbon-free source, could contribute to Europe's battle against climate change, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said Thursday.

Nuclear energy "can help protect our economies against price volatility and reduce dependence on imported gas," Barroso told a nuclear-energy forum in Prague.

Barosso, however, said that the European Commission will not promote nuclear power to EU members who have "an absolute right to choose freely."