Schroeder and Berlusconi's opera date cancelled

Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, who were meant to put aside a recent spat by attending the opera together, will apparently have to wait another day for a formal reconciliation.

Schroeder’s spokesman said Berlusconi had decided to stay away from tonight’s opera because he feared his presence would spark planned demonstrations and ruin the evening. There was no comment from Berlusconi’s office.