Vienna - Austria's glitterati waltzed at the Vienna Opera Ball last night as the country continued to be frozen out by its EU partners and protesters demonstrated in the cold outside.
Police said around 15,000 thronged the streets in a protest that coincided with Austria's top social event to protest against the presence of Mr Jorg Haider's far-right Freedom Party in national government.
The ball was without the usual foreign guests. President Jorge Samp aio of Portugal, whose country holds the EU presidency, was due as the guest of honour but refused to turn up.