Greece’s new prime minister says he’s optimistic about a eurozone deal on the country’s debt after meeting the Austrian Chancellor in Vienna. Alexis Tsipras says his proposed “bridge program” is economically viable. The remarks come ahead of an emergency euro-group meeting on the Greek crisis in Brussels. From Vienna, Press TV’s Homa Lezgee reports.

Thousands march in north Austria to block a small group of PEGIDA sympathizers from rallying.

Protestors in Austria are calling for the release of Saudi blogger Raif Badawi. They want the government to close a Saudi-funded interfaith dialog center, saying it’s hypocritical to advocate dialog abroad and ban free speech at home.

Austrian Supporters and opponents of the Germany-based anti-Islam PEGIDA movement have held rallies in the Capital Vienna. Over a thousand police forces were deployed to curb possible violence during the rival rallies. According to police officials, some 5-thousand of PEGIDA opponents took to central Vienna in a counter-protest against a few hundred sympathizers of the right-wing group. The anti-PEGIDA demonstrators chanted "Down with PEGIDA". The rival groups were kept apart by the police. No incidents of violence were reported. PEGIDA stands for the self-designated title of Patriotic Europeans against the Islamization of the West. The movement has drawn widespread criticism from German politicians, religious leaders and the public who deem it racist, a charge the movement denies. Small offshoots have also sprung up in other European countries including Denmark, Switzerland and Spain.

The anti-Islam PEGIDA movement has faced opponents in Austria during its first rally in the country. As Homa Lezgee reports, protesters against the movement outnumbered those supporting it.

A massive counter rally dwarfs PEGIDA’s debut march in Austria.