• The Greek parliament is expected to vote on the EU-IMF austerity package in the afternoon
• There is every sign that the package will be approved
• The Greek central bank says a “no” vote would be suicide
• A general strike has bought much of Greece to a halt ahead of the vote
• More street protests are planned for this afternoon

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AFP - Greek lawmakers voted Wednesday to approve a massive new austerity package demanded by international creditors, amid violent clashes between protesters and police firing tear gas outside the parliament.

An AFP count gave Prime Minister George Papandreou's government the 151 votes it needed to push through measures to save 28.4 billion euros ($40 billion) by 2015, and so unlock emergency finance from the EU and the IMF.

Papandreou had pledged in the moments before voting to do everything possible to avoid "the collapse of this country," with the plans deemed essential to prevent default on its 350-billion-euro debt mountain.

Greece needs to make budget cuts of almost 30 billion euros to qualify for a second bailout package – worth some 100 billion euros – from the IMF and the EU. The measures have been put before parliament, which must approve the measure by the close of play Wednesday.

The first bailout – worth 110 billion euros – came after a round of harsh austerity measures imposed in May 2010.

The harshness of the cuts has resulted in discontent spilling out onto the streets, with a 48-hour general strike continuing on Wednesday. The protesters are calling for Prime Minister George Papandreou to abandon these further budget cuts.

Here is a brief breakdown of what the cuts would involve: