Greece faces austerity strike as default looms

ATHENS, Greece - Greece was hoping on Wednesday for a last-minute EU-IMF rescue amid fresh protests against austerity measures after pledging a "superhuman" effort to stabilize its debt-stricken economy.

As a mission from the EU, the IMF and the European Central Bank was expected in Athens by Thursday to resume an audit vital to the release of debt aid funds, the capital was paralyzed by a transport strike ahead of protests by pensioners, municipal workers and students opposing the government's economic policies.

A key contributor to the rescue, Germany, is scheduled to vote on Thursday on expanding the scope and size of the EU's rescue fund - the European Financial Stability Facility - which was invaluable earlier this year in helping bailed out Ireland and Portugal.