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STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

Now, the Occupy protests have focused on economic issues, which are also motivating a massive strike in Britain today. It is being described as the largest national strike in a generation. It is estimated that as many as 2 million public sector workers may be taking part, the latest in a wave of protests over austerity measures.

NPR's Philip Reeves is covering that story in London. And Philip, where are you?

The Federal Reserve joined other major central banks Wednesday in a coordinated effort to shore up the global financial system. The move comes at a time when credit is becoming tighter, especially in Europe, because of doubts about the health of big banks.

A Democratic state representative in Arizona thinks it's wrong for a Scottsdale gun club to be giving folks, including children, a chance to have their photos taken with Santa Claus while "holding pistols and military-style rifles," The Associated Press says.

State Rep. Steve Farley says "to involve machine guns and Santa in a celebration in the birth of Jesus Christ is the worst kind of heresy I can imagine."

Tuesday's attack on the British embassy in Tehran by Iranian "students" has led the U.K. to order the expulsion of all Iranian diplomats and the closing of Iran's embassy in London, the BBC reports.

Foreign Secretary William Hague told Parliament that "if any country makes it impossible for us to operate on their soil they cannot expect to have a functioning embassy here."

The nation's private employers boosted their payrolls by 206,000 jobs this month, according to the widely watched ADP National Employment Report.

That's well above the 130,000 increase that economists had been expecting the report would show, Reuters reports.