"A huge spectrum" of government workers in the United Kingdom are striking today to show their anger over austerity plans.

As NPR's Philip Reeves told Morning Edition host Steve Inskeep earlier, "teachers, lecturers, immigration staff, tax officials, ambulance crews, midwifes, road sweepers, weather forecasters, librarians and many more" are planning to take part in what's being called Britain's biggest general strike in a generation.

Researchers at St Lawrence University found a distinct "gum advantage" in tests taken by "chewing" and "non-chewing" students. The effect lasted 20 minutes. It seems chewing wakes people up.

The Occupy L.A. campsite near Los Angeles' city hall is "in shambles" this morning after police moved in to clear out protesters who had been ordered to leave, the Los Angeles Times writes. Tents have been "uprooted and strewn all over," the newspaper says.

Elvis Costello's box set includes three CD's, a vinyl record and a coffee table book. To get all this, however, you are asked to pay $225. Costello seems to be shocked. On a website, he declares, "we are unable to recommend this lovely item as the price appears to be either a misprint or a satire."

Police in LA moved in overnight at the camp of Occupy protesters. The raid began two days after protesters were told to leave. Police took also took similar action in Philadelphia.

Transcript

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

The British government continues investigating the phone-hacking scandal at newspapers owned by Rupert Murdoch. More than a dozen journalists and editors have been arrested, top police and media executives have lost their jobs and an official ethics investigation may challenge the whole idea that the British press can regulate itself. And then, a former features editor for one of Murdoch's papers stole the show at a government hearing yesterday.

Here's NPR media correspondent David Folkenflik.

Tahrir Square, the focal point of the Egyptian protest movement, has gone largely quiet this week as millions of Egyptians cast ballots in the country's parliamentary elections. The week before, hundreds of thousands of people had been gathering in the square to protest the government.

The fair-trade movement, which pays premiums to farmers in developing countries for meeting social and environmental standards, is growing quickly, and contentiously. The nation's largest fair-trade certifying agency has split from its international partner, hoping to expand the program to plantation-grown coffee. Some coffee sellers say the agency is just lowering standards to benefit corporate coffee companies, and consumers will be left confused.

Renee Montagne has business news.