UK train strikes and energy hikes add to a week of turmoil

By DANICA KIRKA
Associated Press

LONDON (AP) — Trains in Britain have all but ground to a halt coordinated strikes by rail workers added to a week of turmoil caused by soaring energy prices and unfunded tax cuts that roiled financial markets.  Only about 11% of train services were expected to operate across the U.K. on Saturday, according to Network Rail. Unions said they called the latest in a series of one-day strikes to demand that wage increases keep pace with inflation that is expected to peak at around 11% this month. Consumers were also hit with a jump in their energy bills on Saturday as the fallout from the Russian invasion of Ukraine pushes gas and electricity prices higher.