WORLD IN BRIEF : HUNGARY : Taxi Drivers Strike Over Gas Price Hike

Taxi drivers went on strike, throwing up barricades at border crossing points and paralyzing traffic in Budapest and other major cities in a protest against increases of up to 70% in gasoline prices. The higher prices were blamed on a cutback in Soviet oil deliveries as well as higher crude oil costs stemming from the Persian Gulf crisis. Negotiations between taxi drivers and government officials were held, with little progress reported. The drivers called for a temporary suspension of the price boosts while negotiations continued.