Europe may return to coal to stave off power shortage as Russia cuts supply

Germany may take 'painful' move to fire up coal power; Italy, Austria also looking at burning more coal; surging gas prices add to already rising inflation

Europe's biggest Russian gas buyers were racing to find alternative fuel supplies on Monday and even looking at burning more coal to cope with reduced gas flows from Russia that threaten an energy crisis in winter if stores are not refilled.

The crisis and sky-high gas prices add to the headache facing policymakers already fretting about surging inflation and a dimming economic outlook.

Italy's Eni said it had been informed by Russia's Gazprom that it would receive only part of its request for gas supplies on Monday, pushing the country closer to declaring a state of alert that will spark