Trump signs executive orders to boost coal production

Rail cars filled with coal in Wyoming (Ryan Dorgan/Casper Star-Tribune via AP)

US President Donald Trump has signed a series of executive orders on Tuesday aimed at boosting the struggling coal industry, a reliable but polluting energy source that has long been in decline.

Under the orders, Mr Trump uses his emergency authority to allow some older coal-fired power plants set for retirement to keep producing electricity to meet rising US power demand amid growth in data centres, artificial intelligence and electric cars.