Underground fires, toxins in unfunded cleanup of old mines

Sylvia Burwell named next president of American University

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on President Donald Trump (all times EST): 12:15 p.m. The presidents are on the phone. White House press secretary Sean Spicer has tweeted that the scheduled call between President Donald Trump and Russia's Vladimir Putin is underway. It's the first time the leaders have spoken since Trump took office on Jan. 20. Trump has said he's open to cooperating with Russia if it helps further American interests abroad. Before the call, Trump was noncommittal about whether he was considering lifting economic sanctions imposed on Moscow by the Obama administration. ___ 11:10 a.m. President Donald Trump has invited Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (shin-zoh ah-bay) to a meeting in Washington on Feb. 10. White House spokesman Sean Spicer says on Twitter that Trump extended the invitation during a telephone conversation with Abe on Saturday. The White House says in a statement that Trump affirmed the "ironclad U.S. commitment" to Japan's security. The leaders pledged to consult and cooperate on the threat posed by a nuclear-ambitious North Korea. They also discussed Defense Secretary Jim Mattis' upcoming visit to the region, including Japan. It was the first several conversations Trump planned with world leaders on Saturday. The president is also expected to speak with the leaders of Russia, Germany, France and Australia. Abe was the first world leader to meet with Trump after the election. ___ 6 a.m. Russia's security chief says he has high hopes for Saturday's scheduled telephone call between Russian President Vladimir Putin and President Donald Trump. Nikolai Patrushev — secretary of Russia's Security Council — is quoted by Russia's Interfax news agency as saying, "Everything will be positive." The leaders' call will be their first official contact since Trump was sworn in as president. The Kremlin has welcomed Trump's promises to mend ties with Moscow. Those ties have been strained by the Ukrainian crisis, the war in Syria and allegations of Russian meddling in the U.S. elections. Trump has been noncommittal about the fate of U.S. economic penalties against Russia.

The Latest: Trump, Putin are holding closely watched call