Rain helps Southern Calif. firefighters but sends ash and mud flowing down hillsides

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Rain is easing after Southern California’s first significant storm of the season brought weekend downpours that aided firefighters but caused ash, mud and debris to flow across streets in wildfire-burned areas. Less than an inch of rain fell in most areas. Still, it was enough to loosen Los Angeles hillsides charred by the recent blaze near the Pacific Palisades, where crews working before dawn cleared inundated roadways including the famed Pacific Coast Highway. In neighboring Malibu, four schools were closed on Monday due to dangerous road conditions. North of Los Angeles, snowy conditions shut down the mountainous Tejon Pass section of Interstate 5.

Federal Reserve expected to stand pat on rates even as Trump demands cuts

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve is nearly certain to keep its key interest rate unchanged at its policy meeting this week, just a few days after President Donald Trump said he would soon demand lower rates. Fed officials, led by Chair Jerome Powell, have cut their rate for three meetings in a row, to about 4.3%, from a two-decade high of 5.3%. Yet with several recent economic reports showing healthy hiring and some progress on inflation, policymakers have said that the pace of rate cuts will slow this year. Some have suggested that few reductions are needed at all.

Coke jumps on a nostalgic trend with new Coca-Cola Orange Cream flavor

(AP) — Coke is adding a new flavor to its lineup. Coca-Cola Orange Cream is scheduled to go on sale Feb. 10 in the United States and Canada. The soda mixes cola with orange and vanilla flavors, and will be sold in regular and zero sugar varieties. Atlanta-based Coke said it developed the product in response to growing consumer demand for the comforting, nostalgic flavor. The company says Coca-Cola Orange Cream won’t be a permanent flavor but will be sold at least through the first quarter of 2026. Coke introduced raspberry-infused Coca-Cola Spiced last February as a new permanent flavor, but pulled the soda off the market in the fall.

Lawmakers pushing for vaccine exemptions even as childhood vaccination rates fall

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Vaccination bills are popping up in more than 15 states as lawmakers aim to potentially resurrect or create new religious exemptions from immunization mandates, establish state-level vaccine injury databases or dictate what providers must tell patients about the shots. Many see a political opportunity to rewrite policies in their states during President Donald Trump’s administration and if Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. is confirmed as the next secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. Childhood vaccination rates against dangerous infections have fallen nationwide. A new poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research says about half of Americans are “very” or “extremely” concerned that those declining childhood vaccination rates will lead to more outbreaks.