Author: Associated Press

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JUST IN: Fairfax’s Ilia Malinin secures US figure skating team gold at Milan Cortina Olympics

By Associated Press
Ilia Malinin of the United States competes during the figure skating men's team event at the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)

By DAVE SKRETTA AP Sports Writer

MILAN (AP) — It seemed only fitting that Ilia Malinin was the first one to get his Olympic gold medal after the U.S. successfully defended its team title by holding off the Japanese on Sunday night in the three-day competition at the Milan Cortina Games.

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When to catch Fairfax natives Ilia Malinin and Brandon Kim at the Winter Olympics

By Angela Woolsey and Associated Press
Ilia Malinin, of the United States, practices during a figure skating training session ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics, in Milan, Italy, Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

The 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics are officially underway in Italy, with the opening ceremony unfolding this afternoon (Friday).

For Fairfax County viewers, eyes will be particularly fixed in the coming days on two local athletes: figure skater Ilia Malinin — a 2023 Marshall High graduate who still lives in Vienna and trains at Reston’s SkateQuest — and speedskater Brandon Kim, a 2020 Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology making his Olympic debut.

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CIA ends publication of its popular World Factbook reference tool

By Associated Press
CIA Director John Ratcliffe, seated at center, and White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, standing in back, listen during a cabinet meeting at the White House, Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

By DAVID KLEPPER Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Close the cover on the CIA World Factbook: The spy agency announced Wednesday that after more than 60 years, it is shuttering the popular reference manual.

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News

BREAKING: Herndon’s Brendan Banfield found guilty of murdering wife, another man

By Jared Serre and Associated Press
Brendan Banfield, pictured during trial on Jan. 30, 2026 (screenshot via CourtTV)

A Herndon man faces life in prison after being convicted today (Monday) of murdering his wife and another man while having an affair with the family’s au pair.

After a trial that spanned more than two weeks, it took just one-and-a-half days for the 12-person jury to return a verdict against Brendan Banfield, finding the 40-year-old former IRS officer guilty for the February 2023 murders of Christine Banfield and Joseph Ryan.

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Jury in Herndon ‘au pair affair’ double murder must now decide husband’s guilt

By Associated Press
Brendan Banfield arrives to testify in his double murder trial in Fairfax County Circuit Court, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, in Fairfax, Va. (AP Photo/Tom Brenner, Pool)

By OLIVIA DIAZ and TRAVIS LOLLER Associated Press

FAIRFAX, Va. (AP) — Jurors began deliberating Friday on whether a former IRS law enforcement officer in Virginia conspired with his family’s Brazilian au pair, with whom he was having an affair, to kill his wife and pin it on a stranger.

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Herndon double murder suspect testifies man he shot was stabbing his wife

By Associated Press
Brendan Banfield looks on during his double murder trial in Fairfax County Circuit Court, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, in Fairfax, Va. (AP Photo/Tom Brenner, Pool)

By OLIVIA DIAZ Associated Press/Report for America

FAIRFAX, Va. (AP) — In the cold formality of a northern Virginia courtroom, Brendan Banfield testified on Thursday that prosecutors got it wrong: He did not fatally stab his wife in 2023, but instead shot the man who did.

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Countywide

Partial federal shutdown seems increasingly likely as Democrats demand ICE changes

By Associated Press
A demonstrator holds a sign during a rally outside of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement headquarters in Washington, Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

By MARY CLARE JALONICK and KEVIN FREKING Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — As a partial government shutdown looms at week’s end, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer has laid out a list of demands for the Department of Homeland Security, including an enforceable code of conduct for federal agents conducting immigration arrests and a requirement that they identify themselves to the public.

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Countywide

Virginia Democrats to appeal after judge rules redistricting resolution illegal

By Angela Woolsey and Associated Press
FILE - The state and U.S. flags fly over the Virginia State Capitol as the 2024 session of the Virginia General Assembly gets underway, Jan. 10, 2024, in Richmond, Va. (AP Photo/Steve Helber, File)

A Virginia judge ruled Tuesday that a proposed constitutional amendment letting Democrats redraw the state’s Congressional maps was illegal, potentially foiling their efforts to pick up seats in the U.S. House in November.

Tazewell Circuit Court Judge Jack Hurley Jr. struck down the legislature’s actions on three grounds, ruling that lawmakers failed to follow their own rules for adding the redistricting amendment to a special session; failed to approve the amendment before the public began voting in last year’s general election; and failed to publish the amendment three months before the election, as required by law.

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JUST IN: All Amazon Fresh stores to close, with some turning into Whole Foods

By Angela Woolsey and Associated Press
Amazon Fresh store in Lorton Marketplace Shopping Center (staff photo by Angela Woolsey)

Amazon is throwing in the towel on Amazon Fresh, announcing today (Tuesday) that it will close all locations in favor of a renewed focus on Whole Foods Market and other concepts.

The last day of operation for Amazon Fresh and Amazon Go stores is Feb. 1, with the exception of its California locations, which will remain open longer to comply with state requirements, Amazon said.

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Countywide

Fairfax’s initial snow totals from Sunday fall short of January 2025 storm

By Angela Woolsey and Associated Press
Preliminary snowfall totals for D.C. region from Winter Storm Fern on Jan. 25, 2026 (via National Weather Service)

Though it ground most activity in the D.C. region to a halt yesterday (Sunday), Winter Storm Fern ultimately came up short of last year’s biggest winter event in terms of total snowfall.

The storm dumped between 5.5 inches and 8.5 inches of snow and sleet on different parts of Fairfax County, according to unofficial measurements taken by National Weather Service staff and trained spotters.

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