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LOS ANGELES (AP) β Celeste Rivas Hernandez, the 14-year-old girl singer D4vd is charged with killing, died from penetrating wounds to her upper body, according to an autopsy report released Wednesday.Her death was ruled a homicide in the report from the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Office that had been blocked from release for months.The autopsy was limited by βextensive postmortem changesβ to the body that was dismembered and decomposing when it was found in two bags in the trunk of a Tesla parked in the Hollywood Hills in September.The examination revealed βtwo penetrating wounds of the torso with smooth edges that may represent sharp force injuries.β One wound on the upper abdomen penetrated the liver. Another, on the left chest, damaged her ribs. A tube top she was wearing appeared to be cut in three places.A judge had ordered the report sealed late last year at the request of law enforcement, but prosecutors agreed this week to allow its release.The 21-year-old alt-pop singer D4vd, whose legal name is David Burke, was charged in the killing Monday. He pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder, lewd and lascivious acts with a person under 14 and mutilating a dead body. Burkeβs attorneys said he did not cause Rivas Hernandezβs death and they will vigorously defend his innocence.The girl's parents made their first public comments on Tuesday night, thanking investigators for their work and the people of their hometown of Lake Elsinore, California, for their support. Lake Elsinore is about 70 miles (112 kilometers) southeast of Los Angeles.βCeleste was a beautiful, strong girl who loved to sing and dance. Every Friday night was movie night and we spent wonderful times together,β Jesus Rivas and Mercedes Martinez said. "We love her very much and she always told us that she loved us. We miss her deeply. All we want is justice for Celeste.βProsecutors allege Burke killed Rivas Hernandez because she threatened to report they had a sexual relationship that began when she was 13 years old and he feared it would ruin his rising career.A criminal complaint alleges he killed her with a sharp object and dismembered the body about two weeks later.Medical Examiner's investigators called to the scene where the body was found discovered her torso and head in a black, zippered body bag in the Tesla's trunk, with arms and legs in a separate trash bag.Her body had so degraded that examiners couldn't even determine her eye color. She had braces at the time of her death, and a tattoo that read βShhh....β on the inside of a finger, according to the report. Two other fingers were missing β as were parts of her arms and legs.Toxicology tests on the liver showed a low level of alcohol, but it may have been due to postmortem chemical changes and didn't appear to be a factor, the report said.LA County's Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Odey C. Ukpo has sought to emphasize his agency's independence from law enforcement and to make its work as public as possible since he took over the job three years ago. He has said he does not believe sealing reports of his office's work helps investigations and has said he would only put holds on releasing the reports if compelled by a court order.βAfter several months, I am grateful this information can now be released, not only to the public, but also to the grieving family enduring loss,β Ukpo said in a statement Wednesday. βIt is unfathomable they have had to wait this long to learn what happened to their daughter.βD4vd, pronounced βDavid,β gained popularity among young fans for his blend of indie rock, R&B and lo-fi pop. He went viral on TikTok in 2022 with the hit βRomantic Homicide,β which peaked at No. 4 on Billboardβs Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart. He released his debut EP βPetals to Thornsβ and a follow-up, βThe Lost Petals,β in 2023.His debut full-length album, βWithered,β was released one year ago, two days after the date prosecutors estimate that Rivas Hernandez was killed.
NAHUNTA, Ga. (AP) β Huge plumes of smoke blanketed swaths of the Southeast on Wednesday as crews battled rapidly growing wildfires that destroyed more than 50 homes in Georgia and forced hundreds to flee the drought- and wind-fueled flames.Some of the biggest blazes were near Georgiaβs coast, while others were popping up in northern Florida, a state facing one of its worst fire seasons in decades.It was not yet clear how the wildfires started, but the bottom half of Georgia is perilously dry and the conditions prompted the state's forestry commission to issue a burn ban for the first time in its history. Southeastern Georgia has seen just 11 inches (28 centimeters) of rain since the beginning of September β almost 15 inches (38 centimeters) below normal, the National Weather Service said.The fires spread so quickly in that area that residents received no warnings or alerts.βI wish that I had knew something more,β said Brianna Elliott, who left home Tuesday only to find her route back blocked by the fires 90 minutes later. βI would have turned around in that moment and gone home and got my animals before anything.βShe now fears that her home and her dogs are gone.Georgiaβs two biggest wildfires together have burned more than 33 square miles (85 square kilometers), and at least four other smaller fires have been reported in the state.Dry timber feeds Georgia firesThe fast-moving Brantley County fire threatened roughly 1,000 homes Wednesday after destroying dozens a day earlier.That fire grew by roughly six times in just a half day Tuesday, said Joey Cason, the county manager. There were fires erupting βin the backyard and people taking off in the front yard,β he said Wednesday.So far no major injuries have been reported, Cason said.The rural county is roughly midway between Georgia's coastal beaches and the Okefenokee Swamp, dotted with livestock and fruit farms as well as thick stands of planted pines grown for timber.Crews worked to create fire breaks and stop the flames from reaching populated areas. The biggest concern was gusting winds that could easily spread embers.Authorities said rain is desperately needed. The area with the worst fires was in exceptional or extreme drought, the most dire levels, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.βIf you could start praying for that right now, weβd be grateful,β Cason said.Pine and hardwood forests in the region are helping charge the fires, said Seth Hawkins, a spokesperson for the Georgia Forestry Commission, and swampy lowlands with thick layers of leaves and woody debris are βsuper flammableβ when they dry out.The commission's 30-day burn ban is for the southern part of the state.FEMA announced the approval of grants for Georgia and Florida to battle the blazes.More residents told to evacuateGeorgia Gov. Brian Kemp declared a state of emergency for more than half of the state's counties.More people were told to evacuate from Brantley County on Wednesday afternoon, on top of the 800 evacuations previously. Another large fire that started in nearby Clinch County also prompted evacuations.Mike Reardon and his wife packed family photos and their dog, Molly Rose, along with new e-bikes before leaving their Brantley County home.The fire was about a mile away, and a shift in the wind would put flames βin our backyard in a matter of minutes,β he said.The couple just built the home two years ago.βItβs more than our house. Itβs land that my dad bought years ago,β Liz Reardon said, fighting back tears. βItβs the most beautiful place in the world to me.βFlorida sees its worst wildfire season in decadesIn Florida, firefighters battled more than 130 wildfires that burned 39 square miles (101 square kilometers), mostly in the stateβs northern half.βFlorida has got one of the worst fire seasons in maybe the last 30 or 40 years, or itβs turning out to be that way,β state Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson said. βWeβve been in drought for 18 months now all across the state.βSmoke blows into Atlanta and JacksonvilleThe National Weather Service said a dangerous combination of low humidity and breezy winds would keep the fire danger elevated Wednesday.Smoke drifted to Atlanta, Savannah, Georgia, and Jacksonville, Florida. The air quality in parts of south Georgia declined to the unhealthy category, meaning all people there might feel health effects.Smoky conditions were expected to linger throughout the Atlanta area, according to the Atlanta-Fulton County Emergency Management Agency. The worst fires were more than 200 miles (322 kilometers) southeast of the city.Smoke from Georgia fires also spread into South Carolina, according to its forestry commission.The high fire risk was expected to continue each afternoon through Friday due to the very dry conditions, the weather service said.___Martin reported from Atlanta. Associated Press writers Jeff Amy and Kate Brumback in Atlanta, Mike Schneider in Orlando, Florida, John Seewer in Toledo, Ohio, and Hallie Golden in Seattle contributed.
WASHINGTON (AP) β Navy Secretary John Phelan is leaving his job, the Pentagon abruptly announced Wednesday, the first head of a military service to depart during President Donald Trumpβs second term but just the latest top defense leader to step down or be ousted.No reason was given for the unexpected departure of the Navyβs top civilian official, coming as the sea service has imposed a blockade of Iranian ports and is targeting ships linked to Tehran around the world during a tenuous ceasefire in the war. Another Trump loyalist is taking over as acting head of the Navy: Undersecretary Hung Cao, a 25-year Navy combat veteran who ran unsuccessful campaigns for the U.S. Senate and House in Virginia.Phelanβs departure is the latest in a series of shakeups of top leadership at the Pentagon, coming just weeks after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth fired the Armyβs top uniformed officer, Gen. Randy George. Hegseth also has fired several other top generals, admirals and defense leaders since taking office last year.The firings began in February 2025, when Hegseth removed military leaders, including Adm. Lisa Franchetti, the Navyβs top uniformed officer, and Gen. Jim Slife, the No. 2 leader at the Air Force. Trump also fired Gen. Charles βCQβ Brown Jr. as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.Showing how sudden the latest move was, Phelan had addressed a large crowd of sailors and industry professionals on Tuesday at the Navyβs annual conference in Washington and spoke with reporters about his agenda. He also hosted the leaders of the House Armed Services Committee to discuss the Navyβs budget request and efforts to build more ships, according to a social media post from his office.Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said in a post on X that Phelan was βdeparting the administration, effective immediately."Phelan had been a major Trump donorPhelan had not served in the military or had a civilian leadership role in the service before Trump nominated him for secretary in late 2024. He was seen as an outsider being brought in to shake up the Navy.Phelan was a major donor to Trumpβs campaign and had founded the private investment firm Rugger Management LLC. According to his biography, Phelanβs primary exposure to the military came from an advisory position he held on the Spirit of America, a nonprofit that supported the defense of Ukraine and the defense of Taiwan.The Associated Press could not immediately reach Phelanβs office for comment. The White House did not answer questions and instead responded by sending a link to Parnellβs statement.Phelan is leaving during a busy time for the Navy. It has three aircraft carriers deployed in or heading to the Middle East, while the Trump administration says all the armed forces are poised to resume combat operations against Iran should the ceasefire expire.The Navy also has maintained a heavy presence in the Caribbean, where it has been part of a campaign of strikes against alleged drug boats. It also played a major role in the capture of Venezuelan leader NicolΓ‘s Maduro in January.New acting Navy secretary ran unsuccessful bids for CongressTaking over as acting secretary is Cao, who ran a failed U.S. Senate bid in Virginia to try to unseat Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine in 2024. He had Trumpβs endorsement in the crowded Republican primary and gave a speech at the 2024 Republican National Convention.Cao's biography includes fleeing Vietnam with his family as a child in the 1970s. In a campaign video for his Senate bid, he compared Vietnamβs communist regime during the Cold War to the administration of Democratic President Joe Biden.During his one debate with Kaine, Cao criticized COVID-19 vaccine mandates for service members as well as the militaryβs diversity, equity and inclusion efforts.βWhen youβre using a drag queen to recruit for the Navy, thatβs not the people we want,β Cao said from the debate stage. βWhat we need is alpha males and alpha females who are going to rip out their own guts, eat them and ask for seconds. Those are the young men and women that are going to win wars.βTrump and Hegseth have railed against DEI in the military, banning the efforts and firing people accused of supporting such programs.When he ran for Congress in Virginia in 2022, Cao expressed opposition to aid for Ukraine during a debate against his Democratic opponent.βMy heart goes out to the Ukrainian people. ... But right now weβre borrowing $55 billion from China to pay for the war in Ukraine. Not only that, weβre depleting our national strategic reserves,β Cao said.Cao graduated from the prestigious Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Alexandria, Virginia, before attending the U.S. Naval Academy.He was commissioned as a special operations officer and went on to serve with SEAL teams and special forces in Iraq, Afghanistan and Somalia before retiring at the rank of captain, according to his Senate campaign biography.Cao also earned a master's degree in physics and had fellowships at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University.Since becoming Navy undersecretary, Cao has championed returning to duty service members that refused a Biden-era mandate to take the COVID-19 vaccine.___Associated Press writer Michelle L. Price contributed to this report.
DALLAS (AP) β Texas can require the Ten Commandments to be displayed in public schools, a U.S. appeals court ruled Tuesday in a victory for conservatives who have long sought to incorporate more religion into classrooms.The 9-8 decision by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals delivered a boost to backers of similar laws in Arkansas and Louisiana. Opponents have argued that hanging the Ten Commandments in classrooms proselytizes to students and amounts to religious indoctrination by the government.In a lengthy majority opinion, the conservative-leaning appeals court in New Orleans rejected those arguments in Texas, saying the requirement does not step on the rights of parents or students.βNo child is made to recite the Commandments, believe them, or affirm their divine origin,β the ruling says.The American Civil Liberties Union and other groups that challenged the Texas law on behalf of parents said in a statement that they anticipate appealing the ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court.βThe First Amendment safeguards the separation of church and state, and the freedom of families to choose how, when and if to provide their children with religious instruction. This decision tramples those rights,β they said in the statement.The mandate is one of several fronts in Texas that opponents have fought over religion in classrooms. In 2024, the state approved optional Bible-infused curriculum for elementary schools, and a proposal set for a vote in June would add Bible stories to required reading lists in Texas classrooms.The decision over the Ten Commandments law reverses a lower federal court ruling that had blocked about a dozen Texas school districts β including some of the state's largest β from putting up the posters. The Texas law signed by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott took effect in September, marking the largest attempt in the nation to hang the Ten Commandments in public schools.From the start, the law was met almost immediately by a mix of embrace and hesitation in Texas classrooms that educate the state's 5.5 million public school students.The mandate animated school board meetings, spun up guidance about what to say when students ask questions, and led to boxes of donated posters being dropped on the doorsteps of campuses statewide. Although the law only requires schools to hang the posters if donated, one suburban Dallas school district spent nearly $1,800 to print roughly 5,000 posters.Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican, called the ruling βa major victory for Texas and our moral values.ββThe Ten Commandments have had a profound impact on our nation, and itβs important that students learn from them every single day,β he said.Tuesday's ruling comes after the appeals court heard arguments in January in the Texas case and a similar case in Louisiana. In February, the court cleared the way for Louisiana to enforce its law requiring the display of the Ten Commandments in classrooms.Republican Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill said the Texas ruling βadopted our entire legal defenseβ of the law in her state. In Alabama, Republican Gov. Kay Ivey also signed a similar law earlier this month.βOur law clearly was always constitutional, and I am grateful that the Fifth Circuit has now definitively agreed with us," Murrill said in a statement posted to social media.Judge Stephen A. Higginson, in a dissenting opinion joined by four others on the court, wrote that the framers of the Constitution βintended disestablishment of religion, above all to prevent large religious sects from using political power to impose their religion on others.ββYet Texas, like Louisiana, seeks to do just that, legislating that specific, politically chosen scripture be installed in every public-school classroom,β Higginson wrote.The law says schools must put donated posters βin a conspicuous placeβ and requires the writing to be a size and typeface that is visible from anywhere in a classroom to a person with βaverage vision.β The displays must also be 16 inches wide and 20 inches tall (40 centimeters wide and 50 centimeters tall).Texasβ law easily passed the GOP-controlled Legislature and Republicans, including President Donald Trump, have backed posting the Ten Commandments in classrooms.___Associated Press writer Audrey McAvoy contributed to this report from Honolulu, Hawaii.
MEXICO CITY (AP) β The gunman who opened fire on tourists at Mexicoβs iconic Teotihuacan pyramids carried materials that were apparently related to the 1999 shooting at Columbine High School, authorities said Tuesday, a day after the attack that killed a Canadian woman and left at least 13 people injured.Although officials did not mention Columbine by name, they referred to several books and handwritten notes that belonged to the gunman and referenced attacks in the United States in April 1999. Monday was the 27th anniversary of the massacre in Colorado.Among the gunman's belongings was a photo modified by artificial intelligence showing him alongside the Columbine attackers, according to a state official who spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because the official was not authorized to address the media.Seven people were wounded by gunshots at the archaeological site north of the Mexican capital, the local government said. The nature of the other injuries was not disclosed, but some people fell when the shooting started, including some who were climbing on the pyramids.The assailant, who acted alone, shot and killed himself, authorities said, and security officials found a gun, a knife and ammunition at the scene.Attack came before World Cup tournamentThe attack happened less than two months before Mexico co-hosts the 2026 FIFA World Cup soccer tournament. Mexico's security secretary, Omar GarcΓa Harfuch, said major tourist destinations would see a heightened presence of both ground forces and digital βcyber patrolsβ to prevent threats.βYesterdayβs attack highlights the urgent need to strengthen our security protocols,β Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said. She also noted the importance of analyzing βexternal influencesβ that may provoke such violence within the country.While such attacks are uncommon in Latin America, they are not unheard of. Earlier this month, Argentine authorities linked a teenager to the βtrue crime communityβ after the teen killed one student and wounded eight others at a school in the central province of Santa Fe. The community is an online subculture that emerged from forums established after the Columbine massacre to discuss and, in some cases, glorify such violence.Taken to hospitals after the Mexico attack were six people from the U.S., three from Colombia, one from Russia, one from Brazil, one from the Netherlands and one from Canada, the local government said. The youngest person who was hurt was 6; the oldest was 61, Mexican authorities said.Shooter scouted tourist site ahead of attackAuthorities identified the attacker as 27-year-old Julio CΓ©sar Jasso RamΓrez, a native of Guerrero, Mexico, who, they said, arrived in Teotihuacan a day earlier in an Uber and stayed in a hotel.Then on Monday shortly before noon, while atop the Pyramid of the Moon, he began firing at tourists with an old revolver while holding a plastic bag containing 52 .38-caliber cartridges in his other hand, said JosΓ© Luis Cervantes MartΓnez, the attorney general of the state of Mexico, which includes Teotihuacan.From the summit of the pyramid, the attacker opened fire on tourists and targeted approaching security forces. Some people threw themselves to the ground and lay motionless to avoid detection. Others fled down the structure as gunshots echoed, Cervantes MartΓnez said.National Guard members eventually scaled the pyramid and wounded the attacker in the leg. Witnesses said the gunman shot and killed himself once he felt cornered, according to Cervantes MartΓnez.The assailant carried a tactical-style backpack containing an analog cellphone and bus tickets, Cervantes MartΓnez said.The attorney general also noted the presence of βliterature, images and manuscripts" that related to "violent incidents known to have occurred in the United States in April 1999,β a likely reference to the Columbine attack in which 12 students and a teacher were killed.Investigators built "a psychopathic profile" of the suspect that was "characterized by a tendency to copy situations that occurred in other places, at other times and involving other figures,ββ he added.Greg Magadini, of Boise, Idaho, was with a tour group on top of the pyramid when he heard a loud crack followed by screaming. The gunman was about 40 feet (12 meters) away on the same platform with roughly 60 tourists, he said.Magadini jumped down a ledge and scrambled for cover while two of his friends stayed on the platform above trying to hide.Witnesses said everyone was a targetShots seemed to ring out every five seconds, Magadini said, as he and the others jumped down more ledges to reach the ground. Then they ran through a field behind the pyramid, carrying one of his friends who badly injured her ankle on one of the jumps.Magadini, who came away with scrapes and cuts, said he did not see the shooter, but his friends said the gunman seemed to fire randomly in all directions. βEveryone was a target,β he said.Later at the hospital, they talked with other tourists, who said the shooter at one point played strange music and taunted them, saying he hated tourists, Magadini said.The Teotihuacan pyramids, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, are a series of ancient structures on the outskirts of Mexico City. As one of Mexicoβs most popular tourist destinations, the site drew more than 1.8 million international visitors last year, according to government figures.Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney offered condolences to the family and friends of the Canadian tourist who was killed. He said Canadian authorities were working with those in Mexico.βItβs a terrible circumstance,β Carney said.___Associated Press writers Megan Janetsky and and Fabiola SΓ‘nchez in Mexico City and John Seewer in Toledo, Ohio, contributed to this report.___Follow APβs coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america
A man who previously had the assault-style gun used to kill eight children in Louisiana told investigators he believes Shamar Elkins stole it from his truck in the weeks before the rampage in a Shreveport neighborhood, according to court documents released Tuesday.Charles Ford told investigators he suspected Elkins, who was the father of seven of the children killed, because he was one of the few people to ride with him, according to a criminal complaint filed in Louisiana federal court. Ford allegedly said it was around March 9 when he noticed the gun was missing.Ford said he confronted Elkins about the missing weapon. But when Elikns became βoffensive," Ford "let it go," according to a court affidavit filed Tuesday.The affidavit is in support of federal charges that accuse Ford of being a felon in possession of a firearm and making a false statement to federal agents. He originally denied having the gun when first approached by investigators after the shooting Sunday, according court records.βElkinsβ death means that our community will never see him face justice,β U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Keller said in a statement. βOur hope, as we continue to investigate and prosecute this case alongside our law enforcement partners, is that holding the person whose gun Elkins used to perpetrate the crime accountable will give some small bit of solace to our Shreveport community.βFord does not currently have an appointed legal representative and is expected to receive a federal public defender, according to federal court records.An attorney who previously represented Ford could not immediately be reached for comment. Efforts to reach family members of Ford could not be immediately contacted at other phone numbers associated with him.Elkins died after fleeing and a police pursuit. It was not clear whether he was killed by officers who fired or from a self-inflicted gunshot, according to police.Elkins' wife and another woman were also shot and wounded in the rampage, which unfolded across two houses before dawn.Officials said the children who died β three boys and five girls β ranged in age from 3 to 11 years old.Elkins plead guilty in 2019 to a felony of illegal use of weapons, according to court documents. As a result, a Caddo Parish district judge sentenced Elkins to 18 months of supervised probation, and Elkins turned his handgun into police as a condition of probation, court filings show.Under Louisiana law, a person convicted of certain violent felonies β including illegal use of weapons β are banned from having a gun for at least 10 years after completing their sentence and probation.Officials have not addressed whether Elkins was legally prohibited from having a weapon.The tragedy in Louisiana is one of the nationβs deadliest mass shootings in recent years.βFamilies should be able to feel safe at home, but this tragedy shows how gun violence can shatter lives in an instant,β said Lindsay Nichols, policy director for Giffords Law Center, which is an organization that aims to curb gun violence.For years, advocates for stronger gun control have sought to tighten Louisiana's loose firearm regulations. Democrats routinely propose red flag laws, but Republicans in the reliably red state block the measures.
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) β Ukraine has completed repairs on a damaged oil pipeline and is preparing to resume flows, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Tuesday, while warning that there is no guarantee Russia will not target the infrastructure again.Repairs to the Druzhba pipeline became a contentious issue, delaying approval of a major 90 billion euro ($106 billion) EU loan intended to support Ukraineβs military and economic needs over the next two years. Zelenskyy said repairing the pipeline was linked to freeing the funds, which had been blocked by Hungary and Slovakia.But top EU officials are now cautiously optimistic that the massive loan scheme might be approved as soon as Wednesday, ending months of political deadlock.βUkraine has completed repair work on the section of the Druzhba oil pipeline that was damaged by a Russian strike. The pipeline can resume operation,β Zelenskyy said in a post on X. βAlthough no one can currently guarantee that Russia will not repeat attacks on the pipeline infrastructure, our specialists have ensured the basic conditions for restoring the operation of the pipeline system and equipment.ββWe connect this with the unblocking of the European support package for Ukraine, which had already been approved by the European Council,β he added.Russian oil supplies to Hungary and Slovakia have been halted for two months after what Ukrainian officials say were Russian drone attacks that damaged the pipeline, which crosses Ukrainian territory, and that continuous strikes risk the lives of technicians trying to repair it.The war in Ukraine that began in February 2022 with Russia's invasion of Ukraine has killed thousands, forced millions to flee their homes and turned cities into rubble.Before being unseated by centrist challenger PΓ©ter Magyar, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor OrbΓ‘n had threatened to cut gas supplies to Ukraine. Both Hungary and Slovakia accused Kyiv of deliberately obstructing Russian deliveries.Zelenskyy said earlier this month he is reluctant to allow Russian oil to continue transiting through his country.Speaking to reporters in Luxembourg after chairing a meeting of EU foreign ministers, the bloc's foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the loan saga had taken many twists and turns. βWe expect an agreement in 24 hours, so I donβt want to jinx it,β she said.EU envoys are due to meet Wednesday in hopes of ending the standoff.European Council President Antonio Costa, who will chair a summit of EU leaders starting Thursday, took to social media to thank Zelenskyy βfor delivering, as agreed: repairing the Druzhba pipeline and restoring its operation.βThe 27-nation EU had originally intended to use Russian assets frozen in Europe as collateral for the loan. But that option was blocked by Belgium, where the bulk of the frozen assets are held.In December, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia agreed not to stop their EU partners from borrowing the money on international markets as long as the three countries did not have to take part in the scheme.But OrbΓ‘n angered the other 24 countries by later reneging on that deal over the pipeline dispute and as campaigning heated up ahead of elections earlier this month, which the veteran Hungarian leader lost in a landslide.___Follow APβs coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
