Govt asks top court to halt foreign aid payments

President Donald Trump's administration asked the US Supreme Court on Tuesday to intervene in its efforts to withhold billions of dollars from foreign aid organisations and lift an injunction that is forcing it to keep making payments.

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The US Department of Justice in an emergency filing with the 6-3 conservative majority court noted that a 2-1 panel of the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit earlier this month ruled the injunction should be overturned.

Despite that ruling, the injunction issued by Washington-based US District Judge Amir Ali remains in effect, after the full federal appeals court last week declined to put it on hold. Judge Ali rejected a similar request on Monday.