A United States appeals court has ruled that President Donald Trump can proceed with efforts to slash foreign aid payments, despite such funds being designated by Congress.

The two-to-one ruling on Wednesday overturned a previous injunction that required the Department of State to resume the payments, including about $4bn for the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and $6bn for HIV and AIDS programmes.

But the majority opinion from the appeals court did not weigh the merits of whether Trump could nix congressionally approved funds.

Instead, it decided the case based on the idea that the plaintiffs did not meet the legal basis to qualify for a court injunction.

Writing for the majority, Circuit Judge Karen Henderson said the groups in question “lack a cause of action to pr

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