US secretary of state Marco Rubio has ordered an immediate halt to work on virtually all existing foreign aid programmes pending a review into whether they are consistent with President Donald Trump’s policies, according to an internal cable seen by the Financial Times.

Exemptions include humanitarian assistance such as core life-saving medicine, medical services, food, shelter and subsistence assistance

Health and humanitarian groups around the world were still uncertain on January 29 if and how they could resume work after the United States issued a waiver for “life-saving” assistance in President Donald Trump’s freeze on U.S. foreign aid.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced exemptions in the freeze on foreign assistance, continuing funding for humanitarian items like shelter and medicine. President Trump had ordered a 90-day pause on assistance.

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Says “humanitarian assistance” besides food to also be exempt during 90-day review period; Trump orders curbs on gender transitions for minors.

Health and humanitarian groups around the world were still uncertain on Wednesday if and how they could resume work after the United States issued a waiver for "life-saving" assistance in President Donald Trump's freeze on U.

US President Donald Trump has ordered most foreign assistance to be halted for 90 days pending a review, causing alarm among aid agencies worldwide.View on euronews

After Donald Trump froze nearly all U.S. foreign aid last week, international projects on health, education, food, and all other humanitarian areas were placed in jeopardy.

In a follow-up memo after an outcry from aid groups, Rubio clarified that other “humanitarian assistance” besides food would also be exempt during the review period. Humanitarian assistance was defined as “core life-saving medicine, medical services, food, shelter and subsistence assistance”.

The United States froze virtually all foreign aid on Friday. Marco Rubio, the secretary of state, sent an internal memo days after Donald Trump took office vowing an “America First” policy of tightly restricted assistance overseas.

Despite a waiver by the Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, many development assistance and cooperation programmes are on hold. The US wants to reassess funding to see if they are in line with the new Tr