A US appeals court suspended a ban on publically-funded embryonic stem cell research to give the judge more time to consider the case.
"Upon consideration of the emergency motion for stay pending appeal... and it is ordered that the district court's 23 August 2010, order be stayed pending further order of the court," the Washington federal appeals court said.
US district court judge Royce Lamberth ordered a temporary halt to federal funding of embryonic stem cell research, which President Barack Obama had authorised, saying it involved the destruction of human embryos.
Lamberth ruled in favour of a coalition of groups, including several Christian organisations, which had sought a temporary injunction on funding of the research ahead of a planned lawsuit. (Sapa, September 2010)
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