US orders halt to virtually all foreign aid except for Israel and Egypt

Internal memo to US state department staff explicitly makes exceptions for military assistance to Israel and Egypt

The secretary of state, Marco Rubio, has ordered a halt to virtually all US foreign aid, but made an exception for funding to Israel and Egypt, according to an internal memo to staff at the US state department.

No new funds shall be obligated for new awards or extensions of existing awards until each proposed new award or extension has been reviewed and approved ... as consistent with President Trump's agenda," said the memo.