Reprieve for US stem cell funding

An appeals court in the United States suspended a ban imposed last month on federally-funded research involving embryonic stem cells. The court in Washington placed a temporary stay on an earlier decision by US District Judge Royce Lamberth. Judge Lamberth had ruled that the research violated US law because it involved destroying human embryos.

President Obama lifted a ban on federal funding for stem cell research in March. Critics say the ban, which was kept in place by Mr Obama's predecessor, George W Bush, impeded the fight to find treatments for diseases like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and diabetes.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) issued a statement saying it was resuming its stem cell research program, which includes evaluating applications from external scientists wishing to receive public funding for their research.