NPR Staff

House impeachment managers released their formal response to the summons sent by the Senate last week, a procedural part of the impeachment process ahead of the trial that begins on Tuesday.

"President Trump's conduct is the Framers' worst nightmare," they said in the brief released Saturday.

The White House released its formal response to the summons sent by the Senate last week, a procedural part of the impeachment process ahead of the trial that begins on Tuesday.

"The articles of impeachment submitted by House Democrats are a dangerous attack on the right of the American people to freely choose their president," the White House's response says. "This is a brazen and unlawful attempt to overturn the results of the 2016 election and interfere with the 2020 election."

News organizations and journalists' advocates are challenging restrictive new ground rules for reporters assigned to cover the Senate impeachment trial.

Correspondents who submit to an official credentialing process are granted broad access throughout the Capitol complex and usually encounter few restrictions in talking with members of Congress or others.

But now Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Michael Stenger has imposed new requirements for the impeachment trial, negotiated in part with Republican leadership:

Congress is taking additional steps to prepare for the upcoming Senate impeachment trial. The newly appointed House impeachment managers, who will present the case for impeachment, are reading the articles in the Senate chamber. Senators are also being sworn in as jurors.

An important federal watchdog released a report on Thursday concluding President Trump's actions in the Ukraine affair broken a budget law.

House Democrats impeached Trump in part because they said he abused his power in freezing military aid that Congress had allocated to help Ukraine in its war against Russia. Trump asked Ukraine's president to conduct an investigation into former Vice President Joe Biden, a potential rival for the 2020 election.

We don't have a crystal ball, but as journalists covering global health and development, we have a pretty good nose for emerging trends (with some help from our favorite expert sources).

Some likely trends give cause for optimism — signs of progress in solving the world's problems. Other trends are pessimistic — threats and challenges that are expected to worsen in the year ahead.

Here are 11 trend lines we'll be watching in 2020. First we'll give you the bad news — then the hopeful predictions.

Candidates Pressed On Judicial Appointments

One of President Trump’s biggest legacies will be the stamp he has put on the federal judiciary. He recently passed the milestone of having appointed a quarter of appeals court judges.

The House Judiciary Committee unveiled its report on President Trump's impeachment late Sunday, one that combines the views of majority Democrats and minority Republicans.

Chairman Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., said the release of the report summarizing the cases for and against action was "customary" and followed the practices of the committee in the administrations of former Presidents Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton.

Updated at 11:43 a.m. ET

House Democrats announced Tuesday that they will bring two articles of impeachment against President Trump: abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.

"President Trump has acted in a manner contrary to his trust as President and subversive of constitutional government, to the great prejudice of the cause of law and justice, and to the manifest injury of the people of the United States," the resolution reads.

The Justice Department's inspector general released his report on Monday examining authorities' use of their surveillance powers in the Russia investigation.

Inspector General Michael Horowitz has been looking into early phases of the Russia inquiry for several months following questions raised by President Trump, Attorney General William Barr and others about how it was conducted.

Just in time for the holidays, the NPR Book Concierge is once again available to help guide you to the "best of" what's out there for you and yours to read. This year, readers will find over 100 instances of Member station coverage in the 2019 guide. In total, 300+ titles are showcased from NPR staff and trusted critics.

Buttigieg, Gabbard Clash Over Foreign Policy

The House Intelligence Committee has released the transcript of the closed-door deposition at the impeachment inquiry into President Trump by a foreign service officer detailed to work in the office of Vice President Pence.

Jennifer Williams was assigned to Pence's team in the spring to work on European and Russian issues. She was the first person from his office to testify in the inquiry into whether Trump withheld military aid from Ukraine while seeking a political favor. Trump denies he made such an offer.