The US Senate has voted against calling witnesses in Donald Trump's impeachment trial - effectively moving the process towards its conclusion.
There had been a fresh push for witnesses in recent days following claims from Mr Trump's former national security adviser John Bolton.
According to the New York Times, Mr Bolton's unpublished book alleges that Mr Trump said he would freeze aid to Ukraine until officials helped with investigations into Democrats.
While Mr Trump is widely expected to be acquitted by the Republican-controlled Senate, it had been unclear whether Democrats would succeed in their efforts to call more witnesses to testify in the trial before it winds up.
Democrats would have needed four Republican votes to get them over the 50-vote mark to approve the calling of witnesses.
However, key Republicans ruled out the prospect on Thursday and Friday - with only 49 senators supporting the move in the eventual vote on Friday evening.
Only two Republican senators broke party ranks to back the call for witnesses - Susan Collins and Mitt Romney.
The vote drew swift criticism from prominent Democrats, with Bernie Sanders calling it a "sad day in American history".
By a vote of 51 to 49, the Senate refused to subpoena witnesses in this impeachment trial.
I've never heard of a trial where you don't have witnesses.
This is a sad day in American history.— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) January 31, 2020
"Inappropriate"
Tennessee Senator Lamar Alexander ruled out the prospect of witnesses on Thursday night - while acknowledging that Mr Trump's actions were "inappropriate".
It was inappropriate for the president to ask a foreign leader to investigate his political opponent and to withhold United States aid to encourage that investigation. 5/15
— Lamar Alexander (@SenAlexander) January 31, 2020
He argued: "There is no need for more evidence to prove something that has already been proven and that does not meet the United States Constitution’s high bar for an impeachable offense.
"The Constitution does not give the Senate the power to remove the president from office and ban him from this year’s ballot simply for actions that are inappropriate."
'No fair trial'
Alaska's Lisa Murkowski, meanwhile, said she had decided there would be "no fair trial" in the Senate.
"The House chose to send articles of impeachment that are rushed and flawed.
"I carefully considered the need for additional witnesses and documents, to cure the shortcomings of its process, but ultimately decided that I will vote against considering motions to subpoena."
She added that she believed the current situation represented "a low point of division in this country".
Florida's Marco Rubio argued: "Even if everything the House has alleged is accepted as true... removing the president is not a last resort... we have an election in November, which is a far better and a lot less damaging remedy.
"Removing the president would, in my opinion, inflict extraordinary trauma on our nation - which is already deeply divided and polarised."
Senator Rob Portman also claimed some of the president's actions were "wrong and inappropriate", but suggested they did not rise to the level of removing him from office.
US journalists reported on Friday that the trial could now conclude with a vote to acquit Mr Trump on Wednesday, following a weekend recess.
That would mean the trial would not be wrapped up before Mr Trump's annual State of the Union address to the two houses of Congress, which is set to take place on Tuesday.
The impeachment trial began after the House of Representatives charged Mr Trump with abuse of power and obstruction of Congress - charges he has repeatedly denied.
The US president has been accused of attempting to pressure Ukraine into investigating a political rival - Democrat Joe Biden - by withholding military aid.
