Donald Trump's impeachment trial to be paused for Sabbath

The impeachment trial for the former US President Donald Trump will be paused from Friday evening to Saturday evening, the US Senate has announced.

This decision was taken after one of Trump's attorney who observes the Jewish Sabbath had requested the Senate to allow him to practice the ritual and pause the trial.

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Trump's attorney, David Schoen, had sent a letter to top US Senators and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer on Tuesday requesting the impeachment proceedings to be paused during the Sabbath, which will last from Friday to Saturday evening.

"I apologize for the inconvenience my request that impeachment proceedings not be conducted during the Jewish Sabbath undoubtedly will cause other people involved in the proceedings," Schoen said in the letter obtained by The New York Times. "The practices and prohibitions are mandatory for me, however; so, respectfully, I have no choice but to make this request."

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"We respect their request and of course will accommodate it," Chuck Schumer's spokesman Justin Goodman said a few days after the request was made.

However, this has also raised questions on the timeframe of the impeachment trial, which is due to begin on Tuesday. This one day delay has brought questions about how long will it take to finish the much-awaited trial.

Meanwhile, Trump's lawyers and a few other Republican senators are also challenging the constitutionality of the trial as they argue that since Trump has left the office, he cannot be removed now.