Everything to Know About the iPhone Xs’ New Camera Features
Posted: 12 Sep 2018 01:05 PM PDT
Apple’s new flagship smartphone, the iPhone Xs, has a handful of new camera features that mobile photographers will love — and one that might appall photography purists.
Here’s a snapshot of the most notable camera upgrades on the iPhone Xs:
Smart HDR
HDR, or “high dynamic range,” involves taking multiple photos at different exposures and blending them together to get a wider range of shadows and highlights than would normally be possible in a single photograph. Done well, it can help produce some stunning images — but when abused, the results can be downright garish.
The iPhone has long had an option for HDR photos. But Apple’s new iPhone Xs offers a new feature called “Smart HDR,” which the company says intelligently combines differently-exposed frames into a single image. The advertised result: Better photos with minimal work on the photographer’s part.
No Shutter Lag
iPhones and other smartphones have long suffered from a distinct lag between the time you hit the shutter button and the moment a photograph is actually recorded. The iPhone Xs circumvents that problem with a clever solution: Just like The Hulk is always angry, the iPhone Xs’ camera app is always shooting images — when it’s open, of course. Those images get sent to a buffer then instantly deleted — unless you tap the shutter, in which case they’re saved.
Depth-of-Field (“Bokeh”) Control
This’ll be the most controversial feature on the new iPhone among some photographers.
With traditional cameras, photographers select an aperture — how wide the shutter opens — before making an image. The wider the aperture, the thinner the plane of focus, helping photographers keep a subject pin-sharp while throwing the background out of focus to produce that pleasing “bokeh” effect. But photographers typically have to make this creative choice before hitting the shutter. Once you make an image, there’s no going back to change the aperture, and thus the depth of field, after the fact.
But with the iPhone Xs, users can change the depth of field of their images after they’re recorded. This is possible because the iPhone’s background blur is digitally created by software, not by the width of a physical shutter.
Many users will find this handy and fun to play around with (it’s also reminiscent of what camera maker Lytro was trying to do.) But photography purists may scoff at the idea that this particular creative choice is moving from before-the-fact to after-the-fact. Still, that’s true of lots of other decisions in photography. In film’s heyday, for instance, shutterbugs were pretty much locked into their choice of color or black-and-white, whereas many photographers now happily switch between the two in their editing software of choice depending on whatever looks better. So the purists will probably just have to get over it.
OLED Screen
While it’s not strictly a photography feature, the iPhone Xs’ 5.8-inch OLED screen should serve as a great viewfinder and way to view your images. That’s doubly true for the iPhone Xs Max and its 6.5-inch monster of a screen.
New iPhones and More: Here’s Everything Apple Just Announced
Posted: 12 Sep 2018 12:27 PM PDT
Apple on Wednesday introduced a trio of new iPhones and an upgraded, health-focused Apple Watch.
If you missed the big event, here’s a quick recap of Apple’s new gadgets and their most notable features.
iPhone Xs
The biggest news of the day was the iPhone Xs, Apple’s new flagship smartphone and successor to last year’s iPhone X.
Pronounced “iPhone Ten Ess,” the 5.8-inch iPhone Xs boasts a new OLED screen, Apple’s new A12 Bionic chip, and new camera software that lets users change the depth of field of their images after taking them. The new chip allows for faster processing speeds and other under-the-hood benefits.
The iPhone Xs will be available in gold, space gray and silver finishes and with 64GB, 256GB or 512GB of storage. It starts at $999; pre-orders start Friday.
iPhone Xs Max
Apple also dropped the iPhone Xs Max, the company’s biggest-yet smartphone. Unlike some of Apple’s previous larger smartphone variants, there’s not much notable about the iPhone Xs Max beyond the larger size — it’s basically an iPhone Xs embiggened to 6.5 inches. If you love watching TV or movies on your smartphone, or you’re often shooting photos or recording videos, this may be the model for you.
The iPhone Xs Max will be available in gold, space gray and silver finishes and with 64GB, 256GB or 512GB of storage. It starts at $1,099; pre-orders begin Friday.
iPhone XR
For those who don’t need the bells and whistles, there’s the iPhone XR, a pared-down 6.1-inch model with a less impressive LCD display and only a single rear-facing camera, limiting its photographic capabilities. Still, the screen is edge-to-edge and will look plenty nice to those upgrading from an older model. If you don’t care about having a top-of-the-line smartphone camera or the best display, the iPhone XR is a decent way to save some money — it even has the same A12 chip as the more expensive models.
The iPhone XR will be available in a variety of colors, including blue, yellow, red and more, and with 64GB, 128GB or 256GB of storage. It starts at $749; pre-orders begin Oct. 19.
Apple Watch Series 4
Apple’s foray into the wearable world received its first major design upgrade on Wednesday with the Apple Watch Series 4, a health-minded gadget with new perks for fitness fanatics.
Among the new Apple Watch’s standout features is its ability to record an electrocardiogram, or ECG, tracking the wearer’s heart health. That data can then be shared with medical professionals for their analysis. The Apple Watch Series 4 can also alert a user if their heart rate is low or otherwise abnormal, a sign of a potential health problem. Another new feature can detect if a user has fallen, and automatically call for help in the event the wearer is unresponsive after a fall.
The Apple Watch Series 4 ships on Sept. 14. It runs $399 and up for the standard version, and $499 and up for the model with on-board cellular connectivity.
Apple Unveils iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max and Cheaper iPhone XR
Posted: 12 Sep 2018 11:42 AM PDT
Apple on Wednesday unveiled a trio of new iPhone models, ranging from two high-end designs to a more affordable entry-level device.
The two higher-end iPhone models, named the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max, feature more advanced screens using what’s called OLED technology. They will be available in gold, silver and space gray finishes. The iPhone XS has a 5.8-inch display, while the iPhone XS Max has a 6.5-inch display. The iPhone XS runs on Apple’s new A12 Bionic processor, helping apps launch faster and providing other under-the-hood benefits. Both models have two rear-facing 12-megapixel cameras, one wide-angle and the other telephoto.
The new iPhone XS models will be available with up to 512GB of storage, the most ever in an iPhone.
A new photography feature will let iPhone XS uses take a photograph, then later select the amount of background blur, or “bokeh,” they want in the image.
The battery in the iPhone XS will last 30 minutes longer than that of the iPhone X, Apple marketing boss Phil Schiller said Wednesday. The XS Max will last 90 minutes longer.
The more affordable model, the iPhone XR, has an LCD display, which are often less impressive than OLED screens. Still, the iPhone XR’s screen, which Apple calls “Liquid Retina,” is also an edge-to-edge design. Instead of 3D Touch, the iPhone XR has “haptic touch,” which offers a similar feature-set without fingerprint scanning, which is replaced with FaceID as a means of unlocking the device. The iPhone XR has a single rear-facing 12-megapixel camera. It has 90 minutes more battery life than the iPhone 8, Schiller said.
Interestingly, the cheaper iPhone XR has the A12 Bionic chip, the same processor as the more expensive iPhone XS models.
All three phones are based on the design of last year’s iPhone X, Apple’s first smartphone with an edge-to-edge screen and other design improvements.
By introducing pricey iPhone XS models alongside a cheaper entry-level model, Apple may risk cannibalizing the sales of its more expensive, and therefore likely more profitable device. But the Cupertino, Calif. tech giant could also be wagering that the higher-end iPhone XS could be seen as a status symbol, and thus attract more affluent buyers.
The iPhone XS begins at $999, while the iPhone XS Max starts at $1,099. Pre-orders begin Friday and shipments start Sept. 21. The iPhone XR will be $749 and up, and begins shipping Oct. 26.
Apple’s New Health-Focused Apple Watch Can Call for Help if You Fall Down
Posted: 12 Sep 2018 10:35 AM PDT
Apple on Wednesday introduced a new health-focused Apple Watch, called the Apple Watch Series 4, with a larger display and a thinner overall body.
“Everything about it has been redesigned and reengineered,” said Apple COO Jeff Williams.
The Apple Watch Series 4 has a handful of new watch faces to take advantage of the increase in screen real estate, including one with photos of users’ contacts that can be tapped to quickly make a call. Another face is based on Apple’s Breathe app, which guides users through a deep breathing exercise.
Thanks to a new accelerometer and gyroscope, the new Apple Watch can tell if a wearer falls. Upon detecting a fall, it will ask if the user needs help. If the Apple Watch doesn’t detect any movement for one minute, it will automatically send your location to emergency responders.
Along similar health-minded lines, the Apple Watch Series 4 can tell if your heart rate drops too low, or if you have an irregular heartbeat that may suggest atrial fibrillation. The new Apple Watch also allows users to take an electrocardiogram, or ECG. A built-in app can then check the results for potential problems, as well as record the data for users to share with medical experts.
“This is the first ECG product offered over-the-counter directly to consumers,” said Williams. The new Apple Watch has clearance from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Williams added.
Williams said the Series 4 was designed to better handle phone calls with a new speaker, microphone, and construction that lets radio waves more easily pass through the rear of the device.
The Apple Watch Series 4 has 18-hour “all-day battery life,” Williams said.
The new Apple Watch will be available in an array of stainless and aluminum options starting at $399 on Sept. 21, with pre-orders beginning Friday. An option with built-in cellular connectivity will run $499. The older Series 3 model will still be available, but at the cheaper price of $279.
The new Apple Watch may help the company capture more of the smartwatch market as we head into the typically lucrative holiday buying season. Apple has just under 20% of that market as of the second quarter, according to research firm IDC.
McDonald’s Workers Are Going on Strike Over Sexual Harassment
Posted: 12 Sep 2018 07:55 AM PDT
(NEW YORK) — Emboldened by the #MeToo movement, McDonald’s workers have voted to stage a one-day strike next week at restaurants in 10 cities in hopes of pressuring management to take stronger steps against on-the-job sexual harassment.
Organizers say it will be the first multistate strike in the U.S. specifically targeting sexual harassment.
Plans for the walkout — to start at lunchtime on Sept. 18 — have been approved in recent days by “women’s committees” formed by employees at dozens of McDonald’s restaurants across the U.S. Lead organizers include several women who filed complaints with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in May alleging pervasive harassment at some of McDonald’s franchise restaurants.
The strike comes as union-backed organizations have been putting pressure on McDonald’s on several fronts for better working conditions, including $15 an hour wages — at a burger chain that employs tens of thousands of people around the country, many of them at low pay.
Organizers said the strike would target multiple restaurants — but not every local McDonald’s — in each of the 10 cities: Chicago; Durham, North Carolina; Kansas City, Missouri; Los Angeles; Miami; Milwaukee; New Orleans; Orlando, Florida; San Francisco and St. Louis.
They said they could not predict with precision how many workers would join the strike, but noted that hundreds of workers had participated in the committee meetings at which the strike was planned.
McDonald’s, in an e-mail to The Associated Press, defended its anti-harassment efforts.
“We have policies, procedures and training in place that are specifically designed to prevent sexual harassment at our company and company-owned restaurants, and we firmly believe that our franchisees share this commitment,” the company said.
The company also disclosed a new initiative that will engage outside experts to work with the company to help “evolve” those policies and procedures. Some of the experts would come from an employment law training firm and an anti-sexual violence organization.
Labor lawyer Mary Joyce Carlson, who has been collaborating with women who filed the EEOC complaints, says the company needs to back up such gestures with tougher enforcement.
“We see no evidence there’s been any change at all,” she said. “Whatever policy they have is not effective.”
Organizers of the planned walkout say strikers will be demanding that the company improve procedures for receiving and responding to harassment complaints, and require anti-harassment training for managers and employees. Another demand will be formation of a national committee to address sexual harassment, comprised of workers, representatives from corporate and franchise stores, and leaders of national women’s groups.
Carlson is an attorney for Fight for $15, a national movement seeking to increase the minimum wage to $15 an hour. She said McDonald’s has successfully resisted efforts to unionize its employees, and suggested that workers’ anger related to sexual harassment might fuel broader efforts to gain better working conditions.
Among the strike organizers is Tanya Harrell, 22, of New Orleans, who filed a complaint with the EEOC in May alleging that her two managers at a local McDonald’s teased her, but otherwise took no action after she told them of sustained verbal and physical harassment by a co-worker. Harrell, who makes $8.15 an hour, said she and many of her colleagues were skeptical of the company’s commitment to combating harassment.
“They want people to think they care, but they don’t care,” she said. “They could do a way more better job.”
Another organizer is Kim Lawson, 25, of Kansas City, who also filed an EEOC complaint alleging that managers responded ineffectively when she reported sexual harassment by a co-worker.
Lawson, who has a 4-year-old daughter, says she makes $9 an hour. She is heartened by strong support from other workers for the planned walkout.
“Everybody’s been brave about it,” she said. “It’s time to stand up for what we believe in.”
Thus far, the nearly year-old #MeToo movement has not triggered a strike targeting a specific U.S. company. Last March, on International Women’s Day, there were broad-based calls for women to stay away from work in several countries, notably in Western Europe.
Annelise Orleck, a history professor at Dartmouth College who has written about low-wage workers, said she knows of only one precedent in the United States to the planned McDonald’s walkout.
In 1912, she said, several hundred garment workers at a corset factory in Kalamazoo, Michigan, walked off the job in a strike prompted by pervasive sexual harassment, as well as other poor working conditions. The strikers did not win all of their demands, but succeeded in winning public support and drawing attention to workplace abuses.
Here’s How to Watch Apple’s iPhone Event Live Today
Posted: 12 Sep 2018 07:09 AM PDT
Apple is hosting an event at its Cupertino, Calif. headquarters Wednesday, during which it’s likely to introduce a handful of new iPhones and, possibly, a bevy of other gadgets.
The event begins at 10 a.m. PT / 1 p.m. ET. Apple is streaming it live on its website, which you can view here. Apple recently abandoned its habit of making its event livestreams viewable only on its own Safari browser, so you should be able to load that stream on alternatives like Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge.
Apple is also livestreaming the iPhone event on Twitter. Keep an eye on Apple’s Twitter account for more details:
Join us September 12 at 10 a.m. PDT to watch the #AppleEvent live on Twitter. Tap ❤️ below and we’ll send you updates on event day. pic.twitter.com/i9mGHTKhvu
— Apple (@Apple) September 10, 2018
While nothing’s official until the event begins, Apple is rumored to be introducing two new high-end iPhones, the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max, and a cheaper entry-level device, the iPhone XR. Apple may also unveil a new Apple Watch, a new entry-level MacBook laptop, and more.
Saturday, September 15, 2018
iPhone Xs vs. iPhone Xs Max vs. iPhone Xr: Which New Apple Smartphone Is Right for You? - TIME
iPhone Xs vs. iPhone Xs Max vs. iPhone Xr: Which New Apple Smartphone Is Right for You?
Posted: 13 Sep 2018 08:51 AM PDT
Apple on Wednesday dropped not one, not two, but three new versions of the iPhone, undoubtedly leaving some people wondering: Which iPhone is right for me?
Complicating matters are the difficult-to-parse naming conventions: There’s the iPhone Xs (pronounced “ten-ess”), the iPhone Xs Max, and the iPhone Xr (pronounced “ten are”). Unfortunately, those names don’t really offer any insights into which phone does what.
Confused? No sweat. Here’s a quick guide that can help you decide which iPhone, if any, is your best bet. Note that we haven’t had extended time to use the devices yet, so this is based purely on Apple’s advertised specs. Also remember that just because new iPhones exist doesn’t mean you need to upgrade right away — many older models will still receive Apple’s upcoming iOS 12 software upgrade, and if you’re happy with your device, you might as well save the money.
iPhone Xs
Summary: The iPhone Xs is Apple’s new flagship smartphone, meaning it’s the cream of the crop. It’s got a gorgeous 5.8-inch, edge-to-edge OLED display, a dual-lens camera system with both wide and telephoto optics, and Apple’s latest and greatest A12 Bionic processor. But the iPhone Xs isn’t cheap, starting at $999 and going as high as $1,349 for the version with a (kind of ridiculous) 512GB of onboard storage.
Reason to Buy: If having the best screen technology around and a top-of-the-line camera is important to you, go for the iPhone Xs. But you could also super-size your order by going with the…
iPhone Xs Max
Summary: The iPhone Xs Max is pretty much just an embiggened iPhone Xs, measuring up at a monstrous 6.5 inches. That kind of screen size, in combination with the OLED display, is going to make the iPhone Xs Max the perfect choice for people who use their iPhone to watch a lot of TV shows or movies, or do a ton of photography or videography. But just like getting the bigger popcorn at the movies, you’ll pay even more for the extra size: the iPhone Xs Max starts at an eye-popping $1,099 and goes all the way up to $1,449 for the 512GB version, a price point that rivals that of Apple’s high-end MacBook Pro laptops.
Reason to Buy: If you want the latest-and-greatest, but with a humongous screen. Again, this’ll be a phone that appeals to photo and video buffs. But it’s wise to get your hands on the iPhone Xs Max at an Apple Store or other location before committing to something this big and expensive — you might find that, thanks to the edge-to-edge display, the iPhone Xs is perfectly big enough.
iPhone Xr
Summary: At $749 and up, the iPhone Xr is by no means “cheap.” But it’s certainly the most affordable of Apple’s newest iPhone options. There are compromises, of course: Instead of the iPhone Xs’ OLED screen, you get a less impressive, but still perfectly capable, LCD display. The camera system, meanwhile, only uses a single lens, limiting its photographic capabilities. Interestingly, however, the iPhone Xr uses the same A12 Bionic processor found in the more expensive phones, so you’re not sacrificing anything in terms of under-the-hood specs. It’s also only available in a single 6.1 inch size, putting it between the iPhone Xs and iPhone Xs Max. But that’s a nice, middle-of-the-road size that most people will probably like — and the array of color options available make it an eye-catching choice.
Reason to Buy: Of the three, this is the iPhone I would recommend to most people. OLED screens are incredibly nice, but far from a necessity. The camera will be totally fine for everyday use. And the fact that it uses the same processor as the more expensive phones means you’re not sacrificing anything in terms of performance. Unless you’re the type of person who wants the top-of-the-line gear (or you want an utterly humongous display), the iPhone Xr is probably the right choice for you.
FEMA to test 'Presidential Alert' system next week - MSNBC News
FEMA to test 'Presidential Alert' system next week
Experts expressed little concern that the wireless emergency alerts could be used for political purposes.
by Dennis Romero / Sep.15.2018 / 10:35 AM ET
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump listens to his mobile phone during a lunch stop, in North Charleston, S.C. on Feb. 18, 2016.Matt Rourke / AP file
President Donald Trump may soon be communicating with you directly on your phone — even if you don't follow him on Twitter.
Next Thursday, the Federal Emergency Management Agency will do its first test of a system that allows the president to send a message to most U.S. cellphones.
More than 100 mobile carriers, including all the major wireless firms, are participating in the roll out, FEMA stated in a message on its website posted Thursday.
"The EAS [Emergency Alert System] is a national public warning system that provides the President with the communications capability to address the nation during a national emergency," FEMA said.
The test message will have a header that reads "Presidential Alert," according to the agency.
Users whose phones are on will twice hear a tone and vibration and then see an English-only (for now) message: "THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.”
The wireless emergency alerts (WEA) system was authorized by Congress in 2015 under a law that states the "system shall not be used to transmit a message that does not relate to a natural disaster, act of terrorism, or other man-made disaster or threat to public safety."
Experts didn't appear to be too concerned that Trump, known to use his smartphone to blast opponents, berate subordinates and take shots at the news media on Twitter, could abuse WEA.
South Korea's talks with North are going well, unlike Trump's
"If you separate this from the politics and personality of any individual president then this is a great idea and an amazing use of technology to reach everybody if they’re in harms way," said Karen North, director of the Annenberg Digital Social Media program at the University of Southern California.
UCLA communications professor Tim Groeling agreed, writing via email, "broadcast-based emergency alert systems ... have remained professional and impartial over decades."
The WEA is a new way to reach an America increasingly attracted to fragmented forms of media found on phones, tablets and laptops. The well-worn emergency alert system reaches mainly radio and television broadcasters, cable systems, satellite radio and television providers.
"A system like this seems necessary in an era where most people are disconnected from 'live' media like radio and television," Groeling said.
FEMA stated that the government cannot track end users' location through this alert system.
The test is supposed to take place at 2:18 p.m. EDT on Sept. 20. Under the Warning, Alert, and Response Network (WARN) Act of 2006, cellphone users cannot opt out of the presidential alerts.
Special counsel: What is it and what is Robert Mueller doing? - BBC News
Special counsel: What is it and what is Robert Mueller doing?
20 February 2018
Former prosecutor who served as FBI chief from 2001 to 2013
A special counsel is in place to oversee the investigation looking into alleged Russian interference in the US presidential election, and if Trump campaign figures were complicit.
Robert Mueller, who headed the FBI for more than a decade, was appointed in May 2017.
But what is a special counsel? And what powers does he have?
Why was he appointed?
The special counsel was appointed by Rod Rosenstein, the deputy attorney general. He made the decision as "acting attorney general" because Attorney General Jeff Sessions had stepped aside from the Russia inquiry.
Mr Rosenstein said that given the "unique circumstances", it was in the public interest for a special counsel independent "from the normal chain of command", to lead the investigation.
By placing authority for the probe into the hands of Mr Mueller, the idea was that it would be able to proceed without any interference, including from the White House.
OK, but what is he actually looking at?
Mr Rosenstein's order allows Mr Mueller to look into:
The Russian government's efforts to interfere in the election
Any links or co-ordination between Russia and Trump campaign-linked individuals
Any matters that arose or may arise directly from the investigation
That last point gives him quite a broad remit, with observers suggesting that he will also determine if the president himself has committed any wrongdoing.
So far, his investigation has ventured into work done by Trump advisers Paul Manafort and Rick Gates before they joined Team Trump: both have been charged with conspiracy to launder money after work done in Ukraine.
The special counsel has the powers of a US attorney - meaning he can subpoena records and bring criminal charges. And he has done so.
He can also prosecute anyone who interferes in his investigation through crimes including perjury, obstruction of justice, destruction of evidence, and intimidation of witnesses.
The special counsel can also ask for his jurisdiction to be widened.
He is not supervised on a day-to-day basis but the attorney general, or in this case Mr Rosenstein, is able to request an explanation for "any investigative or prosecutorial step" and can decide that any such action does not need to go ahead.
He must notify Congress if such a decision is made.
Who works for him?
The justice department has provided staff that can work for Mr Mueller, and he can also ask for specific people from both inside and outside the department.
He is reported to have hired at least 17 federal prosecutors, including experts in money laundering, fraud, foreign bribery and organised crime.
Who can get rid of him?
As acting attorney general in this matter, only Mr Rosenstein can fire him, and for the following reasons: misconduct, dereliction of duty, incapacity, conflict of interest or for other "good cause", including violation of department policies.
However, President Trump could replace his deputy attorney general at any time.
In February 2018, when asked if he would fire Mr Rosenstein after the release of a controversial memo accusing the FBI of abusing its powers, the president replied: "You figure that one out."
Will the public get to read his report?
Not necessarily. When a special counsel's work ends, a confidential report must be provided to the attorney general (or in this case, his deputy).
He then has to notify Congress and can decide if the report should be made public.
What's the difference between a special counsel and a special prosecutor?
The term "special prosecutor'" in the US context harks back to the Watergate scandal, when President Nixon's attorney general appointed Archibald Cox to lead an independent investigation.
But there was actually no law defining and regulating such an appointment, which allowed Mr Nixon to later fire Mr Cox. Only later, in 1978, was the Ethics in Government Act passed, which defined the circumstances under which an "independent counsel" could be appointed.
Kenneth Starr's investigation of Bill Clinton started with the Whitewater allegations but ended up providing details of his sexual relationship with an intern
This role actually had more independence from the attorney general than the current special counsel position.
But the legal provision regulating it was allowed to expire in 1999 after the controversy of independent counsel Kenneth Starr's wide-ranging investigation into President Bill Clinton, which started as an inquiry into the Whitewater land deal allegations but ended up providing details of his sexual relationship with White House intern Monica Lewinsky.
So the titles "independent counsel" or "special prosecutor" no longer exist.
Instead the justice department has regulations allowing an outside "special counsel" to be appointed to investigate a person or matter when it might present a conflict of interest for the department or under other "extraordinary circumstances".
20 February 2018
Former prosecutor who served as FBI chief from 2001 to 2013
A special counsel is in place to oversee the investigation looking into alleged Russian interference in the US presidential election, and if Trump campaign figures were complicit.
Robert Mueller, who headed the FBI for more than a decade, was appointed in May 2017.
But what is a special counsel? And what powers does he have?
Why was he appointed?
The special counsel was appointed by Rod Rosenstein, the deputy attorney general. He made the decision as "acting attorney general" because Attorney General Jeff Sessions had stepped aside from the Russia inquiry.
Mr Rosenstein said that given the "unique circumstances", it was in the public interest for a special counsel independent "from the normal chain of command", to lead the investigation.
By placing authority for the probe into the hands of Mr Mueller, the idea was that it would be able to proceed without any interference, including from the White House.
OK, but what is he actually looking at?
Mr Rosenstein's order allows Mr Mueller to look into:
The Russian government's efforts to interfere in the election
Any links or co-ordination between Russia and Trump campaign-linked individuals
Any matters that arose or may arise directly from the investigation
That last point gives him quite a broad remit, with observers suggesting that he will also determine if the president himself has committed any wrongdoing.
So far, his investigation has ventured into work done by Trump advisers Paul Manafort and Rick Gates before they joined Team Trump: both have been charged with conspiracy to launder money after work done in Ukraine.
The special counsel has the powers of a US attorney - meaning he can subpoena records and bring criminal charges. And he has done so.
He can also prosecute anyone who interferes in his investigation through crimes including perjury, obstruction of justice, destruction of evidence, and intimidation of witnesses.
The special counsel can also ask for his jurisdiction to be widened.
He is not supervised on a day-to-day basis but the attorney general, or in this case Mr Rosenstein, is able to request an explanation for "any investigative or prosecutorial step" and can decide that any such action does not need to go ahead.
He must notify Congress if such a decision is made.
Who works for him?
The justice department has provided staff that can work for Mr Mueller, and he can also ask for specific people from both inside and outside the department.
He is reported to have hired at least 17 federal prosecutors, including experts in money laundering, fraud, foreign bribery and organised crime.
Who can get rid of him?
As acting attorney general in this matter, only Mr Rosenstein can fire him, and for the following reasons: misconduct, dereliction of duty, incapacity, conflict of interest or for other "good cause", including violation of department policies.
However, President Trump could replace his deputy attorney general at any time.
In February 2018, when asked if he would fire Mr Rosenstein after the release of a controversial memo accusing the FBI of abusing its powers, the president replied: "You figure that one out."
Will the public get to read his report?
Not necessarily. When a special counsel's work ends, a confidential report must be provided to the attorney general (or in this case, his deputy).
He then has to notify Congress and can decide if the report should be made public.
What's the difference between a special counsel and a special prosecutor?
The term "special prosecutor'" in the US context harks back to the Watergate scandal, when President Nixon's attorney general appointed Archibald Cox to lead an independent investigation.
But there was actually no law defining and regulating such an appointment, which allowed Mr Nixon to later fire Mr Cox. Only later, in 1978, was the Ethics in Government Act passed, which defined the circumstances under which an "independent counsel" could be appointed.
Kenneth Starr's investigation of Bill Clinton started with the Whitewater allegations but ended up providing details of his sexual relationship with an intern
This role actually had more independence from the attorney general than the current special counsel position.
But the legal provision regulating it was allowed to expire in 1999 after the controversy of independent counsel Kenneth Starr's wide-ranging investigation into President Bill Clinton, which started as an inquiry into the Whitewater land deal allegations but ended up providing details of his sexual relationship with White House intern Monica Lewinsky.
So the titles "independent counsel" or "special prosecutor" no longer exist.
Instead the justice department has regulations allowing an outside "special counsel" to be appointed to investigate a person or matter when it might present a conflict of interest for the department or under other "extraordinary circumstances".
Paul Manafort convicted: What did we learn from trial? - BBC News
Paul Manafort convicted: What did we learn from trial?
21 August 2018
A courtroom sketch shows Mr Manafort seated during the opening day of his trial
Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort's conviction follows a trial chock-full of testimony about a high-rolling political operative whose luxurious lifestyle was "littered with lies".
Evidence about his fast cars, plush real estate and flashy clothing - including a $15,000 ostrich coat - made for colourful news copy.
But away from the legal jousting there seemed to be another man in the dock, as far as President Donald Trump was concerned - Robert Mueller, the special counsel whose Russia inquiry is dogging the White House.
The criminal trial of Mr Manafort was the first in Mr Mueller's 18-month investigation into whether Trump campaign aides colluded with alleged Kremlin attempts to sway the 2016 presidential election the Republican candidate's way, or if anyone obstructed justice.
Paul Manafort: The man who helped Trump win
The jury on Tuesday found him guilty on eight charges, but failed to reach a verdict on the remaining 10, and the judge declared a mistrial on those counts.
What was said in court?
The Mueller team accused Mr Manafort of using 31 foreign bank accounts in three different countries to evade taxes on millions of dollars and to indulge his expensive tastes, including a $21,000 watch.
The trial also shone a spotlight on Mr Manafort's former associate Rick Gates, who has admitted to embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars from his former boss while helping him commit crimes to lower his taxes.
Under a plea deal, Gates - who was also Mr Manafort's deputy on the Trump campaign - agreed to become star witness for the prosecution in the hope of leniency during sentencing.
The defence said that Gates "had his hand in the cookie jar". Gates testified that Mr Manafort did, too.
He told the court that Mr Manafort had directed him to lower taxable income by reporting overseas income as loans.
Gates also testified he had helped Mr Manafort file false tax returns, concealing 15 foreign accounts from the US government, despite knowing it was illegal.
In the process, he said, he submitted false expense reports to line his own pockets.
The trial also heard:
Mr Manafort's accountant testify she knew the way he was manipulating tax returns was "inappropriate" and that she believed he "knew what was going on"
A mortgage salesman whose bank gave Mr Manafort $16m in loans say he was "uncomfortable" with the dealings because he knew the bank chairman was after a job in the Trump administration
An Internal Revenue Service (IRS) agent prepare charts documenting over $16m of spending over four years that Mr Manafort had never reported as taxable income
What does it mean for Trump?
The White House has sought to downplay the role of his former campaign chairman in Mr Trump's election campaign.
And the president told reporters after the verdict he felt sorry for the defendant, who was a "very good person" falling victim to a witch hunt.
Mr Mueller, meanwhile - according to Mr Trump just this week - is "disgraced and discredited" and "looking for trouble".
Mr Manafort was not accused of conspiracy relating to any collusion with a foreign power.
And Mr Trump's name barely even cropped up during the trial.
The case against Mr Manafort - of embezzling money made from his political consulting for Ukrainian politicians - largely predated his work for the Trump presidential bid.
The conviction - especially given the mixed outcome - is unlikely to silence Mr Trump's recurring outbursts against the special counsel.
But it may serve to undercut the president's contentions that the Mueller investigation is nothing but a politically motivated witch hunt.
That inquiry - which began in May 2017 - has so far resulted in the indictment of more than 30 people and six guilty pleas, including former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen on Tuesday.
From Brioni suits to jail garb: Mr Manafort is at the Alexandria Detention Center in Virginia
Key background
Analysts say the Manafort trial provided an intriguing insight into the special counsel's playbook.
Harry Litman, a former US prosecutor and deputy assistant attorney general, told the BBC that Mr Mueller was running "a professional, meticulous, excellent operation".
Mr Litman added that the prosecution "told the story in as interesting and dynamic a manner as they could have", given that the star witnesses were really the financial documents.
"The case itself was difficult to investigate and put together, but pretty straightforward to present: 'here's a piece of paper, it's a lie. Here's another, it's a lie.' You add it up and it's 10 years of lies."
Paul Manafort resigned as chair of President Trump's election campaign after two months
Legal analysts say the conviction may also encourage other potential Mueller targets to co-operate to avoid a similar fate to Mr Manafort.
As for the president, Mr Litman told the BBC that the outcome is likely to be seen as a blow to Mr Trump.
"He's drawn a line in the sand to suggest that the whole operation is rigged and illegitimate," Mr Litman says.
"He's made this into a zero-sum game between him and Mueller.
"It need not have done that, but that's the upshot of the way he's gone to war against Mueller these last several months."
Manafort's indictment: Where did all the money go?
But there were also signs of friction during the trial between Judge TS Ellis and the Mueller team.
The judge interrupted the prosecution's opening remarks and on several occasions questioned the prosecution's tactics.
Judge Ellis did tell the jury to ignore one of his outbursts, saying he was "probably wrong."
But some of his scolding by the judge may have been warranted, legal analysts say.
Virginia-based criminal defence lawyer Greg Hunter told the BBC that when he was present for pre-trial hearings it seemed the prosecution was "poorly prepared and less than candid".
"Their investigative team is really, really good, but they're short a trial lawyer," he says.
"The guys they sent are just not terribly good at presenting a case to a jury."
He added that the Mueller prosecutors sometimes came across as too casual, answering Judge Ellis - who is known for his punctiliousness - with "yup's" and rolling their eyes.
Mr Hunter also noted that the apparent lack of preparation was all the more surprising given that the Department of Justice has brought many prominent cases before Judge Ellis before, including espionage, terrorism, anti-trust, and public corruption.
"They're really sharp lawyers, they've certainly uncovered a lot of facts and done a terrific job with their investigating.
"They were not prepared to try a case in Judge Ellis' courtroom and that's their fault."
21 August 2018
A courtroom sketch shows Mr Manafort seated during the opening day of his trial
Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort's conviction follows a trial chock-full of testimony about a high-rolling political operative whose luxurious lifestyle was "littered with lies".
Evidence about his fast cars, plush real estate and flashy clothing - including a $15,000 ostrich coat - made for colourful news copy.
But away from the legal jousting there seemed to be another man in the dock, as far as President Donald Trump was concerned - Robert Mueller, the special counsel whose Russia inquiry is dogging the White House.
The criminal trial of Mr Manafort was the first in Mr Mueller's 18-month investigation into whether Trump campaign aides colluded with alleged Kremlin attempts to sway the 2016 presidential election the Republican candidate's way, or if anyone obstructed justice.
Paul Manafort: The man who helped Trump win
The jury on Tuesday found him guilty on eight charges, but failed to reach a verdict on the remaining 10, and the judge declared a mistrial on those counts.
What was said in court?
The Mueller team accused Mr Manafort of using 31 foreign bank accounts in three different countries to evade taxes on millions of dollars and to indulge his expensive tastes, including a $21,000 watch.
The trial also shone a spotlight on Mr Manafort's former associate Rick Gates, who has admitted to embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars from his former boss while helping him commit crimes to lower his taxes.
Under a plea deal, Gates - who was also Mr Manafort's deputy on the Trump campaign - agreed to become star witness for the prosecution in the hope of leniency during sentencing.
The defence said that Gates "had his hand in the cookie jar". Gates testified that Mr Manafort did, too.
He told the court that Mr Manafort had directed him to lower taxable income by reporting overseas income as loans.
Gates also testified he had helped Mr Manafort file false tax returns, concealing 15 foreign accounts from the US government, despite knowing it was illegal.
In the process, he said, he submitted false expense reports to line his own pockets.
The trial also heard:
Mr Manafort's accountant testify she knew the way he was manipulating tax returns was "inappropriate" and that she believed he "knew what was going on"
A mortgage salesman whose bank gave Mr Manafort $16m in loans say he was "uncomfortable" with the dealings because he knew the bank chairman was after a job in the Trump administration
An Internal Revenue Service (IRS) agent prepare charts documenting over $16m of spending over four years that Mr Manafort had never reported as taxable income
What does it mean for Trump?
The White House has sought to downplay the role of his former campaign chairman in Mr Trump's election campaign.
And the president told reporters after the verdict he felt sorry for the defendant, who was a "very good person" falling victim to a witch hunt.
Mr Mueller, meanwhile - according to Mr Trump just this week - is "disgraced and discredited" and "looking for trouble".
Mr Manafort was not accused of conspiracy relating to any collusion with a foreign power.
And Mr Trump's name barely even cropped up during the trial.
The case against Mr Manafort - of embezzling money made from his political consulting for Ukrainian politicians - largely predated his work for the Trump presidential bid.
The conviction - especially given the mixed outcome - is unlikely to silence Mr Trump's recurring outbursts against the special counsel.
But it may serve to undercut the president's contentions that the Mueller investigation is nothing but a politically motivated witch hunt.
That inquiry - which began in May 2017 - has so far resulted in the indictment of more than 30 people and six guilty pleas, including former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen on Tuesday.
From Brioni suits to jail garb: Mr Manafort is at the Alexandria Detention Center in Virginia
Key background
Analysts say the Manafort trial provided an intriguing insight into the special counsel's playbook.
Harry Litman, a former US prosecutor and deputy assistant attorney general, told the BBC that Mr Mueller was running "a professional, meticulous, excellent operation".
Mr Litman added that the prosecution "told the story in as interesting and dynamic a manner as they could have", given that the star witnesses were really the financial documents.
"The case itself was difficult to investigate and put together, but pretty straightforward to present: 'here's a piece of paper, it's a lie. Here's another, it's a lie.' You add it up and it's 10 years of lies."
Paul Manafort resigned as chair of President Trump's election campaign after two months
Legal analysts say the conviction may also encourage other potential Mueller targets to co-operate to avoid a similar fate to Mr Manafort.
As for the president, Mr Litman told the BBC that the outcome is likely to be seen as a blow to Mr Trump.
"He's drawn a line in the sand to suggest that the whole operation is rigged and illegitimate," Mr Litman says.
"He's made this into a zero-sum game between him and Mueller.
"It need not have done that, but that's the upshot of the way he's gone to war against Mueller these last several months."
Manafort's indictment: Where did all the money go?
But there were also signs of friction during the trial between Judge TS Ellis and the Mueller team.
The judge interrupted the prosecution's opening remarks and on several occasions questioned the prosecution's tactics.
Judge Ellis did tell the jury to ignore one of his outbursts, saying he was "probably wrong."
But some of his scolding by the judge may have been warranted, legal analysts say.
Virginia-based criminal defence lawyer Greg Hunter told the BBC that when he was present for pre-trial hearings it seemed the prosecution was "poorly prepared and less than candid".
"Their investigative team is really, really good, but they're short a trial lawyer," he says.
"The guys they sent are just not terribly good at presenting a case to a jury."
He added that the Mueller prosecutors sometimes came across as too casual, answering Judge Ellis - who is known for his punctiliousness - with "yup's" and rolling their eyes.
Mr Hunter also noted that the apparent lack of preparation was all the more surprising given that the Department of Justice has brought many prominent cases before Judge Ellis before, including espionage, terrorism, anti-trust, and public corruption.
"They're really sharp lawyers, they've certainly uncovered a lot of facts and done a terrific job with their investigating.
"They were not prepared to try a case in Judge Ellis' courtroom and that's their fault."
Trump-Russia inquiry: How did we get here? - BBC News
Trump-Russia inquiry: How did we get here?
12 July 2017
The news that the president's son, Donald Trump Jr, has admitted meeting a Russian lawyer who promised to reveal damaging material on Hillary Clinton is just the latest twist in a row over the president's potential ties to Russia.
Here's how it all unfolded:
11 July: Donald Trump Jr releases an email chain that reveals how the meeting was set up. The intermediary, a British publicist, said the lawyer represented the Russian government.
9 July: Trump Jr admits he met Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya on 9 June 2016 after being told that she had damaging material on Mrs Clinton. He insists the lawyer provided "no meaningful information" but it marks the first time a member of President Trump's inner circle has admitted seeking Russian help in winning the election.
25 June: President Trump accuses Barack Obama of inaction after a Washington Post article says the former president knew well before the 8 November election about the accusations against Russia
15 June: US media report that special counsel Robert Mueller is investigating President Trump for possible obstruction of justice in asking for the end of an inquiry into sacked national security adviser Michael Flynn, and in the firing of FBI chief James Comey
08 June: Mr Comey testifies to a Senate panel, saying the president asked for his loyalty and to drop the inquiry into Mr Flynn. But he backs up the president by saying he had assured him he was not under personal scrutiny
26 May: The New York Times and the Washington Post report that Jared Kushner allegedly proposed setting up a back channel between the Kremlin and the White House through Mr Kislyak. He reportedly wanted to use Russian facilities to avoid any US interception of discussions with Moscow
18 May: The department of justice appoints ex-FBI director Robert Mueller as special counsel to look into the Russian matter
17 May: Russian President Vladimir Putin offers to release a record of Mr Trump's 10 May meeting with Russian officials. Moscow maintains that Mr Trump did not pass on classified information
16 May: US media reports that Mr Comey wrote a memo about his 14 February meeting with the president, saying that Mr Trump asked him to shut down his agency's inquiry into Mr Flynn. The White House says that is "not an accurate description"
15 May: Media reports suggest Mr Trump let slip highly classified information during his meeting with the Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Russian envoy Sergei Kislyak
11 May: In an interview with NBC News, Mr Trump says: "When I decided to just do it [fire Mr Comey], I said to myself, I said, 'you know, this Russia thing with Trump and Russia is a made up story...'
Mr Trump met Sergei Lavrov (L) and Ambassador Kislyak (R) last Wednesday
10 May: The president meets a Russian delegation in the Oval Office and US press is excluded. A photographer for a Russian state news agency is allowed in
9 May: The president sends his bodyguard to deliver a letter to FBI HQ, informing Mr Comey that he is fired. The White House says Mr Trump fired Mr Comey on the recommendation of the deputy attorney general, who argued that Mr Comey botched an inquiry into Hillary Clinton's emails
8 May: Mr Trump meets Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein to discuss firing Mr Comey. The president later tweets: "The Russia-Trump collusion story is a total hoax, when will this taxpayer funded charade end?"
3 May: Mr Comey testifies before a congressional panel about why he decided to re-open the Clinton investigation just days before the election. He says it makes him "mildly nauseous" to think he may have had an impact on the election
2 May: The president tweets: "FBI Director Comey was the best thing that ever happened to Hillary Clinton in that he gave her a free pass for many bad deeds!"
12 April: Mr Trump says in an interview he has "confidence" in Mr Comey
30 March: Mr Flynn's lawyer, Robert Kelner, says his client wants immunity to testify on alleged Russian election meddling. Mr Flynn "has a story to tell", but needs to guard against "unfair prosecution", Mr Kelner says in a statement
20 March: Mr Comey confirms publicly for the first time in a congressional hearing that the FBI is investigating Russia's alleged interference in the US election and that there is no evidence to support the president's wiretapping allegations
4 March: The president claims on Twitter that former President Barack Obama wiretapped his phones during the US election. A spokesman for Mr Obama denies the claim. Mr Comey reportedly asks the Justice Department to publicly reject the allegation, but no such denial is forthcoming
2 March: Attorney General Jeff Sessions recuses himself from any current or future Russia investigations after it emerges that he met Russian officials during the US election campaign, which he had not previously disclosed to Congress
16 February: Mr Trump says Mr Flynn is "a fine person" during a raucous 77-minute press conference at the White House, but that he was "not happy" with his performance
14 February: Mr Trump again meets Mr Comey. Mr Flynn, meanwhile, is under investigation for his contacts with the Russian ambassador and his business dealings with Russian and Turkish lobbyists
13 February: Mr Flynn resigns. In his resignation letter, he writes: "I inadvertently briefed the vice-president elect and others with incomplete information regarding my phone calls with the Russian ambassador"
11/12 February: Mr Flynn spends the weekend at Mar-a-Lago, Mr Trump's Florida estate, alongside the president and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The Trump administration faces its first international crisis: a North Korean missile launch
10 February: President Trump tells reporters aboard Air Force One he has not seen media reports about Mr Flynn: "I don't know about that. I haven't seen it"
27 January: Mr Comey and Mr Trump have dinner. Mr Trump later says that during the meal Mr Comey asked to keep his job and assured the president he was not under investigation. But Comey associates say the president asked the law enforcement chief to pledge his loyalty. Mr Comey reportedly declined to do so
26/27 January: The Justice Department contacts the top lawyer in the White House, Donald McGahn, about Mr Flynn's communications with Mr Kislyak, warning that Mr Flynn may be vulnerable to Russian blackmail.
20 January: President Trump and his executive team, including Mr Flynn, take office
15 January: Vice-President Mike Pence says, on US television network CBS, that he spoke to Mr Flynn about his phone call with the Russian envoy and asserts it had "nothing whatsoever to do with those sanctions"
6 January 2017: President-elect Trump meets Mr Comey for the first time for an intelligence briefing on a report concluding that Russia had interfered with the US election
29 December 2016: Mr Obama announces sanctions expelling 35 Russian diplomats for the country's alleged interference in the US presidential elections. On the same day, Mr Flynn holds a phone call with the Russian ambassador
28 December 2016: Mr Flynn and Mr Kislyak, exchange Christmas text messages
December 2016: White House adviser and Mr Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner meets Russian ambassador to the US, Sergei Kislyak, at Trump Tower in New York. He also meets the head of a US-sanctioned, Russia state-owned bank
18 November 2016: Mr Flynn is announced as the next US national security adviser, despite major questions over his links to Russia. His role, as part of the president's executive office, does not require approval from the Senate
10 November 2016: Then-President Barack Obama warns newly elected President Donald Trump against hiring Mr Flynn as his national security adviser
December 2015: Michael Flynn, a retired US Army lieutenant general, is paid more than $45,000 (£35,000) by state-sponsored broadcaster Russia Today to address the network's 10th anniversary gala in Moscow
12 July 2017
The news that the president's son, Donald Trump Jr, has admitted meeting a Russian lawyer who promised to reveal damaging material on Hillary Clinton is just the latest twist in a row over the president's potential ties to Russia.
Here's how it all unfolded:
11 July: Donald Trump Jr releases an email chain that reveals how the meeting was set up. The intermediary, a British publicist, said the lawyer represented the Russian government.
9 July: Trump Jr admits he met Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya on 9 June 2016 after being told that she had damaging material on Mrs Clinton. He insists the lawyer provided "no meaningful information" but it marks the first time a member of President Trump's inner circle has admitted seeking Russian help in winning the election.
25 June: President Trump accuses Barack Obama of inaction after a Washington Post article says the former president knew well before the 8 November election about the accusations against Russia
15 June: US media report that special counsel Robert Mueller is investigating President Trump for possible obstruction of justice in asking for the end of an inquiry into sacked national security adviser Michael Flynn, and in the firing of FBI chief James Comey
08 June: Mr Comey testifies to a Senate panel, saying the president asked for his loyalty and to drop the inquiry into Mr Flynn. But he backs up the president by saying he had assured him he was not under personal scrutiny
26 May: The New York Times and the Washington Post report that Jared Kushner allegedly proposed setting up a back channel between the Kremlin and the White House through Mr Kislyak. He reportedly wanted to use Russian facilities to avoid any US interception of discussions with Moscow
18 May: The department of justice appoints ex-FBI director Robert Mueller as special counsel to look into the Russian matter
17 May: Russian President Vladimir Putin offers to release a record of Mr Trump's 10 May meeting with Russian officials. Moscow maintains that Mr Trump did not pass on classified information
16 May: US media reports that Mr Comey wrote a memo about his 14 February meeting with the president, saying that Mr Trump asked him to shut down his agency's inquiry into Mr Flynn. The White House says that is "not an accurate description"
15 May: Media reports suggest Mr Trump let slip highly classified information during his meeting with the Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Russian envoy Sergei Kislyak
11 May: In an interview with NBC News, Mr Trump says: "When I decided to just do it [fire Mr Comey], I said to myself, I said, 'you know, this Russia thing with Trump and Russia is a made up story...'
Mr Trump met Sergei Lavrov (L) and Ambassador Kislyak (R) last Wednesday
10 May: The president meets a Russian delegation in the Oval Office and US press is excluded. A photographer for a Russian state news agency is allowed in
9 May: The president sends his bodyguard to deliver a letter to FBI HQ, informing Mr Comey that he is fired. The White House says Mr Trump fired Mr Comey on the recommendation of the deputy attorney general, who argued that Mr Comey botched an inquiry into Hillary Clinton's emails
8 May: Mr Trump meets Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein to discuss firing Mr Comey. The president later tweets: "The Russia-Trump collusion story is a total hoax, when will this taxpayer funded charade end?"
3 May: Mr Comey testifies before a congressional panel about why he decided to re-open the Clinton investigation just days before the election. He says it makes him "mildly nauseous" to think he may have had an impact on the election
2 May: The president tweets: "FBI Director Comey was the best thing that ever happened to Hillary Clinton in that he gave her a free pass for many bad deeds!"
12 April: Mr Trump says in an interview he has "confidence" in Mr Comey
30 March: Mr Flynn's lawyer, Robert Kelner, says his client wants immunity to testify on alleged Russian election meddling. Mr Flynn "has a story to tell", but needs to guard against "unfair prosecution", Mr Kelner says in a statement
20 March: Mr Comey confirms publicly for the first time in a congressional hearing that the FBI is investigating Russia's alleged interference in the US election and that there is no evidence to support the president's wiretapping allegations
4 March: The president claims on Twitter that former President Barack Obama wiretapped his phones during the US election. A spokesman for Mr Obama denies the claim. Mr Comey reportedly asks the Justice Department to publicly reject the allegation, but no such denial is forthcoming
2 March: Attorney General Jeff Sessions recuses himself from any current or future Russia investigations after it emerges that he met Russian officials during the US election campaign, which he had not previously disclosed to Congress
16 February: Mr Trump says Mr Flynn is "a fine person" during a raucous 77-minute press conference at the White House, but that he was "not happy" with his performance
14 February: Mr Trump again meets Mr Comey. Mr Flynn, meanwhile, is under investigation for his contacts with the Russian ambassador and his business dealings with Russian and Turkish lobbyists
13 February: Mr Flynn resigns. In his resignation letter, he writes: "I inadvertently briefed the vice-president elect and others with incomplete information regarding my phone calls with the Russian ambassador"
11/12 February: Mr Flynn spends the weekend at Mar-a-Lago, Mr Trump's Florida estate, alongside the president and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The Trump administration faces its first international crisis: a North Korean missile launch
10 February: President Trump tells reporters aboard Air Force One he has not seen media reports about Mr Flynn: "I don't know about that. I haven't seen it"
27 January: Mr Comey and Mr Trump have dinner. Mr Trump later says that during the meal Mr Comey asked to keep his job and assured the president he was not under investigation. But Comey associates say the president asked the law enforcement chief to pledge his loyalty. Mr Comey reportedly declined to do so
26/27 January: The Justice Department contacts the top lawyer in the White House, Donald McGahn, about Mr Flynn's communications with Mr Kislyak, warning that Mr Flynn may be vulnerable to Russian blackmail.
20 January: President Trump and his executive team, including Mr Flynn, take office
15 January: Vice-President Mike Pence says, on US television network CBS, that he spoke to Mr Flynn about his phone call with the Russian envoy and asserts it had "nothing whatsoever to do with those sanctions"
6 January 2017: President-elect Trump meets Mr Comey for the first time for an intelligence briefing on a report concluding that Russia had interfered with the US election
29 December 2016: Mr Obama announces sanctions expelling 35 Russian diplomats for the country's alleged interference in the US presidential elections. On the same day, Mr Flynn holds a phone call with the Russian ambassador
28 December 2016: Mr Flynn and Mr Kislyak, exchange Christmas text messages
December 2016: White House adviser and Mr Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner meets Russian ambassador to the US, Sergei Kislyak, at Trump Tower in New York. He also meets the head of a US-sanctioned, Russia state-owned bank
18 November 2016: Mr Flynn is announced as the next US national security adviser, despite major questions over his links to Russia. His role, as part of the president's executive office, does not require approval from the Senate
10 November 2016: Then-President Barack Obama warns newly elected President Donald Trump against hiring Mr Flynn as his national security adviser
December 2015: Michael Flynn, a retired US Army lieutenant general, is paid more than $45,000 (£35,000) by state-sponsored broadcaster Russia Today to address the network's 10th anniversary gala in Moscow
US election hacking: Putin 'sought to help' Trump - BBC News
US election hacking: Putin 'sought to help' Trump
7 January 2017
Donald Trump's briefing with spy chiefs was one of several meetings he held in New York on Friday
The Trump presidency
The two faces of Trump's America
How Trump's Russia trouble unfolded
Has Trump delivered on his promises?
Global US approval 'tumbles under Trump'
Russian President Vladimir Putin sought to help Donald Trump win the presidential election, a US intelligence report says.
The unclassified report says the Russian leader "ordered" a campaign aimed at influencing the election.
Moscow has not commented, but Russia has previously denied the claims.
After being briefed on the findings, Mr Trump stopped short of accusing Russia of interfering, saying only that the election outcome was not affected.
Mr Trump later went on to blame "gross negligence" by the Democratic National Committee for "allowing" the hacking to take place.
Following the report's findings, the US Department of Homeland Security announced that voting machines and other election databases would be classified as "critical infrastructure" and given more protection from cyber-attacks.
The 25-page report says that the Kremlin developed a "clear preference" for Mr Trump.
Russia's goals, the document added, were to "undermine public faith" in the US democratic process and "denigrate" his Democrat opponent Hillary Clinton, harming her electability and potential presidency.
"We assess Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an influence campaign in 2016 aimed at the US presidential election," it said.
The unclassified version contained no detailed evidence of Mr Putin's alleged role, but it said Russia's actions included:
Hacking into the email accounts of the Democratic National Committee and top Democrats;
Using intermediaries such as WikiLeaks, DCLeaks.com and Guccifer 2.0 persona to release the information acquired from the hackings;
Using state-funded propaganda and paying social media users or "trolls" to make nasty comments
Donald Trump has hinted at forming closer ties with Russia and Vladimir Putin
The report says Mr Putin liked Mr Trump because he had vowed to work with Russia and the Russian leader had had "many positive experiences working with Western political leaders whose business interests made them more disposed to deal with Russia, such as former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder".
In contrast, Mr Putin had blamed Mrs Clinton for inciting anti-government protests in 2011 and early 2012 "and because he holds a grudge for comments he almost certainly saw as disparaging him".
The identities of the Russian agents allegedly directly responsible for the hack are known to US authorities but have not been released publicly, reports say, citing intelligence sources.
The document, a cut-down version of the classified report presented to President Barack Obama on Thursday, was released shortly after intelligence chiefs briefed Mr Trump on their findings.
Trump backs Julian Assange over hacking claim
Does Trump need a daily CIA briefing?
Since winning the election on 8 November, Mr Trump has repeatedly questioned US intelligence claims of Russian hacking. In a statement after the briefing, the president-elect declined to single out Russia, but said he had "tremendous respect for the work and service done" by those in the US intelligence community.
"While Russia, China, other countries, outside groups and people are consistently trying to break through the cyber infrastructure of our governmental institutions, businesses and organisations including the Democrat National Committee, there was absolutely no effect on the outcome of the election," he said.
"Whether it is our government, organisations, associations or businesses we need to aggressively combat and stop cyber-attacks. I will appoint a team to give me a plan within 90 days of taking office."
It's an explosive report claiming the Russian government launched a massive, multi-faceted operation to sway the outcome of the US presidential election. After being briefed on the findings, Mr Trump issued a statement saying that the outcome of the election was not affected.
Tellingly he did not endorse the report's central finding that the Kremlin was behind the cyber campaign.
In his statement, he also expressed tremendous respect for US intelligence agencies. But in the lead-up to the meeting he was publicly scornful of American spies, in a manner completely unprecedented for a president-elect.
Earlier, he protested that the Russian hacking allegations were part of a political witch-hunt by political adversaries badly beaten, as he put it, in the election. He clearly thinks they're being used by his opponents to question the legitimacy of his presidency.
The meeting at Trump Tower involved National Intelligence Director Gen James Clapper, CIA Director John Brennan and FBI Director James Comey.
Mr Trump, who will be inaugurated on 20 January, described their talks as "constructive".
The report said Russia intended to "denigrate" Mrs Clinton during the campaign
US officials previously said the Kremlin was behind the hacking of Democratic Party emails. Russia denies the allegations, and WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange said Moscow was not the source for the site's mass leak of emails from the Democratic Party.
Shortly before his briefing with intelligence chiefs, Mr Trump dismissed the Russian hacking claims as a "political witch-hunt" by his opponents. He told the New York Times that US institutions had been the target of previous hacking attacks, but they had not received the same media attention.
Last week President Obama ordered the expulsion of 35 Russian diplomats from the US over the alleged hacking. Russia has said it will not reciprocate.
Russian reaction - where's the evidence? By BBC Monitoring
The Kremlin has yet to react to the report but state media rubbished it.
"The headline-grabbing accusations are based on TV programmes, posts on social networks and material from entertainment publications," Russia's most-watched TV station Channel One said.
Official state Rossiya 1 TV viewed the report through the prism of future relations between the two countries.
Its Washington correspondent Alexander Khristenko said the report was an "attempt to undermine the president-elect's legitimacy".
"Donald Trump himself remained critically-minded about the intelligence services' conclusions," he said, adding that "this is clearly not the sort of reaction from Trump that Washington hawks were counting on."
7 January 2017
Donald Trump's briefing with spy chiefs was one of several meetings he held in New York on Friday
The Trump presidency
The two faces of Trump's America
How Trump's Russia trouble unfolded
Has Trump delivered on his promises?
Global US approval 'tumbles under Trump'
Russian President Vladimir Putin sought to help Donald Trump win the presidential election, a US intelligence report says.
The unclassified report says the Russian leader "ordered" a campaign aimed at influencing the election.
Moscow has not commented, but Russia has previously denied the claims.
After being briefed on the findings, Mr Trump stopped short of accusing Russia of interfering, saying only that the election outcome was not affected.
Mr Trump later went on to blame "gross negligence" by the Democratic National Committee for "allowing" the hacking to take place.
Following the report's findings, the US Department of Homeland Security announced that voting machines and other election databases would be classified as "critical infrastructure" and given more protection from cyber-attacks.
The 25-page report says that the Kremlin developed a "clear preference" for Mr Trump.
Russia's goals, the document added, were to "undermine public faith" in the US democratic process and "denigrate" his Democrat opponent Hillary Clinton, harming her electability and potential presidency.
"We assess Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an influence campaign in 2016 aimed at the US presidential election," it said.
The unclassified version contained no detailed evidence of Mr Putin's alleged role, but it said Russia's actions included:
Hacking into the email accounts of the Democratic National Committee and top Democrats;
Using intermediaries such as WikiLeaks, DCLeaks.com and Guccifer 2.0 persona to release the information acquired from the hackings;
Using state-funded propaganda and paying social media users or "trolls" to make nasty comments
Donald Trump has hinted at forming closer ties with Russia and Vladimir Putin
The report says Mr Putin liked Mr Trump because he had vowed to work with Russia and the Russian leader had had "many positive experiences working with Western political leaders whose business interests made them more disposed to deal with Russia, such as former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder".
In contrast, Mr Putin had blamed Mrs Clinton for inciting anti-government protests in 2011 and early 2012 "and because he holds a grudge for comments he almost certainly saw as disparaging him".
The identities of the Russian agents allegedly directly responsible for the hack are known to US authorities but have not been released publicly, reports say, citing intelligence sources.
The document, a cut-down version of the classified report presented to President Barack Obama on Thursday, was released shortly after intelligence chiefs briefed Mr Trump on their findings.
Trump backs Julian Assange over hacking claim
Does Trump need a daily CIA briefing?
Since winning the election on 8 November, Mr Trump has repeatedly questioned US intelligence claims of Russian hacking. In a statement after the briefing, the president-elect declined to single out Russia, but said he had "tremendous respect for the work and service done" by those in the US intelligence community.
"While Russia, China, other countries, outside groups and people are consistently trying to break through the cyber infrastructure of our governmental institutions, businesses and organisations including the Democrat National Committee, there was absolutely no effect on the outcome of the election," he said.
"Whether it is our government, organisations, associations or businesses we need to aggressively combat and stop cyber-attacks. I will appoint a team to give me a plan within 90 days of taking office."
It's an explosive report claiming the Russian government launched a massive, multi-faceted operation to sway the outcome of the US presidential election. After being briefed on the findings, Mr Trump issued a statement saying that the outcome of the election was not affected.
Tellingly he did not endorse the report's central finding that the Kremlin was behind the cyber campaign.
In his statement, he also expressed tremendous respect for US intelligence agencies. But in the lead-up to the meeting he was publicly scornful of American spies, in a manner completely unprecedented for a president-elect.
Earlier, he protested that the Russian hacking allegations were part of a political witch-hunt by political adversaries badly beaten, as he put it, in the election. He clearly thinks they're being used by his opponents to question the legitimacy of his presidency.
The meeting at Trump Tower involved National Intelligence Director Gen James Clapper, CIA Director John Brennan and FBI Director James Comey.
Mr Trump, who will be inaugurated on 20 January, described their talks as "constructive".
The report said Russia intended to "denigrate" Mrs Clinton during the campaign
US officials previously said the Kremlin was behind the hacking of Democratic Party emails. Russia denies the allegations, and WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange said Moscow was not the source for the site's mass leak of emails from the Democratic Party.
Shortly before his briefing with intelligence chiefs, Mr Trump dismissed the Russian hacking claims as a "political witch-hunt" by his opponents. He told the New York Times that US institutions had been the target of previous hacking attacks, but they had not received the same media attention.
Last week President Obama ordered the expulsion of 35 Russian diplomats from the US over the alleged hacking. Russia has said it will not reciprocate.
Russian reaction - where's the evidence? By BBC Monitoring
The Kremlin has yet to react to the report but state media rubbished it.
"The headline-grabbing accusations are based on TV programmes, posts on social networks and material from entertainment publications," Russia's most-watched TV station Channel One said.
Official state Rossiya 1 TV viewed the report through the prism of future relations between the two countries.
Its Washington correspondent Alexander Khristenko said the report was an "attempt to undermine the president-elect's legitimacy".
"Donald Trump himself remained critically-minded about the intelligence services' conclusions," he said, adding that "this is clearly not the sort of reaction from Trump that Washington hawks were counting on."
Paul Manafort: The man who helped Trump win - BBC News
Paul Manafort: The man who helped Trump win
14 September 2018
Paul Manafort resigned as chair of President Trump's election campaign after two months
When Paul Manafort joined Donald Trump's presidential election campaign in March 2016, the 68-year-old political operative was a relatively minor player in Washington.
The former political consultant had worked on Republican presidential campaigns as far back as Gerald Ford's in 1976, and for clients around the world. It was hoped his 40 years of political experience would help temper some of the chaos and controversy surrounding Mr Trump.
He advocated a more disciplined, conventional campaign, calling for scripted speeches and teleprompters over Mr Trump's unpredictable, off-the-cuff, approach.
Mr Manafort was soon promoted to chair the campaign and oversaw the period during which Mr Trump clinched the Republican nomination.
However, he ended up falling prey to the controversy his appointment was intended to stifle.
He was convicted on eight charges of tax fraud, bank fraud and failing to disclose foreign bank accounts.
From Brioni suits to jail garb: Mr Manafort was held at the Alexandria Detention Center in Virginia
'Silly and nonsensical'
Born in New Britain, Connecticut, on 1 April 1949, Paul Manafort took law at Georgetown University.
Other Republicans he worked for include the late President Ronald Reagan, former President George HW Bush and Bob Dole, who lost to Bill Clinton in the 1996 presidential election.
Before he became involved in the former Soviet Union he worked for such figures as the late Philippine strongman Ferdinand Marcos, the late leader of Zaire (now Democratic Republic of Congo) Mobutu Sese Seko and the late Angolan rebel leader Jonas Savimbi.
But on the Trump trail, it was his more recent work in Ukraine that raised questions.
While Mr Manafort was running the campaign, the Republican Party changed the language in its manifesto regarding the conflict in Ukraine, removing anti-Russian sentiment, allegedly at the behest of two Trump campaign representatives.
Manafort's indictment: Where did all the money go?
His tenure at the helm ended in August 2016 when he resigned after reports about his consultancy work for Ukraine's deposed pro-Russian former President, Viktor Yanukovych, when he was in office.
The New York Times reported that the Ukrainian government had uncovered ledgers pledging more than $12m (£9.2m) in cash payments for his work as an adviser to Mr Yanukovych.
He vehemently dismissed the allegations and denied any wrongdoing. "The suggestion that I accepted cash payments is unfounded, silly, and nonsensical," he told NBC News.
Any political payments directed to him he said "were for my entire political team: campaign staff, polling and research, election integrity and television advertising".
The Trump campaign did not give a reason for his departure, issuing only a standard statement wishing him well.
Since then, the controversy around Mr Manafort's ties to Russia has continued to grow.
FBI raid
It has also been alleged that he secretly worked for a Russian billionaire to assist President Putin's political goals in other parts of the former USSR. Mr Manafort denied the allegation.
Mr Manafort was an adviser to Viktor Yanukovych (left) but denies working for Vladimir Putin (right)
In June 2017, he retroactively registered as a foreign agent with the US justice department in relation to his consulting work between 2012-14 for Mr Yanukovych's political party in Ukraine.
He confirmed in a declaration that his firm, DMP International, had received more than $17m from the Party of the Regions.
Then, in July, President Trump's son admitted to having met a Russian lawyer before the election who promised to reveal damaging material on Hillary Clinton. Mr Manafort was reportedly at that meeting.
The following month, Mr Manafort's spokesman confirmed the FBI had conducted a pre-dawn raid on his Virginia home, seizing files and other material.
It was later reported that Mr Manafort had been wiretapped by the FBI due to concerns about his links with Moscow. The surveillance, granted under a court warrant, is said to have occurred both before and after the election.
The FBI is leading one of several investigations into alleged Russian interference in last year's US election.
What was he convicted of?
Of 18 charges against him, Mr Manafort was found guilty of eight in August.
Mr manafort's lawyers spoke to reporters briefly after his conviction
He filed a false tax return every year from 2010 to 2014, did not report a foreign bank account as required by law in 2012, and committed two instances of bank fraud related to two separate bank loans.
However, the jury at his trial in Virginia failed to reach a verdict on 10 other charges and the judge declared a mistrial on those.
The indictments are not connected with allegations of collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign during the US election in 2016.
But he later agreed to co-operate with special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into that matter, in a plea deal with potential ramifications for the White House.
14 September 2018
Paul Manafort resigned as chair of President Trump's election campaign after two months
When Paul Manafort joined Donald Trump's presidential election campaign in March 2016, the 68-year-old political operative was a relatively minor player in Washington.
The former political consultant had worked on Republican presidential campaigns as far back as Gerald Ford's in 1976, and for clients around the world. It was hoped his 40 years of political experience would help temper some of the chaos and controversy surrounding Mr Trump.
He advocated a more disciplined, conventional campaign, calling for scripted speeches and teleprompters over Mr Trump's unpredictable, off-the-cuff, approach.
Mr Manafort was soon promoted to chair the campaign and oversaw the period during which Mr Trump clinched the Republican nomination.
However, he ended up falling prey to the controversy his appointment was intended to stifle.
He was convicted on eight charges of tax fraud, bank fraud and failing to disclose foreign bank accounts.
From Brioni suits to jail garb: Mr Manafort was held at the Alexandria Detention Center in Virginia
'Silly and nonsensical'
Born in New Britain, Connecticut, on 1 April 1949, Paul Manafort took law at Georgetown University.
Other Republicans he worked for include the late President Ronald Reagan, former President George HW Bush and Bob Dole, who lost to Bill Clinton in the 1996 presidential election.
Before he became involved in the former Soviet Union he worked for such figures as the late Philippine strongman Ferdinand Marcos, the late leader of Zaire (now Democratic Republic of Congo) Mobutu Sese Seko and the late Angolan rebel leader Jonas Savimbi.
But on the Trump trail, it was his more recent work in Ukraine that raised questions.
While Mr Manafort was running the campaign, the Republican Party changed the language in its manifesto regarding the conflict in Ukraine, removing anti-Russian sentiment, allegedly at the behest of two Trump campaign representatives.
Manafort's indictment: Where did all the money go?
His tenure at the helm ended in August 2016 when he resigned after reports about his consultancy work for Ukraine's deposed pro-Russian former President, Viktor Yanukovych, when he was in office.
The New York Times reported that the Ukrainian government had uncovered ledgers pledging more than $12m (£9.2m) in cash payments for his work as an adviser to Mr Yanukovych.
He vehemently dismissed the allegations and denied any wrongdoing. "The suggestion that I accepted cash payments is unfounded, silly, and nonsensical," he told NBC News.
Any political payments directed to him he said "were for my entire political team: campaign staff, polling and research, election integrity and television advertising".
The Trump campaign did not give a reason for his departure, issuing only a standard statement wishing him well.
Since then, the controversy around Mr Manafort's ties to Russia has continued to grow.
FBI raid
It has also been alleged that he secretly worked for a Russian billionaire to assist President Putin's political goals in other parts of the former USSR. Mr Manafort denied the allegation.
Mr Manafort was an adviser to Viktor Yanukovych (left) but denies working for Vladimir Putin (right)
In June 2017, he retroactively registered as a foreign agent with the US justice department in relation to his consulting work between 2012-14 for Mr Yanukovych's political party in Ukraine.
He confirmed in a declaration that his firm, DMP International, had received more than $17m from the Party of the Regions.
Then, in July, President Trump's son admitted to having met a Russian lawyer before the election who promised to reveal damaging material on Hillary Clinton. Mr Manafort was reportedly at that meeting.
The following month, Mr Manafort's spokesman confirmed the FBI had conducted a pre-dawn raid on his Virginia home, seizing files and other material.
It was later reported that Mr Manafort had been wiretapped by the FBI due to concerns about his links with Moscow. The surveillance, granted under a court warrant, is said to have occurred both before and after the election.
The FBI is leading one of several investigations into alleged Russian interference in last year's US election.
What was he convicted of?
Of 18 charges against him, Mr Manafort was found guilty of eight in August.
Mr manafort's lawyers spoke to reporters briefly after his conviction
He filed a false tax return every year from 2010 to 2014, did not report a foreign bank account as required by law in 2012, and committed two instances of bank fraud related to two separate bank loans.
However, the jury at his trial in Virginia failed to reach a verdict on 10 other charges and the judge declared a mistrial on those.
The indictments are not connected with allegations of collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign during the US election in 2016.
But he later agreed to co-operate with special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into that matter, in a plea deal with potential ramifications for the White House.
Manafort plea deal: Trump ex-campaign chief to help Mueller inquiry - BBC News
Manafort plea deal: Trump ex-campaign chief to help Mueller inquiry
14 September 2018
A court sketch showed Paul Manafort, seated, with his attorney Richard Westling
Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort has agreed to co-operate with an investigation into alleged Russian meddling in the US election as part of a plea deal.
In court on Friday, he pleaded guilty to two criminal charges in the deal with Special Counsel Robert Mueller.
The agreement avoids a second trial on money laundering and other charges.
The White House insists the guilty plea has absolutely nothing to do with President Donald Trump.
Manafort was convicted last month on eight counts of fraud, bank fraud and failing to disclose bank accounts.
That was the first criminal trial arising from the justice department's investigation into alleged interference by Russia in the 2016 election.
Winners and losers from Manafort's plea deal
Who is Trump's former campaign chair?
However, the charges only relate to Manafort's political consulting with pro-Russian politicians in Ukraine, largely pre-dating his role with the Trump campaign.
What happened on Friday?
In an appearance at a federal court in Washington DC, Manafort - who is being held in custody - pleaded guilty to one charge of conspiracy against the US and one charge of conspiracy to obstruct justice.
Correspondents say he faces up to 10 years in prison under the deal and will also forfeit four of his properties and the contents of several bank accounts. Deadlocked charges from the previous trial will be dismissed if there is "successful co-operation" with the special counsel.
A lawyer for Manafort, Kevin Downing, told reporters outside the court that his client "wanted to make sure that his family was able to remain safe and live a good life".
A bystander made his point as defence lawyer Kevin Downing addressed the media
Manafort, 69, worked for Mr Trump's presidential campaign for five months in 2016 and was in charge when Mr Trump clinched the Republican party nomination.
In a statement, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said on Friday: "This had absolutely nothing to do with the president or his victorious 2016 presidential campaign. It is totally unrelated."
What did we learn from Manafort trial?
Manafort: The man who helped Trump win
President Trump has branded the Mueller investigation a "witch hunt" and insisted there was no collusion between his team and Russia. The Kremlin has also repeatedly denied any meddling.
The charges in the planned second trial were to include money laundering, conspiring to defraud the US, witness tampering and failing to register as a foreign agent. Jury selection had been due to start on Monday.
In a year filled with blockbuster Friday news stories, the announcement that Paul Manafort is co-operating with Robert Mueller's investigation is one of the biggest.
Although the White House downplays his importance to the campaign, Mr Manafort had top perch in the Trump team for key months in 2016.
For instance, he was in the June Trump Tower meeting with Donald Trump Jr, Jared Kushner and Russian nationals that was originally billed as a chance to obtain damaging information Russia had on Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton. He took cryptic notes about that meeting that he now might be willing to discuss.
After his August conviction on financial and tax fraud charges in Virginia, the prospect of Mr Manafort's walking away from his legal headaches a free man had been eliminated. It appears that the reality of additional legal expenses and possibly more prison time finally pushed the long-time Washington lobbyist to make a deal. This is probably exactly what the special counsel team had hoped for.
Now the president, who tweeted last month that Mr Manafort was a "brave man" who "refused to break and make up stories in order to get a deal", is left to wonder what comes next.
How did we get here?
Manafort was charged by Mr Mueller last October. At trial, he was accused of using 31 foreign bank accounts in three different countries to evade taxes on millions of dollars.
Prosecutors presented evidence of Manafort's luxurious lifestyle, saying it was only possible because of his bank and tax fraud.
Following last month's conviction, President Trump praised his former campaign chairman for refusing to "break" under legal pressure.
He tweeted he felt "very badly" for Manafort and lauded him for declining to "make up stories" to get a deal.
14 September 2018
A court sketch showed Paul Manafort, seated, with his attorney Richard Westling
Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort has agreed to co-operate with an investigation into alleged Russian meddling in the US election as part of a plea deal.
In court on Friday, he pleaded guilty to two criminal charges in the deal with Special Counsel Robert Mueller.
The agreement avoids a second trial on money laundering and other charges.
The White House insists the guilty plea has absolutely nothing to do with President Donald Trump.
Manafort was convicted last month on eight counts of fraud, bank fraud and failing to disclose bank accounts.
That was the first criminal trial arising from the justice department's investigation into alleged interference by Russia in the 2016 election.
Winners and losers from Manafort's plea deal
Who is Trump's former campaign chair?
However, the charges only relate to Manafort's political consulting with pro-Russian politicians in Ukraine, largely pre-dating his role with the Trump campaign.
What happened on Friday?
In an appearance at a federal court in Washington DC, Manafort - who is being held in custody - pleaded guilty to one charge of conspiracy against the US and one charge of conspiracy to obstruct justice.
Correspondents say he faces up to 10 years in prison under the deal and will also forfeit four of his properties and the contents of several bank accounts. Deadlocked charges from the previous trial will be dismissed if there is "successful co-operation" with the special counsel.
A lawyer for Manafort, Kevin Downing, told reporters outside the court that his client "wanted to make sure that his family was able to remain safe and live a good life".
A bystander made his point as defence lawyer Kevin Downing addressed the media
Manafort, 69, worked for Mr Trump's presidential campaign for five months in 2016 and was in charge when Mr Trump clinched the Republican party nomination.
In a statement, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said on Friday: "This had absolutely nothing to do with the president or his victorious 2016 presidential campaign. It is totally unrelated."
What did we learn from Manafort trial?
Manafort: The man who helped Trump win
President Trump has branded the Mueller investigation a "witch hunt" and insisted there was no collusion between his team and Russia. The Kremlin has also repeatedly denied any meddling.
The charges in the planned second trial were to include money laundering, conspiring to defraud the US, witness tampering and failing to register as a foreign agent. Jury selection had been due to start on Monday.
In a year filled with blockbuster Friday news stories, the announcement that Paul Manafort is co-operating with Robert Mueller's investigation is one of the biggest.
Although the White House downplays his importance to the campaign, Mr Manafort had top perch in the Trump team for key months in 2016.
For instance, he was in the June Trump Tower meeting with Donald Trump Jr, Jared Kushner and Russian nationals that was originally billed as a chance to obtain damaging information Russia had on Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton. He took cryptic notes about that meeting that he now might be willing to discuss.
After his August conviction on financial and tax fraud charges in Virginia, the prospect of Mr Manafort's walking away from his legal headaches a free man had been eliminated. It appears that the reality of additional legal expenses and possibly more prison time finally pushed the long-time Washington lobbyist to make a deal. This is probably exactly what the special counsel team had hoped for.
Now the president, who tweeted last month that Mr Manafort was a "brave man" who "refused to break and make up stories in order to get a deal", is left to wonder what comes next.
How did we get here?
Manafort was charged by Mr Mueller last October. At trial, he was accused of using 31 foreign bank accounts in three different countries to evade taxes on millions of dollars.
Prosecutors presented evidence of Manafort's luxurious lifestyle, saying it was only possible because of his bank and tax fraud.
Following last month's conviction, President Trump praised his former campaign chairman for refusing to "break" under legal pressure.
He tweeted he felt "very badly" for Manafort and lauded him for declining to "make up stories" to get a deal.
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