*By Carlo Versano*
President Trump's former campaign chair Paul Manafort is, as of Friday, the latest of the president's ex-associates to plead guilty to felony charges.
Manafort was convicted in federal court in August of eight financial fraud charges, though "this is the first time time Paul Manafort has ever admitted to committing a crime," Ben Dreyfuss, editorial director of Mother Jones, said.
Friday's plea deal was related to a separate set of charges for which the former political consultant was awaiting trial.
As part of the plea, Manafort will cooperate with Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.
That is "massive news," Dreyfuss said.
Trump praised Manafort as a "brave man" when he was found guilty of bank and tax fraud last month ー roughly the same hour when Trump's former consigliere Michael Cohen was offering to cooperate, much to the chagrin of the president.
Manafort's lawyer said Friday his client had offered "full cooperation," though as Dreyfuss noted, no details have been made public yetー and what specifically Manafort could offer prosecutors remains unknown.
"No one knows what he could say except for Trump himself," Dreyfuss said.
The State Department said Tuesday that Russia rejected its proposed offer to release detained Americans Paul Whelan and Evan Gershkovich.
The Justice Department has announced war crime charges against four Russian nationals in connection with the invasion of Ukraine.
Iran said it sent a capsule that is capable of carrying animals into space.
The Senate has confirmed the promotions of hundreds of military officers after Republican Senator Tommy Tuberville dropped his months-long hold over the process.
Four candidates will face off tonight in the latest Republican presidential primary debate. Columnist and political analyst Jonathan Harris joined Cheddar News to break down tonight's event.
House Republicans are expected to vote next week to formalize the impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden.
The Senate in a single stroke has approved about 425 military promotions after Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama ended a monthslong blockade of nominations over a Pentagon abortion policy.
The presidents of three U.S. colleges and universities are testifying before a House Committee on their handling of anti-Semitic incidents after Hamas' attack in Israel in October.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a case surrounding a Maine hotel that could have made it harder for people with disabilities to learn in advance whether a hotel's accommodations meet their needs.
Attorneys for former president Donald Trump missed their chance Monday to pause the gag order against their client in his civil fraud trial in New York.
