TRUMP RUSSIA AFFAIR: The Plot for a Second Term Win for Donald Trump and How We can Stop It

For nearly two years the Trump-Russia affair has dominated front pages and mired the president's administration in conflict and controversy. But what is it exactly? How did it begin? And what did it find out?
The inquiry, led by widely respected former director of the FBI Robert Mueller, focused on alleged collusion between Mr Trump's 2016 presidential campaign team and Moscow.
The report stated that no evidence of a conspiracy was found, but it did lay out 10 instances where the president possibly obstructed justice. Mr Mueller has said his report did not exonerate the president, but that charging a sitting president was not an option.
Here's a breakdown on one of the most high-profile political inquiries in US history.
What's it all about?
Mr Trump's campaign and transition teams were accused of conspiring with Russian agents to influence the US election in the then Republican candidate's favour.
US intelligence agencies concluded in 2016 that Russia was behind an effort to tip the scales of the US election against Hillary Clinton, with a state-authorised campaign of cyber attacks and fake news stories planted on social media.
Both the Russian and US presidents had poured scorn on suggestions of "collusion", with Mr Trump calling it "the greatest political witch hunt in history".
What contact do we know about?
At least 17 Trump associates had contacts with Russians or Wikileaks, which released hacked documents, during the campaign or transition, according to an analysis of public records by the New York Times, with at least 100 face-to-face interactions, phone calls or electronic messages with Russians or Kremlin-linked figures and at least 51 individual communications.
Trump aides known to have had contact with Russians include the president's son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner, his son Donald Trump Jr, former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and former personal lawyer Michael Cohen.