Ex-trump aide ‘should avoid time in prison’

US president Donald Trump’s former national security adviser provided so much information to the special counsel’s Russia investigation that prosecutors say he should not do any jail time, according to a court filing that describes Michael Flynn’s co-operation as “substantial”.

The filing by special counsel Robert Mueller provides the first details of Flynn’s assistance in the probe into Russian meddling in the 2016 election and possible contacts with the Trump campaign.

Flynn participated in 19 interviews with prosecutors and co-operated extensively, according to the filing. But the document’s lengthy redactions also underscore how much Mr Mueller has yet to reveal. It was filed two weeks ahead of Flynn’s sentencing and just over a year after he became one of five Trump associates to plead guilty in the Russia probe.

This week Mr Trump accused his former lawyer Michael Cohen of making up “stories” to get a reduced prison sentence.