*Accountant General engaging in Paris Club scam cover-up — Ogunye*

A Lagos-based lawyer, Jiti Ogunye, in this interview with TOBI AWORINDE, faults the claims of the Federal Government and the Accountant General of the Federation that expenditure of the Paris Club refund by states is confidential.

"I was shocked when I heard the position of the Federal Government of Nigeria on the issue. I’m a Nigerian and I don’t expect an official of my country at the federal level to say such provocative things, which are not supported by the constitution and the laws of our country.

"My belief is that the government is a legal entity which should not engage in illegal and unlawful acts. If what the Accountant General said is the position of the Federal Government of Nigeria, it would be tragic. Expenditure of government cannot be a secret thing; it cannot be confidential.

"It is not covered by the Official Secret Act. It is expenditure, for God’s sake. It is not personal expenditure; it is public expenditure. Therefore, that statement to us is regrettable."

*China 🇨🇳 investigates attack 👀 on South Korea photographer*

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China says it is investigating an incident that saw a South Korean photographer beaten during a visit by President Moon Jae-in.

President Moon's visit was intended to improve relations, which had cooled after South Korea agreed to have a US missile defence system located on its territory to defend against possible attack from North Korea.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang said there was "concern" at the injury but added that the event had been organised by South Korea, which had also hired the security guards.

The South Koreans should have "found an equilibrium" between the media's needs and the guards' "professional requirements... [to] sufficiently guarantee the safety and dignity of the people they protect", Mr Lu said.

Mr Moon had his first three meals in China without any Chinese officials present, a lunch with Chinese Premier Li Keqiang was cancelled and he was met off the plane by an assistant minister, unlike other regional leaders, South Korean media said.

*Japan 🇯🇵 court rules father legally responsible 😱 for secret IVF child*

A Japanese court has ruled a father legally responsible for a child who was born after his ex-partner impregnated herself with a frozen embryo without his knowledge.

But he disputed his legal paternity status because he had no say in whether she would be born.

Although the couple had separated a year and a half before the girl was born, they were still married.

But the court in Nara Prefecture ruled that, under Japanese law, the husband is presumed to be the father if the wife falls pregnant during the marriage - and the fact that they were separated did not matter.

The Japan Times reports that clinic staff told the court they assumed both parents consented to the second pregnancy, because they had not requested for the frozen embryo to be disposed of.

*Bailly to miss three months due to ankle surgery*

Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho has confirmed that he expects Eric Bailly to miss up to three months' worth of action as he requires surgery on an ankle injury.

But he has not featured since the start of November due to a problematic ankle and that now looks set to ruin much of the remainder of his season.

Mourinho revealed on Thursday that the centre-back's injury is serious and is likely to require surgery, something the Portuguese has now been able to confirm.

Speaking to MUTV ahead of the Red Devils' trip to West Brom on Sunday, Mourinho said: "He goes to surgery, the decision is made.

"I don't say [he's out] for the rest of the season, but it's for the next two or three months."

Despite the blow of losing Bailly for such a prolonged period, Mourinho is at least able to rely on a number of other options, with Chris Smalling, Jones, Victor Lindelof, Daley Blind, Marcos Rojo and Axel Tuanzebe all capable of playing at centre-back.

*Brexit: EU leaders agree 👍 to move talks to next stage*

EU leaders have agreed to move Brexit talks on to the second phase but called for "further clarity" from the UK about the future relationship it wants.

The first issue to be discussed, early next year, will be the details of an expected two-year transition period after the UK's exit in March 2019.

He congratulated Mrs May on reaching this stage and said the EU would begin internal preparations for the next phase right now as well as "exploratory contacts with the UK to get more clarity on their vision".

And agreements on the Irish border, the so-called divorce bill and the rights of EU and UK citizens, agreed by Mrs May last Friday, must be "respected in full and translated faithfully into legal terms as quickly as possible".

While the EU is willing to engage in "preliminary and preparatory discussions" on trade as part of building a "close partnership" after the UK's departure, this means any formal agreement "can only be finalised and concluded once the UK has become a third country".

*Man City boss Guardiola named Premier League Manager of the Month for third time in a row*

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has been named Premier League Manager of the Month for the third time in a row.

City recorded victories over Arsenal, Leicester City, Huddersfield and Southampton during the month of November under Guardiola's tutelage.

The four-straight wins were part of his side's record-breaking run of 15 successive Premier League victories, which they clinched against Swansea City on Wednesday.

Guardiola becomes only the second manager to ever win the award for the third time in succession - matching Chelsea manager Antonio Conte's efforts last season.

No manager has ever won the award four times in a row but Guardiola could be in line to do so, with City having won their opening three league games so far in December.