Real-life fairy tale wedding unfolds in "The Royal Wedding of the Century" on ABS-CBN

Every girl dreams that one day she will meet her one and only prince charming. Little did girl-next-door Kate Middleton know that her fairy tale love story will turn into a reality as she will soon live happily ever after with the heir to the British throne, Prince William of Wales.

You are invited to be their royal guest and witness history and romance unfold at the same time as ABS-CBN Corporation, the Philippines' largest multimedia conglomerate, partners with BBC, the world’s largest broadcasting organization, to bring you the most comprehensive coverage of the much-awaited royal wedding of His Royal Highness Prince William of Wales, the son of Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana, to Catherine Middleton with the exclusive telecast of BBC special documentaries and the live coverage of the wedding on April 29.

See where it all began in the BBC special documentary "William and Kate: A Royal Engagement” on April 24 before "ASAP Rocks." Find out how the two met, get to know the future British princess, and understand what what this marriage means to the future British monarchy as close friends, historians, biographers, and well known journalists reveal what they know about the royal couple.

ABS-CBN will also air documentaries “Harry: The Mysterious Prince,” “How to be a Prince,” “Timewatch: Princess Margaret— A Love Story,” “Diana— Legacy of a Princess,” “Princess Camilla— Winner takes all,” “Royal London,” “Britain’s Royal Weddings,” and “Untold Stories of a Royal Bridesmaid” on its cable channels ANC and the Lifestyle Network.

On the wedding day itself on April 29 (Friday), ABS-CBN will launch a powerhouse coverage dubbed “The Royal Wedding of the Century” with live feed coming straight from BBC over the Kapamilya network’s multimedia platforms, which cover free-to-air TV, cable TV, radio, and online.

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http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/current-affairs-programs/04/18/11/real-life-fairy-tale-wedding-unfolds-royal-wedding-century-abs-cbn

BBC defends Panorama investigation into Fifa 'bribes'

Fifa executives Ricardo Teixeira, Issa Hayatou and Nicolas Leoz

The BBC has defended a documentary which alleges three Fifa officials took bribes in the 1990s.

Nicolas Leoz, Issa Hayatou and Ricardo Teixeira took the money from a sport marketing firm awarded lucrative World Cup rights, Panorama alleges.

The BBC investigation was shown three days before a vote to decide the hosts of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.

BBC executive editor Clive Edwards said it was Panorama's job "to investigate corruption and wrongdoing".

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has asked the BBC to hand over any evidence it has relating to the claims made against Mr Hayatou, who is a long-standing member of the IOC.

The alleged bribes are included in a confidential document listing 175 payments totalling about $100m (£64m).

The three men did not respond to Panorama over the allegations.

Fifa, world football's governing body, also declined interview requests to address the allegations.

However, in a statement issued on Tuesday, it said the case was "definitely closed" as allegations had already been investigated in Switzerland, with no Fifa officials being convicted.

In its programme broadcast on Monday, Panorama reported on evidence a fourth senior Fifa executive - vice-president Jack Warner - continues to be involved in the resale of World Cup tickets to touts.

The BBC stood by its decision to air the allegations ahead of Thursday's vote in Zurich.

Clive Edwards told Radio 4's Today programme that Panorama had received a list showing the alleged payment of bribes in October, and had spent the intervening time checking the claims and putting them to those named.

Mr Edwards added Panorama presented its evidence to Fifa on 10 November.

"Some people have said that it would have been better to do it after the vote but it is surely nonsense to suggest that you know a process could be flawed and you don't say anything until after it has happened," Mr Edwards said.

"I am not prepared to sit on information we have. I believe that it is in everyone's interest that there should be a fair process and that corruption should be exposed."
British press

The BBC has been criticised by the English FA, which is competing with Russia, Spain/Portugal and Netherlands/Belgium to host the 2018 tournament.

A statement from the FA described the investigation as an "embarrassment to the BBC".

"We stand by our previous position that the BBC's Panorama did nothing more than rake over a series of historical allegations none of which are relevant to the current bidding process.

"The 2018 team are entirely focused on winning the bid for England."

But Michel Platini, president of football's European governing body Uefa, said the Panorama programme should not affect England's bid to hold the World Cup.

Speaking to reporters after the documentary aired, he said: "I don't think this programme will have an effect, no - but I think what may affect the decision is the atmosphere going back a long time and what people have been writing about Fifa in the British press for many years."

The alleged bribes to the three members of Fifa's executive committee were paid by sports marketing company International Sport and Leisure (ISL) and date from 1989 to 1999, Panorama reports. The company collapsed in 2001.

Fifa granted ISL exclusive rights to market World Cup tournaments to some of the world's biggest brands and ISL received millions more from negotiating television broadcast rights.

Some details of the alleged bribes emerged in 2008, when six ISL managers were accused of misusing company money. Bribery was not a criminal offence in Switzerland at the time the money was allegedly paid out.
Closely linked

One Fifa official - Nicolas Leoz of Paraguay, the head of South America's football confederation - was named in court papers in connection with payments totalling $130,000 (£83,000)


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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11874091