all about Madonna

A Malawian court agreed on Tuesday to hear arguments by a coalition of local rights groups seeking to block “Queen of Pop” Madonna’s fast-track adoption of a 13-month boy from the poor African country.
“The court wants to hear our locus standi and why we should be appointed guardians of the child and act in his interest,” Justin Dzodzi, chairperson of the Human Rights Consultative Committee, said.
The committee, grouping 67 rights groups, petitioned the high court in the administrative capital Lilongwe, seeking to have its “concerns” heard.
Dzodzi said the group had investigated and established “enough reasons to fight for safeguards in the interim order to ensure that the child is protected as Madonna has no parental rights”.
He said the child’s father, a 32-year-old illiterate poor farmer, and his relatives believed that the boy had been taken for “custody and not adoption”.
“We want Madonna to stay here for 18 months and acquire residency as stipulated in the country’s adoption laws … The court cannot revoke the order if she stays in Los Angeles with the baby,” Dzodzi said.
The group’s lawyers are likely to argue in the hearing on Friday that Malawian authorities had breached their own regulations by allowing David to leave the country and link up with the Britain- and United States-based Madonna in London.
Madonna was granted an interim order to adopt the child by the High Court last Thursday after spending a week in the Southern African country to assess Aids projects she had funded.
Under Malawian law, expatriates adopting a child usually have to live in the country for 18 months and are monitored by social workers before they get full adoption rights.
source : afp

12 Pictures – Madonna leaving the gym in London (October 17 2006) – are added to the gallery.

David Banda, the 13-month-old baby Malawian baby Madonna and her husband, Guy Ritchie, are hoping to adopt, has arrived in Britain.
The nanny, bodyguard and aides who accompanied the baby on an overnight flight on a private jet from Johannesburg avoided waiting reporters at Heathrow’s Terminal 1 arrivals hall this morning and left by another exit.
David has been issued with a passport and a US visa.
The star’s spokeswoman, Liz Rosenberg, said yesterday: “The interim adoption grants David’s new parents temporary custody for 18 months, during which time they will be evaluated by the courts of Malawi per the tribal customs of the country.”
Following a week-long visit to orphanages in the African country, Madonna left Malawi on Friday – the same day that human rights groups filed court documents asking a judge to review the adoption amid claims that it had been fast-tracked because of her celebrity.
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source : ap/telegraph.co.uk

11 Pictures – Madonna leaving her home in London (October 16 2006) – are added to the gallery.

The Malawian baby that pop star Madonna is seeking to adopt has left the African country on board a private jet.
An immigration official told BBC News that the passport of 13-month-old David Banda had been authorised.
The child was accompanied by one of the singer’s bodyguards, a witness told Reuters news agency, and is believed to be en route to South Africa.
A group of Malawian charities has said the adoption is unlawful because Madonna has not lived in the country.
The Human Rights Consultative Committee of 67 organisations had been due to go to court on Monday seeking an injunction to halt the adoption process.
But it deferred the move, saying it needed more time to follow up reports of family members opposed to the boy going abroad.
The group said it wanted to interview an unidentified uncle of David’s who is “said to be opposed to the adoption plan”.
Justin Dzodzi, who chairs the rights group, said it had sent investigators to the orphanage where David lived to “get a feel of what the villagers and relatives feel about the adoption and if anyone opposes it”.
He added: “We want to thoroughly prepare for this challenge and part of our legal action is dependent on getting some disgruntled people to swear affidavits.”
The committee insists that Malawian law prohibits international adoption and requires a minimum of 18 months’ assessment.
But Penston Kilembe, director of child welfare in the Ministry of Gender, Child Welfare and Community Services, said Madonna and her husband Guy Ritchie had broken no laws.
“The process did not start today – Madonna’s people have been pushing the papers for some time and her coming was just to sign the papers to conclude the process,” he said.
Madonna and her film-maker husband had been granted an interim court order approving the adoption.
The couple returned to the UK at the weekend after a 10-day visit to Malawi.
Malawian officials said David Banda was being cared for by members of Madonna’s entourage while passport and visa issues were dealt with.
source : bbc

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After announcing they would not air the Christian-bashing crucifixion scene on its upcoming Madonna TV program, American Family Association reports that NBC executives have again changed their minds. NBC, also, recently ordered Christian Bible verses and references to Christianity and God removed from its children’s television program “Veggie Tales”?.
NBC Executive Kevin Reilly said: “We [NBC] viewed it and didn’t see it as being inappropriate.”
source : theconservativevoice.com

15 Pictures – Madonna going to the gym in London (October 14 2006) – are added to the gallery.

Madonna returned to Britain empty-handed yesterday after her adopted son was banned from leaving Malawi in a passport bungle.
The pop queen lined up a private jet to bring 13-month-old Davie Banda to the UK but had failed to get the necessary documents.
And last night the singer suffered a second blow when a child rights group pledged to gain a court injunction blocking the adoption.
The drama began only hours after Madonna, 48, was granted an interim adoption order for Davie.
She and movie director husband Guy Ritchie, 38, whisked the tot to the airport where the plane was waiting to take them to England.
The star boarded the jet with Davie but the pilot called immigration when he realised the boy did not have the relevant paperwork. He was then taken off by a carer.
Sources said Madonna was spitting mad at the shambles. But one airport official said: “The law is the law, no matter who you are.”?
Madonna and Guy had to fly out alone and landed at Raf Northolt, West London, yesterday afternoon.
The singer smiled as she came down the steps. She looked relaxed when she later went for a stroll near her London home.
A spokeswoman for the singer said: “Final legal arrangements are being made to bring David home to his new family.”?
But Madonna will be furious that Malawi’s top children’s rights group, Eye Of The Child, is seeking a court ban on the adoption.
It said: “It’s not like selling property. It is about safeguarding a human being.”?
Madonna also came under fire from pregnant TV presenter Lowri Turner, 40.
The mum of two said: “She was described as so excited. She’s probably not been that thrilled since she chose her last Gucci shoes.
“Once we stole grown men and women from Africa. Now we take their babies.”?

source : thesun.co.uk

Superstar Madonna and husband Guy Ritchie flew out of Malawi earlier today–without their adopted son David Banda.
Madonna and Ritchie spent a week in the impoverished African nation meeting orphans and government officials, before filing for an interim application to adopt the 13-month-old tot at the High Court in Lilongwe on Thursday.
The couple met David’s father Yohame Banda, whose wife Marita died a month after the baby’s birth, and promised to bring him back to Malawi for regular visits.
After a three-hour delay at Lilongwe airport, the couple’s private plane departed Malawi at 2 a.m. this morning.
However, David has to remain in Malawi because they were unable to finalize his passport application in time, a senior immigration official told the Reuters news agency.
David will be a young sibling for Madonna’s daughter Lourdes, 9, and the couple’s son Rocco, 5.
source : hollywood.com