all about Madonna

Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie has said she was shocked by attacks on Madonna over her adoption of a Malawian boy, but said she would only take a child from a country where the rules on adoption are clearly defined.
Madonna’s adoption of the boy last year led some right groups in Malawi to question whether the American pop star had used her celebrity to bypass laws governing the adoption of Malawians by foreigners — an argument denied by her lawyers.
“I was horrified by the attacks against her,” Jolie, who has two adopted children herself, told French magazine Gala.
But Jolie added that she would have steered clear of adoption from a country like Malawi.
“Madonna knew the situation in Malawi … In this country, there is not really a legal framework for adopting. Personally, I prefer staying on the right side of the law. I would never bring back a child from a country where adoption is illegal.”
Jolie and actor Brad Pitt have formed one of Hollywood’s most glamorous families with baby daughter Shiloh, adopted Ethiopian daughter Zahara and adopted Cambodian son Maddox.
Madonna signed interim adoption papers for one-year old David Banda when she and her husband, British film director Guy Ritchie, visited Malawi in October on what they said was a humanitarian mission to help orphans in the southern African nation.
David Banda, whose mother had died, was living in an orphanage and his father — who initially voiced some questions about the process — later said he supported it.
Under the interim order, David Banda was to stay with Madonna for 18 months during which time his progress would be monitored by Malawian officials before deciding whether final approval may be given for him to remain with her family.
source : reuters

Malawi’s government is happy with the way pop diva Madonna is looking after a one-year-old Malawian boy after her plans to adopt the child last year caused a storm of controversy, an official said on Friday.
Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Women and Child Welfare Adrina Mchiela told Reuters the government is satisfied so far at the way Madonna is looking after David Banda.
“We have been monitoring her and so far we see a loving mother in Madonna and David is very fine… the father should not be worried,” Mchiela said.
Yohane Banda, David’s father, this week said he wanted to talk to Madonna and find out how the child is doing.
Cyrus Jeke, the deputy director for Child Welfare in the Ministry, said a senior government official has been assigned to monitor how David is faring with Madonna and her husband, film director Guy Ritchie, with the help of the British government.
Neither Mchiela nor Jeke would disclose whether the official had visited Madonna’s London home, where David has been living since October.
Madonna signed interim adoption papers when she and her husband visited in October on what they said was a humanitarian mission to help Malawi orphans.
David Banda, whose mother had died, was living in an orphanage and his father — who initially voiced some questions about the process — later said he supported it.
Under the interim order, David Banda was to stay with Madonna for 18 months during which time his progress would be monitored by Malawian officials before deciding whether final approval may be given for him to remain with her family.
Yohane Banda complained early this week that he does not have access to the American singer and wants to find out how his son is doing. But Mchiela said he would have to wait.
“Banda will have a chance to see his child again after 18 months elapses because Madonna will have to come back to Malawi for the court to rule whether she can get full custody of the child. He need not worry,” Mchiela said.
A Scottish well wisher last week gave Banda a check of 400 pounds ($775) sterling to help him get in touch with Madonna and get to talk to his child.
Madonna’s adoption of the child grabbed world headlines and caused some rights groups in Malawi to question whether she had used her celebrity to bypass laws governing the adoption of Malawians by foreigners — an argument denied by her lawyers.
The adoption controversy has helped to spotlight the plight of orphans in Malawi, where more than 900,000 children are orphaned and another 500,000 have lost at least one parent, many of them to the country’s devastating HIV/AIDS pandemic.
source : reuters

US talk show queen Oprah Winfrey has leaped to the defence of pop superstar Madonna, insisting her adoption of a Malawian tot was an “amazing” act.
Winfrey visited Africa herself earlier this week to open a school for disadvantaged girls in South Africa and she can’t understand why Madonna’s adoption of baby David Banda has received so much criticism in the press.
Speaking on British current affairs show Newsnight yesterday Winfrey said: “I applaud Madonna. I think it’s an amazing thing that she did, and it makes me sick that people criticise her, because there are millions of children in this world who will die because no one came to save them.
“I think she deserves praise and applause and not to be criticised.”
Madonna and husband Guy Ritchie were granted interim adoption of David in October.
source : examiner.ie

Madonna’s adopted son David won’t be having his haircut until he turns three, because of rules set by the Kabbalah faith.
The singer wants to make sure that her 16-month-old son is brought up in accordance with the teachings, which have links with Judaism.
A source allegedly said: ‘Madonna has made it clear that David’s hair is not to be touched at all, even if it grows into an Afro.
‘When the time comes it will be a big ceremony and lots of men in the Kabbalah community will gather round and each of them will cut a bit off.’
source : metro.co.uk

The father of the Malawian baby Madonna is the process of adopting has asked the pop star for an update on his son.
Yohane Banda has told local Malawi newspaper the Daily Times that keeping in touch with Madonna and husband Guy Ritchie since baby David moved to them in October has so far proven difficult.
The impoverished farmer, who gave his son up for adoption, says: “I don’t have her phone and mailing addresses. All I want is to find out how my son is but I don’t know how I can do it.”
Banda made the comments after the newspaper presented him with a €590 check from Scottish nun, Christine Webster who told the paper she believes the infant would have been better off if Madonna had left him in Malawi.
Madonna and Ritchie are bringing up baby David in England, but the pop star insists she’s planning regular trips back to Malawi, where she has set up a charity foundation, so that her adopted son-to-be will know his homeland.
But the one-year-old boy’s father can’t wait to hear about his son’s new life: “I want to talk to her (Madonna) now and find out about my child.”
But Yohane Banda has dismissed all suggestions that he feels he made a mistake in letting Madonna take his son away from Malawi.
He adds: “All I want is to find out how my child is doing and not to have him back.”
source : ap

She beat the likes of Charlotte Church and Robbie Williams to top a survey of the most popular personalities requested by people searching on the entertainment search engine Celebrities Worldwide. Richard Brecker of www.celebritiesworldwide.com said: “The results show quite emphatically that more people were interested in Madonna than any other celebrity or reality star this year.” Her ability to stay ahead is phenomenal – particularly in such a difficult year.”
The singer attracted great controversy over the much publicised adoption of her son David from Malawi and has also reportedly faced marriage difficulties with her husband Guy Ritchie.
It has not been a good year for David Beckham who has slipped from No 4 ranking as the most requested name in 2005 to his current number 11 spot.
Beckham relinquished his captaincy of the England soccer team following their poor showing in the World Cup, has been dropped from the squad by new manager Steve McLaren and has struggled to hold a regular place in the first team at Real Madrid.
But some consolation – Becks still finishes five places higher this year than his publicity hungry wife Victoria
Little Britain TV star Matt Lucas in 10th position proves a bigger hit than his co-star David Walliams who trails four places behind Simon Cowell and Sharon Osbourne, star judges on the hit TV series “X Factor” battle it out at 31st and 32nd spot respectively. One time showbiz outcast Noel Edmonds has catapulted back into the reckoning through the success of his TV show “Deal or No Deal”
Celebrities Worldwide is accepted as a benchmark of celebrity status and popularity and its website attracts more than 4 million visitors per year.

Top 20 Names of 2006
1. Madonna
2. Charlotte Church
3. Jamie Oliver MBE
4. Robbie Williams
5. Jonathan Ross OBE
6. Billie Piper
7. Ricky Gervais
8. Jeremy Clarkson
9. Stephen Fry
10. Matt Lucas
11. David Beckham OBE
12. Gordon Ramsay OBE
13. Trinny Woodall
14. David Walliams
15. Fearne Cotton
16. Victoria Beckham
17. Elton John
18. Kylie Minogue
19. David Tennant
20. Rachel Stevens

source : prnewswire