- A Malawian court is expected to deliver a ruling on the adoption case involving the American pop star between 22 and 25 April, 2008.
Malawian government had earlier endorsed Madonna's adoption of the two-year-old David Banda.
Madonna and husband Guy Ritchie have been adopting the young Malawian boy since October 2006. The couple met David at an orphanage.
But the lawyers of the pop singer applied for the case to be delayed until the end of the month to allow their client take part in another engagement in the United States.
Madonna's critics, including child rights activists, accused the singer of hiding behind her celebrity status to "fast-track" David's adoption and got away with it.
However, the Madonna vehemently denied such allegations.
“People always ask me why I chose Malawi. And I tell them, I didn’t. It chose me," 'Vanity Fair' quoted Madonna as saying.
"I got a phone call from a woman named Victoria Keelan. She was born and raised in Malawi. She told me that there were over one million children orphaned by aids. She said there weren’t enough orphanages.
"And that the children were everywhere. Living on the streets. Sleeping under bridges. Hiding in abandoned buildings. Being abducted, kidnapped, raped. She said it was a state of emergency. She sounded exhausted and on the verge of tears. I asked her how I could help."
Madonna said she had felt embarrassed when Victoria told her that as a person with resources, people pay attention to what she does and says.
"I told her I didn’t know where Malawi was. She told me to look it up on a map, and then she hung up on me. I decided to investigate, and I ended up finding out much more than I bargained for, about Malawi, about myself, about humanity.”
afrol News - It is called "financial inclusion", and it is a key government policy in Rwanda. The goal is that, by 2020, 90 percent of the population is to have and actively use bank accounts. And in only four years, financial inclusion has doubled in Rwanda.
afrol News - The UN's humanitarian agencies now warn about a devastating famine in Sudan and especially in South Sudan, where the situation is said to be "imploding". Relief officials are appealing to donors to urgently fund life-saving activities in the two countries.
afrol News - Fear is spreading all over West Africa after the health ministry in Guinea confirmed the first Ebola outbreak in this part of Africa. According to official numbers, at least 86 are infected and 59 are dead as a result of this very contagious disease.
afrol News - It is already a crime being homosexual in Ethiopia, but parliament is now making sure the anti-gay laws will be applied in practical life. No pardoning of gays will be allowed in future, but activist fear this only is a signal of further repression being prepared.
afrol News / Africa Renewal - Ethiopia's ambitious plan to build a US$ 4.2 billion dam in the Benishangul-Gumuz region, 40 km from its border with Sudan, is expected to provide 6,000 megawatts of electricity, enough for its population plus some excess it can sell to neighbouring countries.
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