MADONNA - MADONNA 'TO ADOPT SECOND AFRICAN CHILD'

MADONNA 'TO ADOPT SECOND AFRICAN CHILD'

Singer Madonna is set to travel to Malawi to adopt a second child from the African country, according to government officials.

The Material Girl is expected to arrive in Malawi this weekend, an official at the country's welfare department has said and her adoption case could be heard as early as Monday.

The 50-year-old adopted David Banda from Malawi in 2008 though the adoption caused controversy due to confusion over Malawian legislation.

Madonna's spokeswoman Liz Rosenberg has not commented on the reports but an anonymous US government official was quoted by the Reuters news agency as saying an adoption process had begun.

In response to emailed question from readers of the Nation magazine last week, the Hung Up star said she was "considering" adopting a second child from Malawi.

"Many people - especially our Malawian friends - say that David should have a Malawian brother or sister," she added.

Concerns were raised over Madonna's adoption of David as it was suggested laws banning overseas adoptions had been neglected.

However, she explained the difficulties with the process occurred as "this adoption essentially was the beginning of the creation of adoption laws in Malawi".

She added: "I am the template or the role model, so to speak, for future adoptions."

The singer also has two biological children; 12-year-old Lourdes, whose father is Carlos Leon and Rocco, eight, Madonna's sun with ex-husband Guy Ritchie.