MADONNA - MALAWI JUDGE APPROVES MADONNA'S ADOPTION

MALAWI JUDGE APPROVES MADONNA'S ADOPTION

A Malawi judge has approved Madonna's adoption of a boy she found in an orphanage in 2006.

The US popstar and her husband, British director Guy Ritchie, have been looking after the two-year-old child, David Banda, at their London home.

The 49-year-old singer began adoption proceedings for David, who turns three in November, in October 2006.

David was put into the orphanage by his father, Yohane, after his mother died when he was just a month old.

His father maintained he could not care for the boy by himself and said he did not object to Madonna adopting his son.

The Queen of Pop has two other children, 11-year-old Lourdes and seven-year-old Rocco.

Neither Madonna nor Ritchie were present at today's court ruling but the singer's lawyer, Alan Chinula, said after the ruling: "We are very happy with what the judge has ruled.

"Finally the court has granted Madonna full adoption rights of the boy... It's all over, thank God.

"It is a positive and beautiful judgment that will have an impact on Malawi's adoption laws."