Madonna to appeal for Mercy!

....I like this headline, I think it is worthy of a Sun sub-editor :-) .

Well you have all probably heard the news by now, a Malawian Judge has turned down Madonna's plea to adopt Mercy James, the Malawian baby girl.

Madonna had hopped over to Malawi to pick up a baby sister for her son David Banda (also from Malawi) and things seemed to be going according to plan. There was the expected outrage from civil groups both in Malawi and abroad, but nothing she hadn't dealt with before. The Malawian government seemed happy with the whole arrangement, so what was there to worry about?

Or so it seemed, then enter Judge Esme Chombo. It seems this esteemed member of Malawian judiciary wasn't with the plan. The Judge turned down Madonna's application saying

"It is necessary that we look beyond the petitioner ... and consider the consequences of opening the doors too wide, by removing the very safeguard that is supposed to protect our children, the courts ... could actually facilitate trafficking of children by some unscrupulous individuals."

Chombo said while other foreigners have adopted children from Malawi, but the only case in which some residency requirement was waived was Madonna's when she took David Banda out of the Malawi in 2006 before the adoption was finalized in 2008.

The battle is not over as Madonna is allowed an appeal, and an appeal is just what she intends as her Malawian lawyer Alan Chinula has already filed notice to appeal for Mercy.

Critics round on Madonna over 2nd Malawi Baby

The knives are out for Madonna. It seems her plans to adopt another baby from Malawi is leaving critics spluttering on their double decaf Cappuccinos and choking on their slim-line almond croissants

Take Andrea Peyser from the NY Post

The baby monster must be stopped! Stuck in a midlife crisis, Madonna is hoping to soothe the pain of being 50, manless and well past her freshness-expiration date by taking home a Third World daughter to match the last baby she bought like a human trinket.

Recently divorced for the second time, and accompanied by three children who should be in school -- and not advancing Madonna's pathetic cry for help -- she has traveled to the African nation of Malawi.

and Sue Caroll from the Daily Mirror

Madonna's arrival in Malawi to 'adopt' yet another poor child is the latest example of a new breed of showbiz imperialist who preys on the misfortunes of nations too impoverished to resist.

This increasingly desperate woman is unable to do anything - let alone adopt another poor child - with an iota of dignity or decorum.

This could be another tour, another album or another marriage such is her casual disregard for the emotional delicacies surrounding a huge undertaking like this.

Why is this super-rich egotist allowed to indulge in a spot of celebrity human trafficking?

Ouch !

Madonna and her Malawian babies...

Another year and another Malawian baby adoption by Madonna. It looks like the pop star cannot get enough of cute Malawian babies. In 2006 in controversial circumstances it is alleged by some that she bulldozed her way through Malawian law to adopt David Banda, despite David's father still being alive.

Development charities and talking heads were outraged, Malawians were divided and the Paparazzi added a new name to the list of celebrity kids they needed to keep tabs on. As is the case with such things the controversy faded away. Baby David settled into his new multi-millionaire lifestyle with new superstar parents Guy Ritchie and Madonna.

Tow years later and Madonna developed a new adoption itch, reports have it that Guy Ritchie was having none of this and it is cited as one of the reason their marriage broke up. With no Guy to put a dampener of her plans, Madonna has thrown herself into her new adoption and has her sights on a four-year old Mercy James.

Again the the adoption is proving controversial, but Madonna seems undeterred as she has stormed Malawi with her entire brood, Lourdes, Rocco and David and has attended court hearings to formalise the adoption. With the Malawian government backing her it all looks pretty much sewn up.

Is a 'Toy Boy' the must-have accessory for the woman who has everyhing

We are all used to seeing aging male celebrities sharing the limelight with the obligatory pretty young thing as they live up to full the adage "you are as young as the woman you feel". Well what a man can do, a woman can do just as well, and a whole host of A-list female celebrities are out there proving just that, in what some have dubbed the Cougar phenomenon

Madonna(50) and Jesus Luz(22) are the lastest Yummy Mummy Toy Boy (YMTB) combo to hit the headlines. The singer has found comfort in the arms of the young Brazilian model after the acrimonious split from her British film director husband Guy Ritchie. They were said to have first laid eyes on each other while Madonna was doing a photo shoot out in Rio de Janierio.

Demi Moore(46) and Ashton Kutcher(31) are the poster children for the YMTBs. The couple who got married in 2005 after going out for 2 years. They first met when Kutcher was a fresh faced 25 year old actor and the then Ms Moore already an established actress had had two marriages behind her (musician Freddie Moore (1980-84) and actor Bruce Willis (1987-2000)), six years later it is still going strong.

Mariah Carey(39) and Nick Cannon (30). She is the world's best selling solo artist and winner of countless awards and he is a part-time presenter, comedian and rapper, but together they are a sizzling hot YMTB couple. It was a whirlwind romance quickly followed by marriage in 2008 in Bahamas, what a Vision of Love some might say (not us though, cos we don't do cheesey stuff!).

Halle Berry (43) and Gabriel Aubry (33). The twice married American actress must have thought she she had her run after her second marriage to R&B star Eric Benet ended but when she bumped into French-Canadian model Gabriel Aubry on the set of TV movie Their Eyes Were Watching God it was love at first sight. Fast forward three years and they are blessed with a one-year old daughter, Nahla.

Cher (62) and Tim Medvetz (38). While Tim Medvetz was still a twinkle in his parents eyes, Cher had recorded and released her classic I got you Babe, married her first husband Sony Bono and had her fist child Chastity Bono. As they say love conquers all and their relationship is so far still going strong.

Salma Hayek's on breast feeding duty.

It seems celebrities can't get enough of African kids, Madonna and Angelina Jolie have adopted a bunch, and now Salma Hayek has got one one step further.

On a visit to Sierra Leone filming a news segment for the US network ABC, Ms. Hayek apparently came across a baby whose mother was unable to breast-feed. Hayek who had a baby of her own a year ago and still very 'ample' leapt into action, and offering to breast feed the baby and this very surreal video ensued.

Is Baseball star A-Rod now A-roid?

One of the stars of the US Major League Baseball (MLB) Alex Rodriguez or as he is more popularly known A-Rod has delivered a blow that has shocked baseball and American sport to its core.

The Baseball star has confessed on the US Sports TV network ESPN to have taken substances banned by the Baseball league and we aren't talking about high cholesterol donuts here. In his own words A-Rod confessed to taking the drugs between 2001 - 2003 just after he signed a $175 million deal to take him to the Texas Rangers from the Seattle Mariners.

It was a different culture. I was young, I was stupid and I wanted to prove to everyone I was worth being one of the greatest players of all time and I did take a banned substance.

“For that, I’m very sorry and deeply regretful, although it was the culture back then in baseball overall. I’m sorry for that time, I’m sorry to the fans and I’m sorry to the fans in Texas.

“It wasn’t until then that I thought about using a substance of any kind and since then I’ve proved to myself and to anyone that I don’t need any of that.”

A-Rod or should that be A-Roid now plies his trade for the most recognised franchise in baseball the New York Yankees and signed a new $195 million deal in 2007.

Reacting to the news of his confession the US President called it "depressing news" while the Owner of the Texas Rangers (and co-owner of our own Liverpool FC) Tom Hicks is in shock, reports in the press quote him as saying

"I feel deceived by Alex. He assured me he had too much respect for his own body to do that to himself. I'm shocked."

Rodriguez has also been in the news off and on about his relationship with pop star Madonna particularly after he divorced his wife Cynthia in September about the same time Madonna split from Guy Ritchie.

Madonna and Jesus spotted in New York

Madonna - Global Pop Star, 50 years old was spotted with Brazilian model Jesus Luz, 22 years old, cue media frenzy and sub-editor everywhere an orgasm of puns from "Madonna has found Jesus" to "Madonna and child".

The rumours mills are in full swing after Madge was seen having lunch with Brazilian model at trendy New York eatery, Macelleria. The two met on a photo shoot in Rio de Janeirio and seem to have become friends but the question on every one's lips is what sort of friends.

Madonna was granted a divorce from her former husband Guy Ritchie in October last year and had been recently linked to Baseball star Alex "A-Rod" Rodriguez.