Father of African girl that Madonna wants to adopt tells CBS that he can care for her

June 20th, 2009 Madonna's adopted daughter leaves MalawiLILONGWE, Malawi — Madonna's new daughter has flown out of her native Malawi on a private jet headed for London, an airport employee and a person familiar with Madonna's adoption proceedings in this southern African country said Saturday. The airport employee, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the matter, said 3-year-old Chifundo "Mercy" James left late Friday headed to London, with a stop in neighboring South Africa.

June 20th, 2009 Madonna's adopted daughter said to leave MalawiLILONGWE, Malawi — Madonna's new daughter has flown out of her native Malawi on a private jet headed for London, an airport employee and a person familiar with Madonna's adoption proceedings in this southern African country said Saturday. The airport employee, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the matter, said 3-year-old Chifundo "Mercy" James left late Friday headed to London, with a stop in neighboring South Africa.

June 12th, 2009 Malawi court says Madonna can adopt second childBLANTYRE, Malawi — Madonna can get "Mercy," Malawi's highest court ruled Friday. The court overruled a lower court, saying the pop star can adopt 3-year-old Chifundo "Mercy" James.

June 12th, 2009 Malawi approves Madonna's 2nd adoption bidBLANTYRE, Malawi — Madonna can adopt a second child from Malawi, the southern African country's highest court ruled Friday, overturning a lower court decision it said was out of touch with the times. Chief Justice Lovemore Munlo, reading the three-judge panel's ruling, also said the singer's commitment to helping disadvantaged children should have been taken into account when deciding on Madonna's request to adopt 3-year-old Chifundo "Mercy" James.

June 12th, 2009 Malawi approves Madonna's 2nd adoptionBLANTYRE, Malawi — Madonna can adopt a second child from Malawi, the southern African country's highest court ruled Friday, overturning a lower court decision it said was out of touch with the times. Chief Justice Lovemore Munlo, reading the three-judge panel's ruling, also said the singer's commitment to helping disadvantaged children should have been taken into account when deciding on Madonna's request to adopt 3-year-old Chifundo "Mercy" James.

June 11th, 2009 Ruling on Madonna's Malawi adoption due FridayBLANTYRE, Malawi — Malawi's highest court plans to announce Friday whether Madonna can adopt a second child from the impoverished southern African country, the pop star's lawyer said Thursday. The lawyer, Alan Chinula, said the ruling would be issued at 9 a.m.

May 4th, 2009 Madonna adoption case heard amid paternity disputeBLANTYRE, Malawi — Malawi's highest court began deliberating on Madonna's bid to adopt a 3-year-old girl from the southern African country, as a dispute erupted over whether a man trying to stop the proceedings is the girl's father. Madonna was not at Monday's closed-door hearing at the Malawi Supreme Court of Appeal, and a ruling may not be announced for several days.

May 4th, 2009 Madonna adoption: Paternity dispute eruptsBLANTYRE, Malawi — Malawi's highest court began deliberating on Madonna's bid to adopt a 3-year-old girl from the southern African country, as a dispute erupted over whether a man trying to stop the proceedings is the girl's father. Madonna was not at Monday's closed-door hearing at the Malawi Supreme Court of Appeal, and a ruling may not be announced for several days.

May 4th, 2009 Paternity dispute erupts in Madonna adoption caseBLANTYRE, Malawi — Malawi's highest court began deliberating on Madonna's bid to adopt a 3-year-old girl from the southern African country, as a dispute erupted over whether a man trying to stop the proceedings is the girl's father. Madonna was not at Monday's closed-door hearing at the Malawi Supreme Court of Appeal, and a ruling may not be announced for several days.

May 2nd, 2009 African girl's dad doesn't want Madonna adoptionNEW YORK — The father of an African girl Madonna hopes to adopt says he wants to take care of his daughter himself — even though he's never met her. James Kambewa, believed to be the biological father of Chifundo "Mercy" James, said he doesn't want the pop star to adopt the 4-year-old.

April 30th, 2009 LONDON - Australian actor Hugh Jackman has come out in support of pop queen Madonna after her bid to adopt an African girl failed. The 40-year-old star, who himself has two adopted kids Oscar, eight, and three-year-old Ava, said he is sickened by cynics who favoured an African judge's decision to reject Madge's bid to adopt four-year-old baby girl Mercy James earlier this month.

April 21st, 2009 LONDON - Pop diva Madonna will resume her battle to adopt a Malawian girl in the next fortnight. The singer's appeal against a ruling that stopped her from taking Mercy James home will be heard on May 4, thesun.co.uk reports.

April 2nd, 2009 NEW YORK - The Malawi government is supporting Madonna's controversial bid to adopt a baby girl because of the help she's given the African country. "Madonna has been good to us," The New York Daily News quoted Information Minister Patricia Kaliati, as saying.

April 2nd, 2009 NEW YORK - Madonna's African lawyer says the pop diva's latest adoption plans will go through as planned. Attorney Alan Chinula insists he's anything but worried as Friday's hearing deadline approaches.

March 30th, 2009 NEW YORK - Madonna has arrived in Malawi and is expected to sign today adoption papers which will allow her to adopt a second child from the African nation. The move, however, has been widely criticised by aid agencies as "exacerbating" the plight of children in impoverished countries.