Madonna receives
legal heat for Malawi baby adoption

Madonna defended her decision to adopt a baby from Africa on Tuesday, saying she wanted to help one child escape poverty and had followed the law "like anyone else".

The U.S. pop star and her film director husband, Guy Ritchie, have been criticized by some adoption charities for seeking to adopt a baby from Malawi. One-year-old baby David Banda was flown to London by Madonna's staff overnight.

"After learning that there were over 1 million orphans in Malawi, it was my wish to open up our home and help one child escape an extreme life of hardship, poverty, and in many cases death, as well as expand our family," the singer said in an open letter distributed by her publicist.

Madonna said she would follow a standard procedure that requires an 18-month evaluation process before the adoption becomes final.

"We have gone about the adoption procedure according to the law like anyone else who adopts a child. Reports to the contrary are totally inaccurate," she said. (Reuters)