Madonna adoption case adjourned

Madonna said her children had welcomed young David

The hearing of a case brought by rights groups challenging Madonna's adoption of a Malawian boy has been adjourned.

The pop star's lawyer told reporters the hearing was postponed until 13 November so the judge could hear from other parties involved in the case.

An alliance of 67 groups is pushing for the right to challenge the interim adoption order which let Madonna take one-year-old David out of the country.

His father was at the court, protesting against moves to halt the adoption.

A spokesman for the rights groups, Maxwell Matewere, said they would not "move an inch to stop the legal action" despite Yohane Banda's appeal.

Mr Matewere, director of the Eye of the Child organisation, told AFP news agency it was clear that David should not have been allowed to leave the country.

He argues that Malawi law bans foreign adoptions and that Madonna's wealth and status simplified the process.

An open letter to Madonna from Eye of the Child says:

"Inter-country adoption is prohibited under the Malawi current Children Adoption Act as section 3(5) reads 'an adoption order shall not be made in favour of any applicant who is not a resident in Malawi or in respect of any infant who so resident'."

The letter ends: "God bless you for the motherly and loving heart."

'Fears return'

Mr Banda told the BBC he feared the controversy stirred by the groups could prompt Madonna to return his son.

HAVE YOUR SAY The best thing Madonna can do is ask the press to leave her alone Jeremy, Druffield Send us your views

He urged the human rights groups challenging the adoption to leave the child alone, and added that he was unable to look after David himself.

He earlier told the Associated Press news agency that he would not have consented to the adoption had he known it meant giving up his son for good.

He said he had initially thought Madonna would just "educate and take care" of him.

"I was never told that adoption means that David will no longer be my son - if I was told this, I would not have allowed the adoption."

However, he also told Time magazine he did not want to challenge the adoption:

"I don't want my child, who is already gone, to come back. I will be killing his future."

Madonna herself has said she is "disappointed" by the media coverage, arguing it will discourage others from adopting.

The case will return to court on 13 November.