Madonna Adoption Hearing Adjourned Again  11/14/06

A coalition of human rights groups desperate to stop Madonna's adoption of Malawian baby David Banda has again had its case adjourned.

An alliance of 67 groups is challenging the interim adoption order granted to the singer last month (OCT06). Madonna denies she used her wealth and influence to speed up the adoption process.

However, a judge in Lilongwe today (13NOV06) said he will decide next Monday (20NOV06) if the coalition can take part in the adoption hearing.

The alliance's Justin Dzondi says, "Basically what we are asking the court is that we want to be joined as a party to the assessment because we have a lot of legal issues we want to raise."

Yohane Banda, the biological father of one-year-old David, was present at the first adjourned hearing on 27 October to protest moves to halt the adoption.

He fears the groups' outrage may prompt Madonna and her film-maker husband Guy Ritchie to return the child to Malawi, where he warns he'd die from lack of food and medicine.