Madonna has spent the last week in Malawi requesting an interim adoption of 4 year old Mercy James and has been denied amid hostility from human rights groups and childrens’ charities. 

Her lawyer returned to the country’s High Court in the capital, Lilongwe on Friday (today) for a hearing to find out whether she would be allowed to take Mercy back to the U.S., but the  judge  ruled against her.
Judge Esmie Chondo told the court:

“I must have to decline to grant the application to Madonna.”

The application was denied because of a requirement that prospective parents be resident in the country for 18 to 24 months prior to an adoption.   It is not known whether Madonna will appeal this ruling.  It was reported earlier this week that Madonna had the backing of the Malawi government for this adoption.

WENN.com