Madonna has been labelled a "bully" by the government in Malawi.

Malawi’s vice president Joyce Banda has been sworn in as president following her predecessor’s sudden death in office.

The Malawi government has confirmed the death of President Bingu wa Mutharika and declared 10 days of mourning, two days after doctors said he died following a heart attack.

Malawi’s president was taken to hospital in the country’s capital and will be taken to South Africa for further treatment, state media reported.

A GAY couple from Malawi arrested and sentenced to 14 years in prison after they threw a lavish engagement party were freed from prison hours after receiving a presidential pardon, prison officials said.

A gay couple pardoned by Malawi’s president has been released from jail, a prisons spokesman said today.

A JUDGE convicted a gay couple in Malawi of unnatural acts and gross indecency after a trial that drew worldwide condemnation of this southern African country’s colonial-era laws on homosexuality.

A Malawi gay couple have been convicted of having a criminal relationship and could face up to 14 years in jail under the country’s colonial-era laws.

In a land dispute pitting Madonna against African villagers, Malawi’s government sided with the pop star who pumped millions into the impoverished southern African country and adopted two of its children.

Malawi’s government has backed Madonna in a land dispute with villagers.

Angola and Algeria both advanced to the quarter-finals of the African Nations Cup thanks to a goalless draw in Luanda, with Mali crashing out despite picking up their first win of the competition.

TOURNAMENT favourites Ivory Coast were held to a goalless draw by a stubborn Burkina Faso in their opening African Nations Cup Group B match at the Estadio do Cabinda last night.

The Government today pledged €2m to combat hunger in Africa.

Madonna has been “taught a lot” by Malawi.

Chelsea coach Carlo Ancelotti believes striker Salomon Kalou will play an important part in the future of the club after the Ivory Coast international signed a new three-year contract.

Ivory Coast became the second African nation to qualify for the 2010 World Cup tonight after a second-half strike from Chelsea star Didier Drogba earned them the point they needed to secure their place in South Africa.

A MALAWIAN man who claims to be the father of pop star Madonna’s newly adopted daughter said he has given up his fight to block the adoption, and wished the singer well.

THE poverty stricken African country of Malawi should remain high on the Government’s priorities for overseas aid after significant improvements in recent years, an Oireachtas committee has said.

Malawi’s highest court heard arguments today on Madonna’s bid to adopt a three-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.

As Malawi’s highest court prepares to decide on Madonna’s bid to adopt a second child from the country, a dispute has erupted over whether a man trying to stop the proceedings is the three-year-old girl’s father.

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West Brom defender Abdoulaye Meite could come into contention for a recall for tomorrow's Premier League clash with Portsmouth at Fratton Park.

DIDIER DROGBA is struggling to be fit for the first leg of Chelsea’s Champions League quarter-final tie with Liverpool tomorrow but Rafael Benitez expects Steven Gerrard to be fit for the latest ‘Battle of Britain’.

A judge and a lawyer said today that Madonna’s application to adopt a second child from Malawi has been rejected because of a requirement that prospective parents be resident in the country for 18 to 24 months.

Malawi’s child welfare minister today backed Madonna’s bid to adopt a second child from the impoverished southern African country.

AN inquiry has been opened into Sunday’s tragedy at the Felix Houphouet-Boigny stadium which left 19 dead and 132 injured.

MADONNA hit back yesterday at claims she was using her fame to pressure Malawi into allowing her to adopt another child.

Madonna hit back today at claims she was using her fame to pressure Malawi into allowing her to adopt another child.

Emmanuel Adebayor maintains Arsenal would have been hot on the heels of Manchester United in this season’s Barclays Premier League title race if all of their players had stayed fit.

The president of the Ivory Coast Football Federation Jacques Anouma has pleaded for calm as investigations start into last night’s tragedy which left at least 19 people dead and 132 injured.

At LEAST 22 people were killed in a stadium crush during a World Cup qualifier between Ivory Coast and Malawi in Abidjan yesterday.

Madonna has started work on her all-girls school in Malawi, Africa - she has hired four of the country's most prominent citizens to oversee the "multi-million dollar" project.

Malawi has called for Zimbabwe’s government to resume talks with former coloniser Britain, white farmers and the opposition party – all of whom long-time president Robert Mugabe considers his enemies.

A VATICAN diplomat who has served in some of the most violent situations in the world is the Holy See’s new representative in Ireland.

Malawian rights organisations say their government needs help monitoring Madonna’s planned adoption of David Banda.

Malawian rights organisations say their government needs help monitoring Madonna’s planned adoption of David Banda.

Zimbabwe’s neighbours are under increasing pressure to do something about its chaos – in part because it is already spilling over in the form of migrants fleeing economic collapse and political clampdown.

MADONNA accepts a Malawian high court ruling allowing a coalition of human rights groups to monitor her as she tries to adopt a Malawian child, the singer’s lawyer said yesterday.

Human rights organisations will help decide whether Madonna is fit to adopt a Malawian toddler, a judge in Lilongwe ruled today.

STUNG by critics, a tearful Madonna said the father of the African boy she adopted knew that he was signing away his son permanently, despite his comments that he thought she was looking after him temporarily.

Madonna spoke of her joy at bringing an African baby boy home to Britain and defended her adoption of him.

IRELAND will be spending €1.5 billion a year on overseas aid by 2012, the Government said yesterday.

Malawi’s embattled Vice-President Cassim Chilumpha was arrested on treason charges tonight, after a court prevented the government from firing him, his lawyer said.

THE President of Malawi has declared the impoverished, AIDS-decimated southern African nation a disaster area and said five million people are threatened with famine.