UK charity urges Madonna to rethink Malawi adoption

Lilongwe, Malawi: Pop star Madonna is expected in Malawi on Sunday amid criticisms over her plans to adopt a girl as her second child from the poor African country.

Madonna plans to adopt a 4-year-old girl, but a British children's charity has urged the singer to "think twice" before adding another African child to her celebrity family.

Madonna and the girl's uncle are expected to appear in court on Monday to sign adoption papers.

Save the Children UK said on Saturday that the recently divorced star risked sending the wrong message by going through with the adoption.

Spokesman Dominic Nutt said many international adoptions are unnecessary, and some even feed into a criminal "adoption industry."

Nutt said he was not suggesting that Madonna was doing anything wrong, but he said the whole process of international adoptions is often flawed.

He said that, barring exceptional circumstances, children should be kept in the care of their extended families or within their communities.