madonna and child

file photo, Madonna attends a special screening of 'Revolver' hosted by the Cinema Society and Piaget at the Tribeca Grand Hotel in New York. (AP Photo/Evan Agostini, file)" border="0" />AP - A-Rod and the Material Girl? That's a lot of hits. Reports that Yankees superstar Alex Rodriguez and Madonna have become close just as their marriages are disintegrating have both the celebrity gossip industry and the sporting world — each a chatty bunch — buzzing with questions about the two "friends."

file photo, Madonna attends a special screening of 'Revolver' hosted by the Cinema Society and Piaget at the Tribeca Grand Hotel in New York. (AP Photo/Evan Agostini, file)" border="0" />AP - A-Rod and the Material Girl? That's a lot of hits. Reports that Yankees superstar Alex Rodriguez and Madonna have become close just as their marriages are disintegrating have both the celebrity gossip industry and the sporting world — each a chatty bunch — buzzing with questions about the two "friends."

Reuters - An Afghan woman and child were killed during a U.S.-led operation against Taliban fighters in the southern Helmand province, the U.S. military said on Sunday.

Madonna laughs after she planted a tree at the Katawa clinic in the village of Kazimbe in Malawi, Friday, April 20, 2007. (AP Photo/Karel Prinsloo)" border="0" />AP - Madonna jetted out of Malawi on Sunday after a six-day visit to the impoverished homeland of the toddler she wants to adopt, carrying the boy in her arms as she boarded her plane.

AP - The father of the 13-month-old Malawian boy Madonna is trying to adopt said he is afraid criticism of her plans would persuade the pop star to drop her efforts.