Madonna has won her appeal to adopt a second child from Malawi, the country's highest court has ruled. The star was appealing against an earlier decision that she could not adopt Chifundo "Mercy" James, four. In April, a judge ruled out the adoption saying prospective parents had to be resident in Malawi for 18 months. But the appeals court said that decision did not take into account the singer's commitment to helping disadvantaged children. The southern African state's chief justice, Lovemore Munlo, praised Madonna's interest in helping Malawi orphans and said the child would have a better life with the star. She was also financially stable, he added. "We therefore grant the adoption," he said. Judge Esmie Chondo ruled out the adoption in April, citing residency rules. Those rules were waived in 2006 when Madonna adopted a boy, David, from the southern African state. Mercy has been living in an orphanage since her 18-year-old mother died shortly after giving birth. The 50-year-old entertainer also has two biological children - Lourdes, 12, and Rocco, aged eight. Source: BBC