It's going to take me a while to get up to speed on the adoption news after a week's vacation, so I'm starting off with some headlines that have grabbed my attention.

The hoopla out of Guatemala has to be the loudest news around at the moment, but how important it ends up being is yet to be seen.

Rumors have floated around the Latin American adoption community regularly for years, including some in the past that suggested babies were being fattened up for consumption, so big 'to dos' are nothing new. For a good look at the present situation, read Lisa's Guatemalan blog on the subject and follow her writings along as this progresses.

For more encouraging news, how about this report on a new three-in-one pediatric retroviral tablet for HIV-AIDS-impacted children under the age of twelve?

The FDA has cleared the generic combo made in India, and although it can't be sold in the US due to patent protection, it is now eligible for purchase and use in other countries.

Massachusetts has made its Baby Safe Haven law a permanent fixture. The National Council for Adoption is happy about this move, applauding the governor and legislators in the State. Other organizations, like Bastard Nation are bound to be less than pleased, as they see the option of these havens as 'baby dumps' that run contrary to adoptee rights and question their value.

With all the talk of fat and adoption prompted by the new regulations that came into play in the Chinese adoption process in May, this story of a couple going whole hog on weight loss for a domestic adoption fits nicely. They took some of their wait and put the time toward surgery that will help them drop poundage.

Not mandated to get slim, they've been chosen by a woman making an adoption plan, but are determined to get into shapes that will allow down-on-the-floor play time and other such fun.

Good luck to them!

And because others consider it news, we'll close with Madonna's adoption and reports that "inadequate Malawian government funds" are holding up the process.

Forgive me for mentioning this, but I'm quite certain that Malawian government officials have little problem coming up with money for travel for entire delegations, including wives and kids, when bigwigs have an itch to visit the UK. This whole angle just doesn't wash.