Ukraine To Elton John: You're Too Old And Too Gay To Adopt

The Ukraine government says that Elton John is too old and too unopposite-married to adopt one of their HIV+ babies.

Adoption and gay rights advocates expressed regret about the determination by Family, Youth and Sports Minister Yuriy Pavlenko, while a children's charity had reservations about John's weekend announcement that he and his male partner, David Furnish, wanted to adopt the boy. John announced his desire after meeting the boy, named Lev, while touring an orphanage Saturday as part of an anti-AIDS charity project. "I don't know how we do that, but he has stolen my heart. And he has stolen David's heart and it would be wonderful if we can have a home," John said. But Pavlenko told The Associated Press that the adoption will not happen because adoptive parents must be married and because the pop star is too old. The singer is 62 and Ukrainian law requires a parent to be no more than 45 years older than an adopted child.

About 32,000 Ukrainian children are awaiting adoption and its citizens are described as "reluctant" to adopt those with health problems.