娱乐英语新闻：Madonna to pay Ritchie $76 mln in divorce deal

BEIJING, Dec. 16 (Xinhuanet) -- American singer Madonna has settled her divorce with ex-husband Guy Ritchie by giving him at least 76 million U.S. dollars, according to media reports Tuesday.

Singer Madonna (L) and director Guy Ritchie arrive on the red carpet at the 61st Cannes Film Festival May 21, 2008

    The figure includes the value of the couple's country home Ashcombe in western England and their west London pub, the Punchbowl, said Madonna's spokeswoman Liz Rosenberg.

    The couple were granted a preliminary divorce on Nov. 21 after announcing their split in October, which is expected to become final in January. Madonna is worth an estimated 450 million dollars while film director Ritchie's assets are valued at about 45 million dollars.

Director Guy Ritchie and wife Madonna are seen arriving for the world premiere of "RocknRolla" at the Odeon cinema in Leicester Square, central London in this Sept. 1, 2008 file photograph.

    They were married in a lavish ceremony in December 2000. But in recent years, reports began to accumulate that their relationship was on the rocks. And in this summer, Madonna unofficially confirmed her relationship with New York Yankee baseball star Alex "A-Rod" Rodriguez.

    The couple has agreed to share custody of their sons, Rocco, 8, and David, 3, who was adopted from Malawi.

    Madonna's daughter, Lourdes, 12, from a previous relationship will live with her in New York.