Madonna Crucified

Madonna has been sent a summons to appear in a Russian court for breaking St Petersburg's homophobic censorship law, during her concert in the city.

Russia Today reported that nine anti-gay plaintiffs intend to make Madonna pay for their supposed  moral suffering following her performance in August.

The pro-Kremlin group Trade Union of Russian Citizens wants the star in court to answer claims of blasphemy and for damaging the anti-gay cultural foundations of St Petersburg.

They are seeking 333 million rubles ($10 million) from Madonna and from the company that organised her show.

The pop star gave out pink wrists bands during the performance to show solidarity with Russia's LGBT community. The complaint also includes a video taken of the concert that allegedly depicts Madonna allegedly stomping on an Orthodox cross.

Madonna's new video for Girl Gone Wild has been restricted to adults by YouTube. It is supposedly too raunchy for general viewing, with scenes including partial nudity and a close-up of a man's PVC-clad crotch.

YouTube censors have told Madonna's management that if they want it to be available for viewing by all, they must edit out shots of bare bottoms, a man rubbing his crotch and an implied masturbation scene where a man gyrates before a mirror.

A rep for YouTube told the New York Post

YouTube has decided the video is too raunchy and should only be viewed by those 18 or over, and actually, the video is hard to find on the site. YouTube has sent Madonna's team a list of shots that should be cut to make it appropriate for everyone.

While we don't comment on individual videos, we review all videos flagged by our users against our community guidelines. In some cases we age-restrict flagged material that, while not in violation of those guidelines, contains images that may be unsuitable for younger users.

Madonna's team are working on an edited version of the video for YouTube.

A Bulgarian religious official has claimed a Madonna gig was to blame for a boating accident which killed 15 people.

Nikolay, the metropolitan of Bulgarian city Plovdiv, says he is angered that the September 5 leg of the star's Sticky & Sweet tour took place.

Locals are expected to commemorative the anniversary of the beheading of John The Baptist on that day.

Demanding it should have been spent in contemplation rather than enjoyment, he cited the tragedy on Lake Ohrid, which saw a pleasure boat crash with many fatalities.

The catastrophe in Macedonia in which 15 Bulgarian citizens died was a sign from heaven, claimed Nikolay.

The Orthodox Church had called for people not to enjoy themselves on the day marking the execution of John. We should not allow the young to have fun on a day that should be dedicated to spiritual reflection, he insisted.

Bulgaria's Orthodox Church has repeated its call for Bulgarians to boycott Madonna's August 29 concert, accusing the controversial singer of showing disrespect to Christianity.

About 50 000 people are expected to attend the show at Sofia's Vasil Levski Stadium.

The Church issued a statement expressing disapproval and disagreement with Saturday's event, and says the American performer openly violates holy Christian symbols.

Tuesday's statement accused Madonna of displaying a disrespectful and intolerant attitude to Christians' religious feelings on her ongoing Sticky and Sweet tour.

The gig this Saturday reportedly coincides with another religious holy day, in which the region recognises the beheading of Saint John the Baptist by spending the day fasting.

Madonna has been branded a crypto-Satanist for playing a night of her Sticky And Sweet tour on a Roman Catholic holiday in Poland.

The star had performed despite a flurry of protests from religious leaders and even pleas from the country's former president Lech Walesa.

Marian Baranski, deputy head of the Polish Faith and National Tradition Defense Committee, said: Madonna specialises in offending religious feelings. It is possible to suspect her of being a crypto-Satanist.

The performance on August 15 was the Feast Of The Assumption day that Christians mark the Virgin Mary's ascension to heaven.

Just last week, Walesa appealed to the concert's organisers: Please avoid any collision with my faith during this extraordinary day.

Catholic protesters arrived at the venue in Warsaw holding religious banners and flags.

Madonna has upset dignitaries in St. Petersburg, Russia, by using strong language.

The singer said It's fucking great at the beginning of an online audio teaser for her Sticky and Sweet concert in Palace Square which will take place on 2nd August.

Reports suggest members of the legislative assembly in St. Petersburg have addressed Governor Valentina Matvienko with a proposal to sue Madonna for her comments, reported contactmusic.com.

Pop star Madonna has caused another upset - by swearing during a live broadcast on the BBC. The star was heard uttering 'fuck' twice during a Saturday airing of Radio 1's Big Weekend.

She performed a number of tracks during her 40 minute set. Madonna introduced her track Hung Up to the Maidstone crowd, saying: You guys are going to have to start fucking it up out there 'cos I need to feel some love. I'm going to do an old song. But not too old. Fuck the present. Let's live in the past. She said.

Radio 1 DJ Zane Lowe apologised shortly afterwards.