• Madonna has expressed anger over a Malawi court decision which sentenced two gay men to 14 years of hard labour.

In a statement on her official website, the singer slammed the charges of gross indecency against 20-year-old Tiwonge Chimbalanga and 26-year-old Steven Monjeza, who were engaged last year.
"I am shocked and saddened by the decision made today by the Malawian court, which sentenced two innocent men to prison," the statement read.
"As a matter of principle, I believe in equal rights for all people, no matter what their gender, race, colour, religion, or sexual orientation. Today, Malawi took a giant step backward. The world is filled with pain and suffering; therefore, we must support our basic human right to love and be loved.
"I call upon the progressive men and women of Malawi - and around the world - to challenge this decision in the name of human dignity and equal rights for all."

Madonna also asked her fans to add their name to her statement:

• Madonna’s wedding dress at the MTV Video Music Awards (1984) was one of the Top 10 Most Iconic Dresses Of The Past 50 Years.

As if Madonna’s “Like a Virgin” song wasn’t controversial enough, the pop star performed the song at the first MTV VMAs wearing a wedding dress, veil, and “Boy Toy” belt buckle. After suggestively writhing around on the ground in her gown, this show-stopping performance catapulted Madonna into a mega-star and international fashion icon.

• Lady GaGa talked about Madonna in her recent interview, stating she doesn't think of herself as "the new Madonna" and that she does have the utmost respect for her.

• According to (Daily Mail), Madonna casted rising star Andrea Riseborough for the role of The Duchess of Windsor in her upcoming movie.

“She was just amazed at how Andrea can go across the full range. Madonna is passionate about making and telling the story of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor’, though it will be told through the eyes of a contemporary figure, an American woman named Wally who becomes fascinated by the Windsor love affair when there’s an exhibition of the Duchess’s valuables before an auction in New York", said Colin Vaines, the producer of "W.E."
Andrea Riseborough explained…
“Madonna has read pretty much every book on the Duke and Duchess and I have been absorbing as much as possible about the Duchess, and speaking to people who knew her.
What’s fascinating is that this is the woman a king gave up the crown for, and that must have been such a heavy responsibility for her, as well as him.
She begged him to remain on the throne - she would rather have stayed as his mistress.
And I wonder what it must have been like after the Abdication? Did they hate each other or did they love each other? They were so compelling and enigmatic,”
Abi Cornish will play Wally while Oscar Isaac will play a highly educated security guard who falls in love with the married Wally.
Filming will begin in July on locations in England, France and America, and the script has gone through several rewrites and now seems much stronger.

• People Magazine has put together the top female tours since 2000, with Madonna dominating all of her DIVA counterparts. Check out the list below:

(DivaReport)

• Weekly Poll