Madonna cancels Australian concert tour

LONDON, July 18 (UPI) -- Madonna has canceled her upcoming planned concerts in Australia, Live Nation confirmed.

The BBC said no reason was given for the change in schedule.

The 2013 shows would have been the U.S. pop icon's first in Australia in 20 years, the British broadcaster noted.

"Madonna's tour will end in South America in December as planned. That's all we can say," a Live Nation representative told the BBC.

Madonna's "MDNA" tour has been sparking controversy in recent weeks. She flashed her breast to a largely Islamic audience in Istanbul and superimposed an image of the swastika onto a video image of far-right French political leader Marine Le Pen in Paris.