Britney flops on MTV's Video Music Awards!

In a crotch-grabbing, pole-dancing comeback, fallen pop star Britney Spears opened the MTV Video Music Awards, one of the biggest nights in the US pop music calendar.

Wearing a black sequined bikini and black boots Sunday, Spears performed her racy new single, "Gimme more", at the trendy Palms Casino resort in Las Vegas. The sexy, some might say vulgar, number was Spears' biggest performance since she put her career on hold in 2004 to get married and have two children.

The recent disintegration of her marriage and her subsequent erratic behaviour kept Spears in the spotlight. But judging by the critical panning of her performance Sunday it's questionable whether she can return to superstar status.

Justin Timberlake, one of Britney's former boyfriends, had a much better evening, winning three of the big prizes, including Male Artist of the Year and the Quadruple Threat of the Year, which honours the combination of fashion, business, philanthropy and acting or dancing.

Monster Single of the Year went to Rhianna for "Umbrella". The collaboration with rap superstar Jay Z also earned her the Video of the Year Award. The Best collaboration award went to Shakira and Beyonce for Beautiful Liar, while Fergie was named best female artist.

The best group was Fall Out Boy, while Gym Class Heroes were named Best New Artist.

Lip-synching and gyrating her way through the song, Spears' disappointing performance had threatened to overshadow the night. But broadcast in a nightclub format, with performances beamed live from VIP parties taking place elsewhere in the resort, the show managed to avoid the usually tedious formats of other awards shows.

Nevertheless, Kanye West was upset that Spears was allowed to open the proceedings. "I can't believe she would perform. She hasn't had a hit record in years," West said. "Maybe my money's not right. Maybe my skin's not right."

West, who was nominated for five awards, including male artist of the year, performed later in the show.

Britney does the bare act again!

Britney Spear's bikini pics taken just five days before her head-shaving incident highlight another example of her erratic behaviour.

The singer’s pics that have recently come to light show her posing in a teeny thong with two night spot resident dancers at the Club One nightclub in New York.

The 25-year-old was partying with pals at the nightclub and went backstage to chat with dancers. Once there, she ended up stripping down to her essentials, the Sun reports.

The Toxic singer, who has been in the news for her disastrous interview to OK! magazine looks quite happy and relaxed in these playful snaps.

The pictures also show the two dancers in their bare minimums with one dancer sporting a thong even tinier than Britney’s.

Less than a week after posing for the pics, on February 16 Spears entered an off-shore drug rehabilitation facility in Antigua where she stayed for less than twenty-four hours.

The following night, she went to a haircutting studio in Tarzana, California and subsequently shaved her own hair off with clippers.

Britney Spears's kidnap fear for kids

Britney Spears fears that her kids might be kidnapped.

The singer’s divorce from Kevin Federline became official on Monday, July 30, and her lawyer Laura Wasser asked the Los Angeles Superior court judge to seal the child custody portion of the couple’s split.

Wasser, in a declaration to the judge, asked for this because Britney fears that if details of the specific timeshare schedule and transportation matters become public knowledge, it could put her boys Sean Preston and Jayden James at danger.

"Criminals ... might target the minor children for financial gain," TMZ quoted Wasser, as stating in the declaration.

Wasser also states that if made public, the media would have "a greater ability to ascertain the physical whereabouts of the minor children."

"Such information greatly increases the chances that the actions of the media could threaten the safety of the minor children by, for example, causing a traffic accident or by exposing the minor children to criminals who might target the minor children for financial gain," she stated.

The judge granted Wasser's motion to seal the custody documents temporarily, pending a full hearing on Aug. 14. He also agreed to keep the child support provisions under wraps.