Kilonova: Dead-Star Crashes May Spark Mysterious Cosmic Explosions

Cataclysmic crashes involving black holes and ultradense neutron stars may explain the briefest of the most powerful explosions in the universe, scientists say.

NASA scientists are calling the new type of short, but intense, cosmic collision and conflagration a "kilonova," an explosion so powerful it is 1,000 times stronger than a typical star explosion, called a nova. Such events have long been predicted by astronomers, but never seen until now, researchers said. The discovery could shed light on the?origin of heavy elements?such as gold and platinum, they added.

Gamma-ray bursts are the most intense outbursts ever detected, giving off as much energy in an instant as our sun will beam out during its entire 10-billion-year lifetime. A nearby burst directed at Earth could easily cause a?mass extinction, researchers say. [See more photos of the "kilonova" gamma-ray-burst explosion]

There are two kinds of gamma-ray bursts?? ones that are longer-lived, lasting more than two seconds, and less common short-lived ones, lasting about two seconds or less.

Scientists have suggested these brief gamma-ray bursts might be caused by cataclysmic mergers of incredibly dense cosmic bodies ? either two?neutron stars?(the tiny remnants of exploded stars) or a neutron star and a black hole. However, they lacked evidence until now.

Astronomer Nial Tanvir at the University of Leicester in England and his colleagues analyzed the short gamma-ray burst GRB 130603B, which exploded about 4 billion light-years away on June 3. NASA's Swift satellite measured it as 0.18 seconds long, while NASA's Wind spacecraft determined that it lasted only 0.09 seconds.

The mergers of dense cosmic bodies that are thought to cause short gamma-ray bursts can also blast out neutron-rich gas that rapidly generates heavy elements such as gold and platinum, scientists say. These "r-process" elements can undergo radioactive decay and release an enormous amount of energy ? 1,000 times or so that given off by stellar explosions such as novas. These powerful events are thus known as "kilonovas" ("kilo" means "thousand" in Greek).

NASA's?Hubble Space Telescope?revealed that the near-infrared afterglow that accompanied GRB 130603B was the kind one would expect from a kilonova. This is smoking-gun evidence that an explosive merger caused the gamma-ray burst, Tanvir told SPACE.com.

"This is just the first example, and we will have to search for and study others to be completely sure, but it certainly looks right," Tanvir said.

It remains uncertain what kind of merger caused this kilonova and gamma-ray burst. The theoretical predictions for these mergers and the behavior of kilonovas "still have many uncertainties, so it is too early to try to distinguish these possibilities," Tanvir said.

In the future, the researchers aim to find other examples of kilonovas accompanying short gamma-ray bursts. Tanvir added that future research into kilonovas could shed light on the origin of r-process elements.

"The r-process elements are heavy elements whose origin we have long been uncertain about," Tanvir said. "They are not produced in normal stars, and astronomers have generally assumed they must be created in supernovae. However, the calculations suggest supernovae may not be good at creating those elements, so it is possible that kilonovae from merging compact objects may be the primary route in the universe to producing these elements."

The scientists detailed their findings online Aug. 3 in the journal Nature.

Follow us?@Spacedotcom,?Facebook?or?Google+. Originally published on?SPACE.com.

Copyright 2013 SPACE.com, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/kilonova-dead-star-crashes-may-spark-mysterious-cosmic-212239960.html

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State Dept: Posts in 19 countries to remain closed

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Amid online "chatter" about terror threats, U.S. diplomatic posts in 19 cities in the Muslim world will be closed at least through the end of this week, the State Department said.

Spokeswoman Jen Psaki said the decision to keep the embassies and consulates shuttered is a sign of an "abundance of caution" and is "not an indication of a new threat."

She said the continued closures are "merely an indication of our commitment to exercise caution and take appropriate steps to protect our employees, including local employees, and visitors to our facilities."

Diplomatic facilities will remain closed in Egypt, Jordan, Libya, Yemen, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, among other countries, through Saturday, Aug. 10. The State Department announcement Sunday added closures of four African sites, in Madagascar, Burundi, Rwanda and Mauritius.

The U.S. has also decided to reopen some posts on Monday, including those in Kabul, Afghanistan, and Baghdad.

The Obama administration announced Friday that the posts would be closed over the weekend and the State Department announced a global travel alert, warning that al-Qaida or its allies might target either U.S. government or private American interests.

The intercepted intelligence foreshadowing an attack on U.S. or Western interests is evidence of one of the gravest threats to the United States since 9/11, according to several lawmakers who made the rounds on the Sunday talk shows.

"This is the most serious threat that I've seen in the last several years," Sen. Saxby Chambliss of Georgia told NBC's "Meet the Press Sunday. "Chatter means conversation among terrorists about the planning that's going on ? very reminiscent of what we saw pre-9/11."

Chambliss, the top Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said it was that chatter that prompted the Obama administration to order the Sunday closure of 22 embassies and consulates and issue the travel warning.

Rep. C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger of Maryland, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, told ABC's "This Week" that the threat intercepted from "high-level people in al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula" was about a "major attack."

Yemen is home to al-Qaida's most dangerous affiliate, blamed for several notable terrorist plots on the United States. They include the foiled Christmas Day 2009 effort to bomb an airliner over Detroit and the explosives-laden parcels intercepted the following year aboard cargo flights.

Rep. Peter King, the New York Republican who leads the House Homeland Security subcommittee on counterterrorism and intelligence, told ABC the threat "was specific as to how enormous it was going to be and also that certain dates were given."

The Obama administration's decision to close the embassies and the lawmakers' general discussion about the threats and the related intelligence discoveries come at a sensitive time as the government tries to defend recently disclosed surveillance programs that have stirred deep privacy concerns and raised the potential of the first serious retrenchment in terrorism-fighting efforts since Sept. 11.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., has scoffed at the assertion by the head of the National Security Agency that government methods used to collect telephone and email data have helped foil 54 terror plots.

Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., a House Intelligence Committee member, said while he takes the threat seriously he hasn't seen any evidence linking the latest warnings to that agency's collection of "vast amounts of domestic data."

Other lawmakers defended the administration's response and promoted the work of the NSA in unearthing the intelligence that led to the security warnings.

King, a frequent critic of President Barack Obama, said: "Whether or not there was any controversy over the NSA at all, all these actions would have been taken."

On Friday, the White House announced the weekend closures and the State Department announced a global travel alert.

The warning urged American travelers to take extra precautions overseas, citing potential dangers involved with public transportation systems and other prime sites for tourists.

It noted that previous terrorist attacks have centered on subway and rail networks as well as airplanes and boats. It suggested travelers sign up for State Department alerts and register with U.S. consulates in the countries they visit. The alert expires Aug. 31.

The intelligence intercepts also prompted Britain and Germany to close their embassies in Yemen on Sunday and Monday. British authorities said some embassy staff in Yemen had been withdrawn "due to security concerns."

France said Monday it would extend the closure of its embassy in the Yemeni capital through Wednesday.

Interpol, the French-based international policy agency, has also issued a global security alert in connection with suspected al-Qaida involvement in several recent prison escapes including those in Iraq, Libya and Pakistan.

___

Associated Press writer Michele Salcedo contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/state-dept-posts-19-countries-remain-closed-074040787.html

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Kevin Zegers Marries Jaime Feld!

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/08/kevin-zegers-marries-jaime-feld/

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Google Nexus 7 Second Generation 2013 Tablet Review

Legit Mobile Reviews

Manufacturer:	ASUS
Product:	Nexus 7
Date:	Wed, Jul 31, 2013 - 12:00 AM
Written By:	Nathan Kirsch -
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The Nexus 7 Gets Even Better

Last year we were impressed by the original Nexus 7 and the quality experience that could be had from a 7-inch Android tablet that cost just $200. The Nexus 7 was without a doubt the tablet to get if you were looking for something small. Over the course of the past year we saw the Nexus 7 available for well under $200 when on sale or when a store was offering a savings coupon. Even today the original Nexus 7 is still a solid platform and Google has done a good job at keeping it updated by pushing Android 4.3 out for the original model just this past week. ASUS did a great job with the build quality and hardware in the original model that came out in 2012, so we were really excited to hear that ASUS would be producing the second-generation Nexus 7!?

We ran out and purchased the 2013 Nexus 7 from Best Buy on July 26th and have been using it daily since we picked it up from the store. There are tons of Nexus 7 reviews already online, but we wanted to spend a few days actually using it rather than staying up all night and just posting up a 'quickie' on a product that we never really used.

The new 2013 Google Nexus 7 (16GB w/ WiFi) costs $229 shipped for the base model, which is more than the 2012 Nexus 7 (8GB w/ WiFi) that could be had for $199 at launch. This 15-percent price increase had us worried at first, but you'll see that you get much improved hardware that makes it easy to justify the higher prices. You get a thinner/lighter tablet, reduced bezel, higher screen quality and resolution, a faster processor, improved graphics processor, double the RAM, dual band wireless, updated Bluetooth, wireless charging, a rear facing camera and more. Literally everything that could have been updated has been! Take a look at the table below for a good side-by-side comparison between the two models.

?	Nexus 7 (2013)	Nexus 7 (2012)
Pricing	$229+	$199+
Dimensions	7.87 x 4.49 x 0.34 inches (200 x 114 x 8.7mm)	7.81 x 4.72 x 0.41 inches (198.5 x 120 x 10.5mm
Weight	WiFi: 10.23 oz. (290g); LTE: 10.55 oz. (299g)	WiFi: 11.99 oz. (340g); 3G: 12.24 oz (347g)
Screen size	7.02 inches	7.02 inches
Screen resolution	1,920 x 1,200 pixels (323 ppi)	1,280 x 800 pixels (216 ppi)
Screen type	IPS LCD	IPS LCD
Side Bezel Width	0.8-inch	1.0-inch
Maximum brightness	570 cd/m2	288 cd/m2
Battery	3,950mAh	4,325mAh
Internal storage	16/32GB	8/16GB
External storage	None	None
Rear camera	5MP, AF	No rear camera
Front-facing cam	1.2MP	1.2MP
Video capture	1080p/30fps	720p (using front camera)
NFC	Yes	Yes
Radios	varies by market; LTE/HSPA+/GSM/EDGE	varies by market; HSPA+/GSM/EDGE
Bluetooth	v4.0	v3.0
SoC	Snapdragon S4 Pro	NVIDIA Tegra 3
CPU	1.5GHz quad-core Krait (28nm)	1.2GHz quad-core Cortex-A9 (40nm)
GPU	Adreno 320	ULP GeForce
RAM	2GB	1GB
Wireless Charging	Yes	No
WiFi	Dual-band, a/b/g/n	b/g/n
Operating system	Android 4.3	Upgradeable to Android 4.3

These are really impressive hardware specifications and to see them in a $229 tablet is really great. Keep in mind that the Apple ipad mini costs $100 more and has just a 1024 x 768 screen resolution with 163 pixels per inch (PPI). The screen quality on this IPS LCD display is something to see at 1920 x1200 with 323 PPI!? Apple's 16GB iPad w/ Retina Display (264 PPI) costs $499 and the new Nexus 7 looks just as good when it comes to screen quality!

The icing on the cake is that the new Nexus 7 is the first device in the world to run Android 4.3! This means that you use new Android 4.3 features like Restricted Profiles, which allows you to control access permissions on an app by app basis. This is great for tablets as it is likely that the whole family will use the device and you can limit what apps different users can access including, should you choose, a complete restriction on accessing Google Play to add new apps or entire social networks (think Facebook or Twitter blocking). Android 4.2 already lets you create different profiles so each family memory can all have their own log ins, but Restricted Profiles builds on this idea significantly. Other notable new OS features would be OpenGL ES 3.0 support and Bluetooth Smart. OpenGL ES 3.0 improves polygonal graphics performance and allows the tablet to better handles effects like lens flares, shadows, and other shader effects. With Bluetooth Smart, the Nexus 7 can connect to a newer generation of Bluetooth devices as well as transmit metadata like song titles.

The second-generation Nexus 7 is available in three models. The first two are Wi-Fi only, with support for 802.11a/b/g/n on the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands, hence the dual-band support. The 16GB Wi-Fi model is $229 shipped and the 32GB Wi-Fi version is $269 shipped. The third and most expensive model is the 32GB model that has 4G LTE support (there is no 16GB option with the 4G LTE modem).

We purchased the Nexus 7 16GB Wi-Fi model and that is the model that we'll be showing you in this review.

Inside the retail packaging you'll find the USB charging/data cable, wall charger, warranty & safety guide and a quick setup manual.

Here is a side-by-side shoot with last year's Nexus 7 on the left and this years model on the right. They look similar, but you can see the 2013 Nexus 7 is a tad taller and all black. The headphone jack has been moved from the bottom to the top and the front facing cameras is now offset to the right side. When it comes to looks the new model does look nicer and has a nice weight to it.

The 2013 Nexus 7 measures 7.87 x 4.49 x 0.34 inches versus 7.81 x 4.72 x 0.41 inches on the 2012 Nexus 7. So, it is taller/longer, but noticeably narrower and thinner. It also only weighs 10.23 ounces verses 11.99 ounces for the last version. The cheap looking silver plastic rim around the display is gone and we are happy about that. Now the soft-touch-coated back wraps around the side to the glass display.

Here is a look at the aforementioned soft-touch coating on the back of the Nexus 7. Notice that ASUS also did away with the leather-like finish on the original and that the the back is entirely smooth now. The build quality just feels better this time around!

Next Page - Nexus 7 Camera and Hardware Performance

Source: http://www.legitreviews.com/article/2248/1/

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Carla Bruni shows off incredible bikini body on holiday in South of ...

Melanie Sykes in Dubai

<p>She might be 42, but Melanie Sykes showed the world she's got the body of a 20-something when she hit the beach in Dubai in April. The TV presenter looked stunning in a baby-blue strapless bikini as she frolicked in the sea near her accommodation at the luxury five-star Grosvenor House.</p>

Pink enjoys a day out with the family in Miami

<p> Here's Pink enjoying the weather on the beach in Miami, Florida in February with her family. There were some serious tattoos and abs on display as the parents built sandcastles and played in the water with their daughter, Willow.</p>

Serena Williams poses on Miami Beach

<p> <span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 12pt;">In April Serena Williams was papped showing off her good side on Miami Beach in </span><a href="http://travel.aol.co.uk/tag/florida/" style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 12pt;" target="_blank">Florida</a><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 12pt;">. The world's number one female tennis player was enjoying a well-deserved break from the courts and posing for a fashion shoot in an arresting monochrome bikini and massive gold earrings.</span></p> <br /> <p> </p>

Kerry frolicks with new man in Dubai

<p> March saw Kerry Katona with her beau of seven months George Kay cosying up in the sea in <a href="http://travel.aol.co.uk/travel-guides/dubai/">Dubai</a>. Kerry was resplendent in a white scalloped bikini and George sported a tiny pair of black trunks. The couple were staying at the super romantic <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g295424-d575718-Reviews-Palm_Tree_Court-Dubai_Emirate_of_Dubai.html" target="_blank">Palm Tree Court</a>.</p>

Hayden Panettiere escapes for easter break in Florida

<p> Hayden Panettiere was spotted on the beach in Florida in April in an itsy bitsy magenta bikini. As the temperatures soared to the mid-80s, the <em>Nashville</em> star was seen playing in the surf and soaking up the rays, who could blame her?</p>

Coleen Rooney shows off baby bump in barbados

<p> Being four months pregnant didn't stop Coleen Rooney from playing with her son, three-year-old Kai on the beach in <a href="http://travel.aol.co.uk/travel-guides/barbados/">Barbados</a>&nbsp;earlier this year.&nbsp;Wayne Rooney had to stay at home due to football commitments while Coleen topped up her tan and spent time with Kai, building sandcastles and swinging him around.</p>

Giselle enjoys family trip to Hawaii

<p> Giselle Bundchen whisked her husband, Tom Brady and two children, three-year-old Benjamin and new arrival Vivian Lake to <a href="http://travel.aol.co.uk/travel-guides/hawaii/">Hawaii </a>in February. The supermodel highlighted her post-baby, washboard stomach in a black string bikini and looking at the pictures it's hard to believe that she had given birth just two months earlier!</p>

Abbey and Peter Crouch head to Dubai

<p> February's grotty weather sent Abbey and Peter Couch packing to one of their favourite sunny holiday destinations: <a href="http://travel.aol.co.uk/travel-guides/dubai/">Dubai</a>. The lithe couple were spotted strolling around the grounds of the luxury &pound;500-a-night <a href="http://www.leroyalmeridien-dubai.com/?PS=LGEN_AA_DEMA_CGGL_TPRP" target="_blank">Le Royal Meridien Hotel</a> in some tiny swimwear.</p>

Nicki Minaj flaunts her famous curves in mystery location

<p> Nicki Minaj isn't shy about showing off her assets and these racy holiday snaps she tweeted are no exception. The singer posted pictures of herself in a barely-there neon bikini in a mystery location...although I'm guessing that no one is paying much attention to the scenery!</p>

Ellie Goulding shares saucy snap in Singapore

<p> Ellie Goulding posted this Instagram pic of herself while she was&nbsp;<a href="http://travel.aol.co.uk/travel-guides/singapore/">Singapore</a> in March. The singer was apparently taking a day off to catch some rays before continuing the South East Asian leg of her tour. She shared the photo with her fans on Instagram and wrote alongside it: 'Chill before next flight to <a href="http://travel.aol.co.uk/travel-guides/brisbane/">BRISBANE</a>.'</p>

Dannii Minogue relaxes under a waterfall in Barbados

<p> Danni Minogue was snapped posing in <a href="http://travel.aol.co.uk/travel-guides/barbados/">Barbados</a> in April while she was filming for reality television show, <em>Britain &amp; Ireland's Next Top Model</em>. The singer is a judge on the show's panel alongside supermodel Elle Macpherson and American model Tyson Beckford.</p>

Natalie Cassidy soaks up the sun in Tenerife

<p> Ex-<em>Eastenders</em> star Natalie Cassidy was spotted looking healthy and happy in <a href="http://travel.aol.co.uk/travel-guides/tenerife/">Tenerife</a> on her holiday in January. The trimmed-down, toned-up actress relaxed on the black volcanic sand and frolicked in the ocean.</p>

Helen Flanagan frolicks in Dubai

<p> Helen Flanagan showed off her enviable curves in a turquoise bikini on holiday in sunny <a href="http://travel.aol.co.uk/travel-guides/dubai/">Dubai</a> in March. The ex-<em>Corrie</em> star looked as though she was auditioning for <em>Baywatch</em> as she skipped along the shoreline. It was the second time in as many months that Helen jetted off to Dubai's sunny shores: she enjoyed a luxury stay at the five-star Grosvenor Hotel back in February.</p>

Jessica Alba holidays in St Barts

<p> Jessica Alba shows the world how to do beach chic as she hit the shores of beautiful volcanic island, St Barts in the <a href="http://travel.aol.co.uk/tag/caribbean/">Caribbean</a>. The Sin City actress was photographed paddling in the surf with friends and her husband, Cash Warren in April.</p>

Liz Hurley and Shane Warne on a Romantic Parisian break

<p> Liz and Shane proved that <a href="http://travel.aol.co.uk/travel-guides/paris/">Paris</a> is still the top spot for romance this April when they were caught posting this loved-up selfie in front of the Louvre. The happy couple continued to post snaps of themselves in front of the Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe where Liz tweeted: &quot;And here's my gorgeous @warne888 at the Arc de Triomphe...&quot;&nbsp;</p>

Denise Van Outen hits Dubai

<p> Denise Van Outen was spotted showing off her post-<em>Strictly Come Dancing</em> bikini body in <a href="http://travel.aol.co.uk/travel-guides/dubai/">Dubai </a>for the third time this year. The actress and musical star stayed at the exclusive <a href="http://www.grosvenorhouse-dubai.com" target="_blank">Grosvenor House resort</a> with her girlfriends and soaked up some sunshine on the powdery white beach in April.</p>

Alex Gerrard shows off in Portugal

<p>Alex Gerrard made the most of hubby Steven Gerrard missing the football action due to a shoulder problem in March by enjoying the sunshine with her family in Portugal.</p> <p>Alex took to Twitter to show off her new Victoria Secrets bikini saying: &quot;Love my Victoria secrets bikini !!!! Xxx&quot;</p> <p>The model and fashion columnist shared a selection of photos of the couple's three daughters Lilly-Ella, Lexie and Lourdes playing in the swimming pool and inside their luxury villa.</p>

Amy Childs soaks up the sun in Marbella

<p>Amy Childs might have just missed her former Towie castmates by a matter of days, but that didn't stop her getting straight into the Champagne swing of things after landing in Marbella in June.</p> <p>The reality TV star strutted her stuff by the pool at the <a href="http://www.sisuboutique.com/" target="_blank">Sisu Boutique Hotel</a> in a bright orange embellished bikini.</p>

Amy Childs does retro fashion in Marbella

<p>Amy Childs continued her <a href="http://travel.aol.co.uk/tag/marbella/">Marbella</a> bikini parade in June in an unusual 50s-style two-piece.</p> <p>The former reality TV star was showing off her curves in a balconette bra and high-waisted bottoms as she lazed by the pool at the <a href="http://www.salabeach.com/" target="_blank">La Sala Beach Club</a>, where loungers cost 30 euro a day.</p>

Brooke Vincent wears itsy bitsy, teeny weeny polka dot bikini in Spain

<p>Brooke Vincent was showing off her curves in a black and white polka dot bikini during a pre-birthday girls' holiday last week.</p> <p>The<em> Coronation Street</em> star flew off to <a href="http://travel.aol.co.uk/tag/Spain/">Spain</a> to grab a few rays of sun before celebrating her 21st this weekend with a big celebrity party in Manchester.</p>

Denise Richards lets her hair down in Beverly Hills

<p>Denise Richards was making the most of the Californian sun during Memorial Day in May - and showed off her fabulous bikini body in the process.</p> <p>The actress and model flaunted her tiny curves in a white bikini as she enjoyed the rays poolside at the <a href="http://www.beverlyhillshotel.com/" target="_blank">Beverly Hills Hotel</a>. The hotel, on Sunset Boulevard in Beverly Hills, dates back to 1912 - before there was even a city of the same name.</p>

Millie Mackintosh soaks up the UK sunshine

<p>Millie Mackintosh made the most of the UK's blast of balmy weather in June by stripping off down to her bikini and soaking up the rays in her garden.</p> <p>Proving you don't always have to jet off to the Costa del Sol for some rays, Millie donned her <a href="http://uk.accessorize.com/view/product/uk_catalog/acc_4.2/3974179914?skipRedirection=true&amp;utm_campaign=uk-affiliates&amp;utm_medium=affiliates&amp;utm_source=affiliate-window&amp;utm_content=uk-affiliates&amp;utm_term=&amp;source=aw" target="_blank">Accessorize Ditsy Floral bandeau bikini</a> for a spot of in-garden sunbathing with her gorgeous French bulldog, Herby and wrote on twitter: &quot;Hot dog.&quot;</p>

Gisele relaxes after the Met Ball 2013

<p>It must have been extremely exhausting looking absolutely knockout at the 2013 Met Ball, because Gisele Bundchen jetted straight off to an exotic holiday destination to relax almost straight afterwards in May.</p> <p>The Brazilian beauty tweeted an Instagram picture of herself in a purple bikini, proving (if proof were actually needed), why she is one of the world's highest-paid models.</p>

Hayden Panettiere does bikini fashion with style

<p>Nashville star Hayden Panettiere took to Twitter to show her fans exactly how to perfect their holiday beauty style in May.</p> <p>The 23-year-old posted a holiday snap of herself wearing a red bikini with matching lipstick.</p> <p>She posed with her friend, singer and songwriter Erin McCarley and wrote: &quot;My girl! @erinmccarley&quot;.</p>

Heidi Klum takes time off in the US

<p>She's a mum of four (yes, really) so Heidi Klum deserved a little pampering on Mother's Day in the US - and decided to relax in the pool in a teeny orange bikini.</p> <p>The model treated herself to a glass of wine while she soaked up the sun on a bright printed Li-Lo in LA. She uploaded the pic to Twitter and wrote: &quot;Happy Mother's Day! Best Mother's Day ever.&quot;</p>

Kelly Brook frolicks in Tobago

<p>Kelly Brook wrapped shooting on her final episode as panellist on Celebrity Juice in May - and celebrated her stint on the show with a holiday in <a href="http://travel.aol.co.uk/tag/caribbean/">Tobago</a> with her beau, Danny Cipriani.</p> <p>The couple jetted off to the <a href="http://travel.aol.co.uk/tag/caribbean/">Caribbean</a> island with their friend, rugby player Ugo Monye, who tweeted a pic of the trio splashing around in the warm waters of Castara Bay together.</p>

Kristin Chenoweth holidays in Mexico

<p>Kristin Chenoweth was showing the 20-somethings how beach chic's done as she flaunted her incredible bikini body on holiday in Mexico in April.</p> <p>The small screen and theatre star, 44, looked fab in gold string bikini while enjoying the powdery beach at the <a href="http://www.starwoodhotels.com/stregis/property/overview/index.html?propertyID=1734" target="_blank">St Regis Punta Mita Resort</a> in Mexico. Owned by the luxurious Starwood group, the St Regis Punta boasts a tennis centre nestled in a palm grove, a family pool, an infinity-edged Beach Club Pool, as well as an infinity-edged Adult Pool, where butlers will attend to your thirst-quenching needs.</p>

Lucy Mecklenburgh shows off in Spain

<p>TOWIE's Lucy Mecklenburgh was showing her new ex-fianc&eacute; Mario Falcone exactly what he was missing in April as she paraded a perfect bikini body poolside in <a href="http://travel.aol.co.uk/tag/Spain/">Spain</a>.</p> <p>The star jetted off to sunnier climes last week, and was spotted enjoying cocktails with friends at her luxury hotel.</p> <p>It looked like a break in the Spanish sunshine was exactly what she needed, as she tweeted: &quot;Had a great holiday! Just what I needed! Now back to work xxx&quot; after arriving home.</p>

Maria Fowler hits Marbella

<p>Marbella was stocked with TOWIE stars past and present in June when Maria Fowler paraded her bikini body on a trip to the Spanish holiday area - just days after her former Towie castmates enjoyed a vacation at the same resort.</p> <p>Maybe Maria just wanted the limelight to herself, and certainly made the most of it, posing poolside in a strapless white bikini.</p>

Mel B recovers at Cannes

<p>Mel B was proudly parading her bikini body for all to see as she lived the high life on a luxury yacht in Cannes in May.</p> <p>The America's Got Talent star soaked up the rays in the French Riviera with her husband Stephen Belafonte, who looked keen on napping after their Champagne lunch.</p>

Abbey Crouch does a bikini shoot in Mallorca

<p>Abbey Crouch was spotted soaking up the sun on a beach again in April - this time in <a href="http://travel.aol.co.uk/travel-guides/mallorca/">Mallorca</a>.</p> <p>The 27-year-old model and mother was on the island on a photo shoot for a swimwear range for Matalan.</p>

Paris Hilton models bikinis in Hawaii

<p>Socialite-turned-designer Paris Hilton was hard at work in <a href="http://travel.aol.co.uk/travel-guides/hawaii/">Hawaii</a> in June, where she was shooting an ad campaign for her new clothing line, Honey Bunch.</p> <p>Paris, 32 posted pictures of herself modelling two bikinis from the collection - accessorising both with towering heels, huge sunglasses and plenty of jewellery.</p> <p>Paris tweeted: &quot;Just finished the press conference and TV interviews. Now back to the ad campaign shoot. So proud of my new Honey Bunch Clothing Line.&quot;</p>

Rosie Huntington-Whiteley shows off in South of France

<p>Rosie Huntington-Whiteley was busy sunning herself in the South of France in June - surely turning other holidaymakers green with envy in her mint bikini.</p> <p>The model jetted into Nice airport with her beau Jason Statham. The pair were the area to attend the star-studded wedding of Tamara Ecclestone and Jay Rutland.</p>

Rosie Huntington-Whiteley in Cannes

<p>British model-turned-actress Rosie Huntington-Whiteley made the most of the sunshine in Cannes in May - and posted pictures of herself sunbathing in a leopard-print bikini when she took a break from red-carpet events.</p> <p>Rosie tweeted regularly when she arrived in Cannes but this picture was obviously taken on her day off, as she posted two pictures of herself sunbathing, with the caption &quot;Holidays!!&quot;</p>

Tom Daley shows off killer abs at the beach in Florida

<p>Tom Daley was in <a href="http://travel.aol.co.uk/tag/florida/">Florida</a> in May, preparing for the USA Grand Prix in <a href="http://travel.aol.co.uk/tag/florida/">Fort Lauderdale</a>.</p> <p>But it wasn't all work and no play for the diving star as he managed to take a break and hit the beach with his teammate Tonia Couch as well.</p>

Tulisa and Chelsee Healey in Marbella on girly holiday

<p>Tulisa and best friend Chelsee Healey jetted off to glamorous Spanish resort <a href="http://travel.aol.co.uk/tag/Spain/">Marbella</a> in on a girly holiday in May.</p> <p>The pair were spotted partying at the Ocean Club, popular for its champagne parties.</p>

Tulisa enjoys the sun in Marbella

<p>Tulisa continued to make the most of the rays in <a href="http://travel.aol.co.uk/tag/Spain/">Marbella</a> in May - showing off her bikini body in a bright orange two-piece.</p> <p>The former X Factor judge flaunted her curves on the beach and matched her coral lipstick to her bikini.</p>

Abbey Crouch hits the beach with her daughter in Dubai

<p>She's a regular visitor to <a href="http://travel.aol.co.uk/travel-guides/dubai/">Dubai</a>, and now Abbey Crouch has treated her daughter Sophia to a visit to its golden sands, too.</p> <p>The model was spotted enjoying the beach in June with the toddler, who was super-cute in a little frilled swimsuit, sharing mum's enormous sun hat.</p>

Alanis Morissette on holiday in Hawaii

<p>Alanis Morissette hit the beach on a family holiday in <a href="http://travel.aol.co.uk/travel-guides/hawaii/">Hawaii</a> in May in a mismatched bikini with the slogan &quot;Self Love&quot; printed on the bottoms.</p> <p>The <em>Ironic</em> singer was enjoying a getaway with her husband Mario &quot;MC Souleye&quot; Treadway, 33, and their two-year-old son, Ever.</p>

Geri Halliwell relaxes in Sydney

<p>Geri Halliwell was in <a href="http://travel.aol.co.uk/travel-guides/sydney/">Sydney</a> in June, working on <em>Australia's Got Talent</em> - and she enjoyed a break from work by hitting the local beaches.</p> <p>The former Spice Girl - who temporarily relocated to Oz for work on 22 May - uploaded pics of herself to Twitter in a teeny frilly bikini.</p>

Carmen Electra shows off her beach body in Dubai

<p>Carmen Electra was clearly enjoying herself while on holiday in <a href="http://travel.aol.co.uk/travel-guides/dubai/">Dubai</a> in May, as this picture shows.</p> <p>The 41-year-old model and TV star wore a tiny black bikini and cardigan to pose for photos on the beach outside Jumeirah Beach Hotel, showing off her impressive curves and toned torso.</p>

Harry Styles relaxes poolside in Barcelona

<p>Ladies, prepare to swoon: Harry Styles was spotted in May showing off his chest - as well as his soft side - carrying a toddler around with no top on as he relaxed at his hotel in <a href="http://travel.aol.co.uk/travel-guides/barcelona/">Barcelona</a>.</p> <p>The <em>One Direction</em> heart throb also showed off his numerous tattoos as he paraded around by the pool at the <a href="http://www.wlondon.co.uk/" target="_blank">W Hotel</a>.</p>

Michelle Heaton hits Miami Beach

<p>Michelle Heaton has spent the last few years qualifying to become a personal fitness instructor and she put her knowledge to use as part of Lorraine's Miami Beach Diet in <a href="http://travel.aol.co.uk/tag/Florida/">Florida</a> in May.</p> <p>The former <em>Liberty X</em> star helped three women try to achieve a beach body for the show's segment, and was spotted enjoying some downtime in a striped navy and white bikini at Miami Beach.</p> <p></p>

Chloe Sims in Cannes

It seemed it wasn't just A-list stars who descended on the French Riviera for the Cannes Film Festival in May. Our very own TOWIE star Chloe Sims was spotted trying to grab some of the limelight by frolicking on the beach in a pink frilly bikini.

Denise Welch has fun in the sun in Majorca

<p>She's tying the knot with her toyboy Lincoln Townley in July, so Denise Welch obviously thought she'd get in some girlie time before saying &quot;I do&quot;.</p> <p>The <em>Loose Woman</em> was snapped letting her hair down with friends - including former Corrie star Angela Lonsdale - on the beach in <a href="http://travel.aol.co.uk/tag/majorca/">Majorca</a> in May.</p>

Melanie Sykes soaks up the UK sun in Dorset

<p>On first look, you'd be forgiven for thinking that Melanie Sykes was posing on the beach in some far-flung exotic destination.</p> <p>But the TV presenter was actually enjoying the rays in her teeny gold bikini at West Bexington beach in <a href="http://travel.aol.co.uk/channel-search/?q=dorset&amp;c_channel=travel&amp;s_it=aoluk-travelChannel">Dorset</a> in May. West Bexington is a village in south west Dorset, situated on the Chesil Beach, near Bridport.</p>

Kelly Brook shows off yet another bikini in Mexco

<p>Kelly Brook was back out in the sunshine showing off her famous curves in a patterned bikini on the shore of Mexico in June.</p> <p>The Mexico holiday the latest in a long line of trips for Kelly, however, she went solo on this one. Her boyfriend Danny Cipriani stayed at home to train a group of competition winners for Heart Research UK.</p>

Abbey Crouch relaxes in Ibiza on girly holiday

Hollyoaks stars frolic on the beach in Dubai

Abbey Clancy relaxes in a black bikini in Ibiza

Denise Van Outen hits the beach with daughter in Majorca

Abbey Clancy strips off on holiday in Ibiza

Millie Mackintosh flaunts taut tummy on holiday in Ibiza

Reese Witherspoon wears polka-dot swimsuit for family day at Malibu beach

Sofia Vergara posts cheeky holiday snaps online

<p>The Modern Family star uploaded a revealing pic of herself sunbathing in a pink thong while enjoying a break with her beau, Nick Loeb.<p>

Jessica Alba's husband shares holiday snap of himself sat between her legs

<p>Jessica Alba and her family headed for the beach to celebrate the Fourth of July, and the actress and her husband Cash Warren wasted no time sharing holiday snaps with their fans. <p>

Rita Ora wears tiny bikini to display beach body in Ibiza

<p>Rita Ora holidayed in Ibiza with friends and showed her fans that she knows just how to make the most of a yacht... by jumping off of it into the sea!<p>

Roxanne Pallett hits the beach in Spain

<p>Roxanne Pallett, the former Emmerdale actress, was on a beach break in Spain when she looked worried about losing her bikini top while splashing around in the sea.<p>

Melody Thornton shows off toned bikini body in Florida

<p>Former Pussycat Doll Melody Thornton was pictured showing off her toned figure on Miami Beach in Florida.<p>

Gemma Atkinson shows off washboard abs in hot pink bikini on holiday

<p>The Ex-Hollyoaks actress was on a girly break with friends and shared a picture of her toned body in a hot pink bikini and the amazing sea view she is enjoying. She tweeted: "Holidaaaayyyys!!! Morning swim beckons! Have a top weekend :)"<p>

Beyonc? shares holiday snaps of girly getaway with Blue Ivy

<p>Life really is a beach for Beyoncé who took to Tumblr to share her summer holiday snaps with daughter Blue Ivy at an exotic beach location.<p>

Rosie Huntington-Whiteley on a bikini shoot on Australia beach

<p>There's no prizes for guessing why Rosie Huntington-Whiteley was picked to be the new face - and body - of ModelCo cosmetics - the reasons were perfectly clear as she took part in a photo shoot for the company in Australia.<p>

Rihanna and Cara Delevingne let their hair down in the South of France

<p>Celebrity BFFs Rihanna and Cara Delevingne made the most of their luxury holiday on a yacht around the French Riviera and were pictured taking rides on rubber rings pulled by speedboats during the girls' getaway.<p>

Inbetweeners star Emily Atack in Ibiza

<p>Emily Atack took a break from promoting her new film Get Lucky - by jetting off on a girls' holiday in Ibiza.<p>

Nicki Minaj poses provocatively in swimming pool

<p>Nicki Minaj showed off her famous curves in a provocative video she posted on Instagram. The 30-year-old rapper uploaded the cheeky video of herself twerking in the swimming pool before flashing her cleavage and revving the engine of a motorbike.<p>

Vanessa Hudgens strips down to bikini in Ischia

<p>Actress Vanessa Hudgens was spotted stripping down to her bikini on a boat in Ischia, Italy.<p>

Imogen Thomas shows off her curves on holiday in Las Vegas

<p>Imogen Thomas jetted off on a family holiday to Las Vegas - and wasted no time in showing off her fab post-baby figure. The former reality TV star, 30, posted a picture on Twitter of her teeny snakeskin bikini from South Beach Swimwear, writing next to it: "Vegas!! Wet Republic!!!"<p>

Heidi Klum poses topless on holiday in Bora Bora

<p>The supermodel has been enjoying a luxury getaway in Bora Bora this summer, and was snapped hugging a palm tree with nothing on but her bikini bottoms and a pair of sunglasses.<p>

Kourtney Kardashian takes the plunge in daring swimsuit in Miami

<p>Kourtney Kardashian showed off in a very low-cut swimsuit at a hotel swimming pool in Miami this weekend. She splashed around in the pool with her two children, Mason and baby Penelope, as well as lounging on the sun beds with her beau Scott Disick.<p>

Cameron Diaz and Kate Upton on Bahamas beach

<p>Cameron Diaz and Kate Upton made the most of their day off from filming new flick <em>The Other Woman </em>- by splashing about in the turquoise waters of the Bahamas.</p> <p></p>

Mollie King tweets pics of fun in the LA sun

<p>Mollie King was obviously enjoying her well-earned break from promoting The Saturdays' new single, Gentleman. She jetted off to LA to spend time with her boyfriend, music producer Jordan Omley, and has obviously been soaking up the Californian sun in an array of bikinis.<p>

Alex Gerrard shows off toned and tanned bikini body in Portugal

<p>Alex Gerrard has been keeping her Twitter fans up to date with her recent health kick - and it's obviously paying off as she looked incredible on a holiday to Portugal. The Scouse WAG showed off the results of her hard work in a bright print bikini by Beach Cafe as she strolled along the beach at Vale de Lobo.</p> <p></p>

Source: http://travel.aol.co.uk/2013/08/04/carla-bruni-bikini-body-holiday-south-of-france/

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