LAST NEWS : The Latest From VanityFair.com

New Balls, Please
Roger, Rafa, and the Williams sisters might dominate headlines, but the tour has hundreds of worthy competitors. Here are 29 of them that Justin Bishop and Jessica Flint found in the U.S. Open’s players’ lounge.

My Diary
Craig Brown digs up the botany diary of “Russell Crowe.”

Unanswerable Prayers
Even in illness, Christopher Hitchens has been a lightning rod for debate, particularly among believers of various stripes.

Vote for Your Favorite Oval Office Décor
On Tuesday night, when President Obama spoke to the nation about the end of combat operations in Iraq, he did so from a freshly redecorated Oval Office, outfitted with snazzy, handmade striped wallpaper and a new oval rug adorned with quotes from F.D.R., Abraham Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, J.F.K., and Martin Luther King Jr. Obama isn’t the first president to give the iconic room—which dates to 1909, when William Taft remodeled the West Wing—a face-lift. Here, we’ve collected images of the office as it’s looked since Jimmy Carter’s presidency—click through and vote for your favorite design.

The Next Establishment
Which young empire builders are poised to become the next top mogul? Peter Newcomb and Adrienne Gaffney report on the achievements of those who might find their way onto the next New Establishment list.

The New Establishment: The Vanity Fair 100
Many of the moguls on V.F.’s annual list of the 100 most influential have rebounded from a disastrous 2009, but the hoodie-and mock-turtleneck-wearing top two never even slowed down.

Sarah Palin: The Sound and the Fury
Following the former Alaska governor’s road show, the author delves into the surreal new world Palin now inhabits—a place of fear, anger, and illusion.

Sarah Palin’s Shopping Spree: Yes, There’s More...
Bose headphones. A birthday dress for Bristol. Campaign documents and e-mails reveal the fine print.

America the Angry
Graydon Carter introduces the October 2010 issue.

The 3-D Stooges
Jim Windolf and Gavin Bond spotlight the Jackass trio of Johnny Knoxville, Steve-O, and Bam Margera.

Glee Whiz
Just as expected, at the 62nd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, television’s highest achievers turned up in gorgeous gowns and immaculate black-tie. Compare and contrast these “before” shots of the actors on the job with the stars' glamorous “after” looks at this year’s Emmys.

The Emmys Red-Carpet Makeover
Just as expected, at the 62nd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, television’s highest achievers turned up in gorgeous gowns and immaculate black-tie. Compare and contrast these “before” shots of the actors on the job with the stars' glamorous “after” looks at this year’s Emmys.

Proust Questionnaire: Rafael Nadal
With eight grand slams in his duffel bag, the planet’s top-ranked tennis ace warms up for this month’s U.S. Open by holding court on selfishness, his hometown, and fellow gladiator Roger Federer.

The Vanity Fair/60 Minutes Poll
Americans don’t know who Emily Post was, but they know their social security number. Oh, for a world in which the reverse were true!

That Girl, This Women
Barry Diller and Gasper Tringale spotlight Marlo Thomas, who has evolved from “That Girl” into “What a Woman.”

Funny and Dead
Madeleine Albright and Bruce Weber spotlight Christiane Amanpour as she takes the helm of ABC’s This Week.

Gaga for the Lady
Nick Knight’s portraits of the world’s No. 1 pop star prove that naked ambition can be beautiful indeed.

Five Myths About New Orleans and Hurricane Katrina
New Orleans resident—and first-time documentarian—Harry Shearer explodes five uncommonly stubborn misconceptions.

Diary
Kitty Kelley on Nelson Mandela

Vampire Weekend's Mutinous Muse
Ann Kirsten Kennis says her face appeared on the cover of a No. 1 album without her knowledge or consent. Does she deserve compensation?