In honor of *Vanity Fair’*s 25th anniversary, the magazine’s editors flexed their list-making muscles to determine the 25 best of everything—from book covers and documentaries to parties and political one-liners. Herewith, the top 25 news photographs.

Beijing held its formal opening ceremony today for the 2008 Summer Olympics. The ceremony, held in the National Stadium known as the Bird's Nest, was attended by thousands, and watched by millions more on television. Below are some highlights of the nearly 4-hour performance.