Over 90,000 top-secret files documenting the war in Afghanistan have been released by whistle-blower site WikiLeaks, unearthing an enormous cache of secrets that paint a grim image of the military effort. Among other details disclosed, the files expose devastating civilian losses in the country, at the hands of both the Taliban and coalition forces; the increasing use of remote-control Predator drones to kill top Taliban members; as well as an ultra-secret “black” group of soldiers tasked with capturing and murdering Taliban members without a trial. Others show damning evidence that Pakistan has conspired with insurgents in Afghanistan, even meeting with them to share information. The files, one of the biggest leaks in the history of the U.S. military, cover January 2004 to December 2009, a fact that the Obama administration has been quick to point out, given that it implicates “under-resourcing” on the part of President George W. Bush. WikiLeaks’ founder, Julian Assange, leaked the files to several newspapers at no fee, and The Guardian is publishing many of them online.

BP is pulling out all the stops to control damage from its oil spill—including strategically choosing their new head honcho. The oil giant is likely to announce the arrival of a new CEO tomorrow, taking disgraced Tony Hayward out of a role that he has fumbled in recent months. Hayward’s rumored successor, Bob Dudley, is managing director of the company and would be the first American to be CEO of the London-based oil giant. Analysts say the move is meant to shore up support in the States, now home to 40 percent of BP’s market and the source of even more potential growth. “There is a lot at stake in the U.S.,” said the director of a major energy institute, citing Dudley’s demonstrated strength in dealing with tough political environments—he once ran TNK-BP, the company’s joint venture with Russia. Dudley’s expertise is badly needed, too, with the backlash from the spill threatening to cut off vital contracts and drilling rights. BP's board, which must endorse Hayward's successor, is set to meet tomorrow.

In a muscular show of aggression and power, the United States and South Korea joined forces to put on an enormous joint military exercise in Asia on Sunday. While the drills are fairly typical for the two allies, these particular exercises have had extra muscle, meant to warn South Korea’s aggressive northern neighbor against any further hostilities. The purpose of the war games, said Joint Chief of Staffs Chairman Admiral Mike Mullen, is “to ensure that our relationship with the South is very strong… and also send the message to the North Koreans that their behavior is completely counter to international norms.” The demonstration will feature some 20 ships, 200 aircraft, and 8,000 troops. In late March, North Korea allegedly attacked a South Korean warship without provocation, killing 46 sailors. The North has denied responsibility, though much evidence points to the contrary.

Prepare for billionaires to start picketing. On Sunday, Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner said that he was in favor of letting tax cuts for the wealthy expire. This is the last year for tax cuts for the wealthiest 2 to 3 percent of Americans—a system enacted during the Bush administration. This year the top capital gains tax rate will revert from 15 to 20 percent. "It's responsible to let the tax cuts expire that just go to 2 percent to 3 percent of Americans, the highest earning Americans," he said on ABC's This Week, adding that doing so would prove that the U.S. is "willing as a country now to start to make some progress." Geithner insists that Congress will "absolutely" address the tax issue before the midterm elections, but some Democrats are hesitant to touch such a polarizing issue so close to an election.

Newt probably never saw this one coming: Democratic Party Chairman Howard Dean told Fox News Sunday that he wants Gingrich to run for President in 2012. “I don’t agree with very much that Newt Gingrich wants to do,” he said, adding, “there are no ideas in the Republican Party right now in Congress—they are the party of ‘No.’" Dean sees Gingrich reinvigorating the party: "Whatever else you can say about Newt Gingrich, he can supply intellectual leadership. So I hope he does run.”

Following Saturday’s tragic stampede at a German music festival, which left 19 concertgoers dead and hundreds more injured, stunned members of the community are attempting to figure out who’s to blame. While everyone from concert organizers to police officers are expected to shoulder some accusations, a prime target is the mayor of Duisburg, the town where the festival was held. The mayor, Adolf Sauerland, is taking heat for pushing to host the Love Parade, as it’s called, yet not adequately preparing for the huge event, which attracted about 1.4 million people. “The mayor was determined to have the Love Parade here in Duisburg,” said a local newspaper editor. “We were the only newspaper that said: ‘No. Stop it. The city is not prepared.’” A single entrance led to the festival—a tunnel in which large crowds eventually smothered the concertgoers.

Who’s the mystery man that snubbed the Clintons in The New York Times this weekend? On Friday, the paper published an anonymous quote from a Clinton pal who lamented that, while he had been hit up to loan his private plane to Bill, he nonetheless hadn't been invited to Chelsea’s ultra-exclusive wedding next week. Let the speculation begin! Some are guessing it’s business mogul Ron Burkle, who’s been known to loan the former president his plane on several occasions. Others think it might be investor Frank Giustra, who has ties to the Clinton Global Initiative, but who’s taken flak for possibly abusing the connection to nab a uranium deal in Kazakhstan. Whoever it was, our bet is he's not getting an invite to the next Clinton function either.

Finally, Fergie catches a break: A British newspaper reports that Oprah Winfrey has offered the scandal-plagued Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, a prime-time talk show on the upcoming Oprah Winfrey Network. Though it’s unconfirmed, a source in Fergie’s camp claims that Winfrey called her last week and offered her a show, saying she was impressed by Sarah’s poise when she appeared on the talk-show titan’s program after her latest bribe-taking controversy. Ferguson could use the opportunity, too, as she reportedly carries a debt up to £2 million (about $3.1 million), with no financial help from her ex-husband, Prince Andrew.

She may be the 84-year-old figurehead of an old-fashioned monarchy, but England's Queen Elizabeth II is still hip to the times. On Monday, the sovereign will unveil an official Flickr account for Buckingham Palace, which is set to showcase more than 600 photos of the regal clan. From rare images of their storied past—including an 1854 photo of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert adoring each other—to recent images of Prince Harry doing charity work in Lesotho, visitors to the Flickr account will be able to browse a treasure trove of posh pictures. Fans and admirers will even be able to see photos of the future queen as a young princess, alongside a letter from her childhood nanny. The queen's outreach to social media, however, only goes so far—the commenting feature on the account will be turned off.

One day, Lake Delhi was filled with summer revelers swimming and tubing. The next, it was a mere fraction of what it used to be, after a privately owned dam that had created the Iowa lake in the 1920s broke down from heavy rain, sending its water cascading away. Witnesses estimate that the lake receded at a pace of six inches per minute, almost emptying overnight. “It just makes your jaw drop,” said one local resident. “The lake’s gone.” Denizens are hoping to seek aid from FEMA to rebuild the dam and deal with flooding costs, though a majority of the properties around the nine-mile-long lake are vacation homes, which don’t always qualify for rebuilding funds. Without the dam, whose return is uncertain, Iowans are robbed not only of a lake that has been providing summer entertainment for almost a century, but also a significant source of property values.

Despite a strong showing by Angelina Jolie's CIA action pic Salt, Leonardo DiCaprio's mind-bending thriller Inception dreamed up another large box office haul, pulling in an estimated $43.5 million. In second, Salt shook up $36.5 million, a solid number that will most likely trigger a sequel—as long as international revenues are as strong as they're expected to be. With its total now at $143.7 million in just 10 days, Inception is one of the summer's biggest hits, and is helping to push its studio, Warner Bros., into its 10th consecutive year busting the $1 billion mark. The weekend's other big debut, kid's flick Ramona and Beezus, pulled in a disappointing $8 million for ninth place.

This one has a lot to atone for: The New York Post has defrocked Mindy LeGrand, aka "Sister Milindia," a 54-year-old who accosts Manhattanites under the guise of collecting donations for the homeless or for orphans. In reality, LeGrand is linked to a Crown Heights, Brooklyn-based "church" founded in the ‘70s by a convicted rapist/murderer, which is currently run by the founder’s son, a convicted rapist himself. "Please give money for the children of St. Joseph's," she told a reporter who was sitting outside an Italian restaurant in downtown New York. "Sister Milindia" is a stranger to the Episcopal Church, and has been caught in the past for impersonating a nun. The Post chronicles (with photos!) a typical day for LeGrand: some peddling, a lunch stop, and then kicking her habit for a pair of short-shorts and a tank.

Shortly after claiming it was holding two American Navy personnel, the Taliban announced that one of them was killed two days ago. And now, the group is trying to exchange the soldier’s corpse for insurgent prisoners. But local authorities immediately responded with, "Let's talk about the one that is still alive," according to the Associated Press. The two Americans were reportedly captured during an ambush two days ago and NATO has confirmed that they went missing. A Taliban spokesman, who at first denied any knowledge of the pair, said the militants plan to release a video of the sailors in captivity. Only one other coalition service member is currently known to be in the hands of the Taliban—Spc. Bowe Bergdahl, who disappeared from his base over a year ago. Meanwhile, five American soldiers were killed by hidden bombs on Saturday.

With the United States Supreme Court under Chief Justice John Roberts ending its  fifth term, The New York Times has broken down the ideological shifts of the court over the past 60 or so years. Their conclusion? The Roberts court is the most conservative in decades. While it may not be as right-leaning as it was under Roberts' predecessor, William Rehnquist, the decisions rendered by the Roberts court—such as amending campaign finance laws—have been markedly conservative. A defining moment for the Roberts court that pushed it to the right was the confirmation of Justice Samuel Alito. The Times projects that if the first five years of the court are any indication of the future, it will likely expand the scope of the Second Amendment, further allow unions and corporations to influence elections, and curb abortion rights.

So much for a 90-day sentence. According to the Mirror, a British tabloid, Lindsay Lohan could be a free woman by the end of the day. A lawyer is understood to be pushing for the 24-year-old’s early release, less than a week after entering the Lynwood penitentiary. "Her team is doing everything to get her out of jail this weekend,” a source told the newspaper. Lohan entered the prison on Tuesday after being sentenced for failing to attend alcohol education sessions. And, according to various accounts, she is not well-liked by the other inmates. People reported that they resented the special treatment she received, while the Mirror claimed that she has been upsetting them by wailing at night.

This is what happens when too many anxious fanboys gather in one place. One man allegedly stabbed another near the eye with a pen Saturday in front of 6,500 people at Comic-Con in San Diego. The attacker, wearing a bloodied Harry Potter T-shirt, was subdued by members of the audience before being led away by police. The victim suffered a minor cut around his eyelid. The scuffle began between discussing panels for Resident Evil: Afterlife, and the two upcoming films, Paul and Cowboys and Aliens. Comic-Con is the largest comic book and pop culture convention in the country.

Northeast Iowa has been getting pummeled with rain over the last few days, receiving as much as nine inches in some areas. The downpour proved too much for the Lake Delhi dam, which failed Saturday, sending a flash flood toward towns downstream. As many as 700 homes have been evacuated because of the water. The problems began when the highway running on top of the dam began to fracture. "Chunks of the two-lane highway broke off in 15- and 30-foot blocks and washed away. The iron guard rail snapped and flapped in the wind like a party streamer as the water rushed by," The Des Moines Register reported on its website. Jack Klaus, a spokesman with the Delaware County emergency management office, said that there was a great deal of damage to roads, and the county had run out of barricades to block them off.

Ninety-three year-old socialite and former actress Zsa Zsa Gabor is hanging in there. Last week Gabor fell at her home, was rushed to the hospital and underwent hip replacement surgery, but her recovery has been shaky. According to her husband, Frédéric Prinz von Anhalt she is "doing a little better" but is still in critical condition. Von Anhalt said Gabor "wasn't talking," and "wasn't aware of what was going on" post-op, and has not been able to eat or drink for the past several days.

Sin City this weekend is overflowing with bloggers. At this year's Netroots Nation, the annual progressive blogger convention, Democratic Congressional candidates have descended upon Las Vegas to mix and mingle—and raise some money from—online journalists with significant clout in the blogosphere. Those attending this year include Nevada's Joe Heck, Arizona's Pam Gorman and Delaware Senate candidate Christine O’Donnell. On Saturday Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi addressed the convention. “It’s to meet people and network and draw inspiration and also to create some buzz across the nation," said Krystal Ball, a Virginia House candidate. Another big draw for those running for office is the prospect of fundraising. Some of the top performing fundraisers in the House are those with strong connections to online journalists.

Are you watching, North Korea? The United States and South Korea began a series of war games Sunday morning, essentially as a display of military might to make a point to an increasingly belligerent North Korea. Nicknamed Invincible Spirit, the military exercise features some 8,000 military personnel, 20 ships and submarines, and 200 aircraft. One of the drills focuses on handling enemy submarines, specifically creating a situation similar to the one that led to the sinking of the Cheonan, possibly by a North Korean torpedo. "The anti-sub-infiltration exercise works like this: if a sub is coming in to attack a ship, the military finds it and prosecutes it," one Navy commander said. North Korea, needless to say, is not pleased by the military exercise. “The DPRK is prepared for both dialogue and war,” a North Korean foreign ministry spokesman said. “It will remain unfazed by military threat and sanctions."

Only 2,262 miles later, and we have finally have a winner: Alberto Contador has emerged victorious in the Tour de France, having overtaken Andy Schleck by 39 seconds in the penultimate stage of the race. This marks the Spaniard’s third win in four years. Mark Cavendish won the tour's closing leg, his fifth stage win of 2010. Seven-time winner Lance Armstrong finished in 106th place.

Germany’s Love Parade turned tragic Saturday as a stampede erupted inside a tunnel, leading to the deaths of at least 19 people and injuring 340. No one is quite sure yet what sparked the panic at the techno music festival in the western city of Duisburg, but the scene was so chaotic that many people kept partying on the grounds for some time after the stampede began. “There were piles of injured on the ground, some being resuscitated, others dead and covered with sheets,” one partygoer said. “It was way too full in the afternoon. Everyone wanted to get in.” Because of the crowds, rescue workers were slow to reach the victims. “The people literally trampled each other on the way into this tunnel,” said a German television report.

Well, he won't have very big shoes to fill: Embattled oil giant BP is planning to replace their disgraced CEO Tony Hayward as soon as Monday, according to an anonymous U.S. official. The leading candidate to take on the role is Bob Dudley, who is currently the company's managing director. BP is tamping down public speculation, though, insisting as of Sunday that Hayward "remains BP's chief executive, and he has the confidence of the board and senior management." BP's board, which will meet on Monday, would have to approve Dudley as the new CEO before he could take the reins. Rumor has it that Hayward has been on his way out for some time, but the company wanted to be seen making some progress on plugging the leak before a management shakeup.