In his Christmas address to troops, President Obama also conceded that many "difficult missions" around the world still remain.
Some have speculated the the outages are a U.S. response to the Sony hack, but Internet security experts see this as an unlikely prospect.
Commenters on Googleblog said the controversy likely would drive much bigger audiences than the movie otherwise would have drawn.
Twitter was lit up by reactions to the comedy about a plot to assassinate North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un.
The preparations to increase the number of contractors underscores President Obama's growing commitment in Iraq.
Sony Pictures had reportedly approached Apple to stream the controversial film, which is releasing Thursday after being pulled from theaters.
The 90-year-old former president has been admitted to Houston Methodist Hospital and “will be held for observation, again as a precaution.”
New York City landmarks dimmed their lights Tuesday night, while protesters chanting "black lives matter" marched the streets.
Justices will meet on Jan. 9 to decide if they will take on pending marriage equality cases.
"The Interview" will hit a few theaters Christmas Day. Here's a list of the limited theaters that are screening the contentious film.
Experts have hailed the push for more widespread use of body camera technology but warn that significant questions remain about the practice.
Only high-level government officials and a few others have unfettered Internet access in North Korea.
"The Interview" will be screened Thursday, both in theaters and on-demand. "The president applauds Sony's decision," a spokesman said.
Hillary Clinton's Democratic challengers could push her to the left -- or make her frustrate the base whose support she'll need in November.
The Treehouse Theater in midtown Manhattan will host the live reading in response to the hack, which it calls a "threat to free speech."
Clifford Sloan will step down as the U.S. State Department's envoy to Guantanamo Bay.
Obama would have played into North Korea's hands if he'd called the Sony hack an act of war. He would have also been wrong, experts say.
The lawsuit claims Obama's policy change will allow more immigrants to enter the country illegally and commit crimes.
Young immigrants known as dreamers will be able to begin applying for driver's licenses Monday, according to a court ruling.
While Sony Pictures had earlier said that it was exploring ways to release the film, a lawyer said the film would still be distributed.
Yates is the U.S. attorney in Atlanta and a member of the attorney general's advisory committee.
Giuliani points finger at Obama, de Blasio for "propaganda."