WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Pentagon spent more than $100 million in the last six months responding to and repairing damage from cyber attacks and other computer network problems, military leaders said Tuesday.

Air Force Gen. Kevin Chilton, who heads U.S. Strategic Command, said the military is only beginning to track the costs, which are triggered by constant daily attacks against military networks ranging from the Pentagon to bases around the country.

"The important thing is that we recognize that we are under assault from the least sophisticated -- what I would say the bored teenager -- all the way up to the sophisticated nation-state, with some pretty criminal elements sandwiched in-between," said Chilton, adding that the motivations include everything from vandalism to espionage. "This is indeed our big challenge, as we think about how to defend it."

According to Army Brig. Gen. John Davis, deputy commander for network operations, the money was spent on manpower, computer technology and contractors hired to clean up after both external probes and internal mistakes. Strategic Command is responsible for protecting and monitoring the military's information grid, as well as coordinating any offensive cyber warfare on behalf of the U.S.

Officials would not say how much of the $100 million cost was due to outside attacks against the system, versus viruses and other problems triggered accidentally by Defense Department employees. And they declined to reveal any details about suspected cyber attacks against the Pentagon by other countries, such as China.

Speaking to reporters from a cyberspace conference in Omaha, Neb., the military leaders said the U.S. needs to invest more money in the military's computer capabilities, rather than pouring millions into repairs.

"You can either pay me now or you can pay me later," said Davis. "It would be nice to spend that money proactively ... rather than fixing things after the fact."

Officials said that while there has been a lot of anecdotal evidence on the spending estimate, they only began tracking it last year and are still not sure they are identifying all the costs related to taking computer networks down after a problem is noticed.

The Pentagon has acknowledged that its vast computer network is scanned or probed by outsiders millions of times each day. Last year a cyber attack forced the Defense Department to take up to 1,500 computers off line. And last fall the Defense Department banned the use of external computer flash drives because of a virus threat officials detected on the Pentagon networks.

The cost updates come as the Obama administration is completing a broad government-wide review of the nation's cybersecurity.

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press.

Suncor Energy Inc. will acquire Petro-Canada in a US$15.5 billion deal that will unite two of Canada's biggest oil companies, the companies announced Monday.

The move is expected to yield savings in operating costs of over CA (nyse: CA - news - people )$300 million (US$244 million) year, and annual capital efficiencies above CA$1 billion (US$812 million), the companies said.

Under the deal, Petro-Canada (nyse: PCZ - news - people ) common shareholders will receive 1.28 common shares of the expanded company for each share of Petro-Canada, while Suncor shareholders will receive new shares on a one-for-one basis.

The share exchange represents a 25 percent premium for Petro-Canada shares, based on a 30-day weighted average of the share price. Based on the closing price Friday, the deal values Petro-Canada at CA$19.12 billion (US$15.5 billion)

Petro-Canada shareholders will hold 40 percent of the enlarged company and Suncor shareholders will hold 60 percent. Both companies are based in Calgary.

Monday's announcement marks the creation of the largest oil and gas company in Canada by market cap, though the merged entity will be smaller than other global heavyweights such as Exxon Mobil (nyse: XOM - news - people ) and ConocoPhillips (nyse: COP - news - people ), which boast market capitalizations of US$326.6 billion and US$55.97 billion respectively.

"This merger creates a made-in-Canada energy leader with the assets, cost structure and financial strength to compete globally," said Rick George, president and chief executive officer of Suncor, who will continue in those roles in the new company.

An estimated 49.5 million people watched Barack Obama's first prime-time news conference as president.

Nielsen Media Research says Monday night's session was televised live on eight different networks - ABC, CBS (nyse: CBS - news - people ), NBC, Fox, CNN, Fox News Channel, MSNBC and Univision.

It wasn't the most-watched presidential news conference. A month after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, President Bush held a news conference watched by 64.8 million people. And a news conference about the economy held less than a month after President Clinton took office in 1993 drew 64.3 million viewers.

In 1993, the average U.S. home had 40 channels. Now, it's 118 channels, according to Nielsen.

Copyright 2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed

Microsoft Director Bill Gates sold 2 million shares of the software company he founded for $37.7 million, according to a late Monday filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

He sold the shares at the weighted average price of $18.8361 - the price range actually was $18.32 to $19.09.

Gates is left with 756.1 million shares held directly and 424,816 indirectly.

Monday's filing gives Gates a total of 15.8 million that he has sold in 2009 for a value of $290 million.

The current slate of sales comes on the heels of 20 million shares Gates sold from Oct. 31 to Nov. 13 last year at a value of $435 million.

In the past six months, excluding Monday's filing, company insiders have sold a total of 37.2 million shares for $749.6 million. No shares were purchased.

Shares of Microsoft (nasdaq: MSFT - news - people ) fell 22 cents to close at $19.44 Monday.

World of Warcraft adds another half million subscribers

by Peter Cohen, Macworld.com

Blizzard Entertainment has announced that World of Warcraft’s subscriber base has reached 11.5 million players worldwide, continuing its reign as the world’s most popular multiplayer online role-playing game.

The Wrath of the Lich King, Blizzard’s recently-released expansion pack for the game, has sold more than 4 million copies since its release on November 13, 2008. 2.8 million of those were sold in the first 24 hours of availability, according to Blizzard.

World of Warcraft has been available for the Mac and PC since 2004, and has spawned two expansion packs. The game—played entirely online—requires players to pay a monthly subscription fee in order to play. In October, Blizzard announced that it had hit the 11 million subscriber mark.

The last time Macworld reported on World of Warcraft subscriber statistics, forum commenters voiced some questions about how that number is tabulated. So without revision, here is Blizzard’s definition:

“World of Warcraft subscribers include individuals who have paid a subscription fee or have an active prepaid card to play World of Warcraft, as well as those who have purchased the game and are within their free month of access. Internet Game Room players who have accessed the game over the last thirty days are also counted as subscribers. The above definition excludes all players under free promotional subscriptions, expired or cancelled subscriptions, and expired prepaid cards. Subscribers in licensees’ territories are defined along the same rules.”

(CNN) -- President-elect Barack Obama on Saturday outlined some of his plan to create 2.5 million jobs by 2011, and said he will push for immediate action by Congress when he takes office in January.

Obama wants to make public buildings more energy-efficient, repair roads and bridges, modernize schools, increase broadband access and ensure that health care professionals have access to the latest technology.

"Our government now pays the highest energy bill in the world," he said in the weekly Democratic radio address.

"We need to upgrade our federal buildings by replacing old heating systems and installing efficient light bulbs. That won't just save you, the American taxpayer, billions of dollars each year. It will put people back to work." Watch how bad roads lead to good jobs »

In addition, he said, "It is unacceptable that the United States ranks 15th in the world in broadband adoption. Here, in the country that invented the Internet, every child should have the chance to get online.

"In addition to connecting our libraries and schools to the Internet, we must also ensure that our hospitals are connected to each other through the Internet."

"These are a few parts of the economic recovery plan that I will be rolling out in the coming weeks. When Congress reconvenes in January, I look forward to working with them to pass a plan immediately.

"We won't do it the old Washington way. We won't just throw money at the problem.

"We'll measure progress by the reforms we make and the results we achieve -- by the jobs we create, by the energy we save, by whether America is more competitive in the world," Obama added. Watch how Obama is handling the economic crisis »

On Friday, the Department of Labor released a report showing the U.S. lost 533,000 jobs in November -- the largest monthly job loss since December 1974. This year saw the loss of 1.9 million jobs.

The unemployment rate rose to 6.7 percent in November, up from 6.5 percent in October. It is the highest unemployment rate since October 1993.

The report came out as Congress and the White House wrestled with financial bailout requests from the Big Three domestic automakers -- Ford, General Motors and Chrysler -- whose top executives testified this week on Capitol Hill.

Obama asked Americans to "rise to the moment" to put his plans in place, and said his economic recovery team is working on his proposals.

HARARE, Zimbabwe (CNN) -- Cash-strapped Zimbabwe revealed plans Saturday to circulate $200 million notes, just days after introducing a $100 million bill, Finance Minister Samuel Mumbengegwi said.

After the $100 million note began circulating on Thursday, the price of a loaf of bread soared from 2 million to 35 million Zimbabwean dollars.

Amid allegations of illegal foreign currency trading, the government also fired top executives at four major banks Thursday, according to The Herald, a state-owned newspaper.

Many anxious residents of the nation's capital, Harare, have been sleeping outside banks, waiting for them to open so they can make withdrawals before the institutions run out of cash. Watch how Zimbabwe's children are suffering »

The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe had capped maximum daily withdrawals at 500,000 Zimbabwean dollars: about 25 U.S. cents, or about a quarter of Thursday's price of a loaf of bread.

Last week, restrictions on cash withdrawals -- due to severe money shortages -- triggered riots.

Sixteen soldiers now face possible court-martial due to alleged looting and assaults on civilians and police during the unrest, police spokesman Wayne Bvudzijena told The Herald on Saturday.

"We are still investigating the case," he said. "But we expect the soldiers to appear before a court-martial once investigations are completed."

After spending several days waiting in bank lines, soldiers rampaged through downtown Harare, destroying shops and attacking riot police sent to disperse the protesters.

Cash shortages are not the only crisis plaguing Zimbabwe.

The United Nations has said that more than half of Zimbabwe's population is in dire need of food and clean water.

Acute shortages of essentials such as fuel, electricity, medicines and food are key indicators of a failed economy, according to economic observers.

"The [Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe] is failing to deliver the demands of market, prices are doubling daily, and that demands more cash," Zimbabwean economist John Robertson said. "The huge price increases are resulting from severe shortages of most goods."

The once-prosperous African nation is facing its worst economic and humanitarian crisis since attaining independence from Great Britain in 1980.

Zimbabwe's official rate of inflation is 231 million percent, the world's highest.

Critics of Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe link hyperinflation to his policies on land distribution and unbudgeted payments to war veterans.

Zimbabwe has had no Cabinet since the March presidential election.

Its political troubles have aggravated its humanitarian and economic crisis, including a cholera outbreak that has killed close to 600 people since August.

President-elect Barack Obama on Saturday offered an outline of his economic recovery plan and jobs were the top priority.

American workers will rebuild the nation's roads and bridges, modernize its schools and create more sources of alternative energy, creating 2.5 million jobs by 2011, Obama said in the weekly Democratic address, posted on his Web site.

"These aren't just steps to pull ourselves out of this immediate crisis," he said. "These are the long-term investments in our economic future that have been ignored for far too long."

Details of the plan are still being worked out by his economic team, Obama said, but he hopes to implement the plan shortly after taking office January 20. Watch how Obama's Cabinet is taking shape »

He referred to figures out this week showing that new home purchases in October were the lowest in 50 years, and that 540,000 new unemployment claims had been filed -- the highest in 18 years.

"We must do more to put people back to work and get our economy moving again," he said. More than a million jobs have been lost this year, he said, and "if we don't act swiftly and boldly, most experts now believe that we could lose millions of jobs next year."

The plan will be aimed at jump-starting job creation, Obama said, and laying the foundation for a stronger economy.

"We'll put people back to work rebuilding our crumbling roads and bridges, modernizing schools that are failing our children, and building wind farms and solar panels, fuel-efficient cars and the alternative energy technology that can free us from our dependence on foreign oil and keep our economy competitive in the years head," he said.

He noted he will need support from both Democrats and Republicans to pass such a plan, and said he welcomes suggestions from both sides of the aisle.

"But what is not negotiable is the need for immediate action," he said. "Right now, there are millions of mothers and fathers who are lying awake at night wondering if next week's paycheck will cover next month's bills.

"There are Americans showing up to work in the morning, only to have cleared out their desks by the afternoon. Retirees are watching their life savings disappear, and students are seeing their college dreams deferred. These Americans need help, and they need it now."

Throughout history, he said, Americans have been able to rise above their divisions to work together, he said.

"That is the chance our new beginning now offers us, and that is the challenge we must rise to in the days to come," Obama said. "It is time to act. As the next president of the United States, I will."