10 Things to Know for Today

1. OBAMA ADMINISTRATION MAKING ITS CASE FOR MILITARY STRIKE

Kerry, Hagel and other top officials will appear before a Senate panel to argue for a response to last month's alleged gas attack outside Damascus.

2. HOW MICROSOFT IS EXTENDING ITS SMARTPHONE REACH

The company _ aiming to better compete with Apple and Google _ is buying Nokia's line of smartphones.

3. JAPAN PLEDGES MILLIONS TO STOP NUKE LEAKS

As Tokyo seeks an Olympic bid, the government says it will fund an underground ice wall aimed at halting radioactive water from escaping from Fukushima.

4. WHY DENNIS RODMAN'S BACK IN NORTH KOREA

He says he wants to hang out with Kim Jong Un and have a good time _ but not be a diplomat.

5. THE 177,028-METER FREESTYLE

Sixty-four-year-old Diana Nyad becomes the first person to swim from Cuba to Florida without a shark cage.

6. CBS, TIME WARNER MAKE PEACE

The agreement ends a blackout and allows the resumption of broadcasts of CBS and CBS-owned channels to millions of U.S. homes.

7. BEEFING UP THE ANTI-FLU FORCES

For the first time, certain vaccines will protect against four strains of flu instead of three.

8. STILL CASTING A GROOVY GLOW AT 50

Half a century after the Lava Lamp first hit shelves, millions of the hip home accessories have been sold worldwide.

9. MEXICAN FILM A SURPRISE HIT AT THE BOX OFFICE

"Instructions Not Included" turns in the biggest Spanish-language opening ever over the holiday weekend in the U.S.

10. WHO DIDN'T KEEP HIS END OF THE BARGAIN AT THE US OPEN

Roger Federer suffers an upset loss, meaning he won't meet Rafael Nadal in the quarterfinals. Their match had been highly anticipated.