As Congress weighs whether to authorize military action in Syria, some have asked Secretary of State John Kerry what became of the small arms military aid already promised to Syrian rebels. The short answer? It’s complicated. Also, the ratings agency S&P is accusing the U.S. government of suing it over the financial crisis because it was the only agency to downgrade U.S. debt.

Microsoft acquires Nokia in a $7.2 billion deal that aims to make Microsoft a player in the mobile-phone market. Next, after two years of radiation leaks, Japan steps in to get the worsening Fukushima disaster under control. What will nearly $500 million buy? One possibility is a wall of ice that will seal the reactors and their contaminated water from the ocean. And finally, Samsung goes all Dick Tracy.

Verizon Communications has agreed to buy out Vodafone’s stake in Verizon Wireless, giving it full control of the most profitable mobile service provider in the country. The number of Americans using heroin has been on the rise, reaching epidemic proportions in rural areas and suburbs. It’s the last holiday weekend this year and that’s a big deal on the Jersey Shore, especially after recovering from Hurricane Sandy last year. And we hear about the one bright spot in the Vietnamese economy: coffee.

The 200-square-mile Rim Fire peels back the layers of the Sierra Nevadas’ economic ecology as the fire impacts timber sales, a tourist sector that ranges from camps and cottages to backpackers, and federal management of a huge area for the public’s benefit. A company called AdTrap is selling a white box about the size of a computer router, that, connected to your devices via WiFi (computers, tablets, smartphones) can block any ads. And finally, we look back at the week that was on Wall Street with the Weekly Wrap.

Fast food workers across the country are striking and walking off the job today. Workers are demanding $15 an hour, up from $7.25, which is the current federal minimum wage. We look at why the Obama administration is working with debit cards on the roll out of the federal health care overhaul. And the weather in India can impact your pocketbook. A poor onion crop in that country has sent onion prices skyrocketing there — and the ripple effect of the onion shortage is being felt across the globe.

After they momentarily took down the New York Times web site and Twitter, the Syrian Electronic Army gained a new notoriety. But who is this group of hackers? Or, how you would figure out who they are? More important, how do they do this kind of hack and how vulnerable are companies like the New York Times and the Internet itself? Next, would you buy something in 140 characters? Twitter is hiring an e-commerce pioneer to explore how to convince users to buy stuff through the service. 

President Barack Obama is reportedly exploring a range of options to “deter and degrade” Syria’s military capabilities. After a new report of chemical weapons use by the Syrian regime, international pressure has ratcheted up for some show of force in the region. But each and every option on the table has costs. Meanwhile, in Washington, the Treasury Department says the U.S. will hit its debt limit, and run out of money, sometime in October. You know how much is in your wallet and your bank account, how much your paycheck is, how much more you can charge on your card. Why can’t the federal government? And finally, consumer confidence increased in August, outpacing economists’ predictions, as the markets continue to perform well and the housing market improves. 

The merger of BATS and Direct Edge creates the second-largest stock exchange in the U.S. These exchanges, created by big financial institutions, were built for speed. Plus, Donald Trump is being sued for allegedly defrauding Trump “University” students. But in addition to his name on an online school, Trump also has made big business out of licensing his brand. Finally, the wildfire in California near Yosemite is one of the largest in state history. Cities and local communities are threatened — the next step for the people whose homes have been destroyed is likely a call to their insurance company. And many of the people who live in fire-prone areas can’t get regular fire insurance.

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer announced he will be stepping down soon, so Microsoft must find a replacement. Without Bill Gates, or Ballmer, and with a changing tech landscape — Microsoft needs to look at someone with experience in mobile and innovative computing. Also, why didn’t NASDAQ have a backup system to prevent yesterday’s hiatus? And finally, Ben Affleck is the new Batman. The world gives the casting choice a big thumbs down.