The Latest: Joaquin Strengthening as It Approaches Bahamas

The latest on Joaquin, which is expected to pass near the Bahamas and head toward the East Coast of the U.S. (all times local):

1:45 a.m.

Hurricane Joaquin is expected to strengthen in the Atlantic as it heads toward the central Bahamas.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said Joaquin was centered about 80 miles (125 km) east-southeast of San Salvador just before 2 a.m. Thursday. The Category 3 hurricane's maximum sustained winds had increased to 120 mph (195 kph). It was moving southwest at 6 mph (9 kph) and was expected to continue in that general direction for much of Thursday.

Additional strengthening is expected, with some fluctuations in intensity Thursday night and Friday.

A hurricane warning is in effect for the Central Bahamas, including Cat Island, the Exumas, Long Island, Rum Cay and San Salvador; and the Northwestern Bahamas, including the Abacos, Berry Islands, Eleuthera, Grand Bahama Island and New Providence.

Forecasters say hurricane conditions are expected to reach portions of the central Bahamas in the next few hours. That area could see total rain accumulations of 10 to 15 inches because of the storm.

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11 p.m.

Joaquin has strengthened into a Category 3 hurricane in the Atlantic, where much of the Bahamas is under hurricane watches or warnings.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said Joaquin was centered about 90 miles (145 kms) east of San Salvador and about 170 miles (275 kms) east of the Central Bahamas late Wednesday. The hurricane had maximum sustained winds of 115 mph (185 kph) and was moving southwest at 6 mph (9kph).

A hurricane warning is in effect for the Central Bahamas, including Cat Island, the Exumas, Long Island, Rum Cay, and San Salvador; and the Northwestern Bahamas, including the Abacos, Berry Islands, Eleuthera, Grand Bahama Island, and New Providence. A Hurricane watch is in effect for Bimini and Andros Island.

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5 p.m.

People on the islands of the eastern Bahamas are getting ready for Hurricane Joaquin, removing stray coconuts and other debris from their yards and putting up storm shutters in blustery winds.

At 5 p.m. Wednesday, Joaquin was about 175 miles (282 kilometers) east of the central Bahamas and has winds of about 85 mph (137 kph).

Chris Gosling runs a volunteer ambulance service on Eleuthera, a narrow strip to the north of Cat Island. He says people aren't panicking too much. Islanders are preparing for heavy rains, strong winds and flooding.

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1:40 p.m.

Hurricane Joaquin has strengthened a little more as it heads toward the central Bahamas, and its maximum sustained winds are now 85 mph (137 kph).

The storm is on a projected track to move near or over parts of the central Bahamas on Wednesday night and Thursday. The islands are bracing for strong winds, heavy rain and coastal flooding.

Joaquin became a hurricane earlier Wednesday. Forecasters say it could become a major hurricane with winds of at least 111 mph (179 kph) over the next couple of days.

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12 p.m.

Hurricane Joaquin has strengthened a little as it heads toward the central Bahamas.

Joaquin's maximum sustained winds are 80 mph (129 kph). The storm is on a projected track to move near or over parts of the central Bahamas on Wednesday night and Thursday. The islands are bracing for tropical-storm-force winds, heavy rain and coastal flooding.

The storm is expected to head toward the East Coast of the U.S. early next week. The Hurricane Center says additional strengthening is expected over the next two days.

US Finds Kuwait Airline Discriminates Against Israelis

In a challenge to boycotts of Israel, the U.S. government has found that Kuwait Airways unlawfully discriminated against a passenger traveling on an Israeli passport by refusing to sell him a ticket for a New York to London flight.

Eldad Gatt, an Israeli citizen, complained to the Department of Transportation that in 2013 he was unable to buy a ticket from John F. Kennedy Airport to London Heathrow Airport through Kuwait Airways because the airline's online booking system prevented him from selecting Israel as his passport-issuing country.

The department investigated and initially rejected Gatt's discrimination complaint, according to a statement and letter provided by transportation officials. But when Gatt appealed the department's decision, the case was reopened and the department ultimately concluded that the airline had violated a different federal law than the one initially cited by Gatt.

"We considered Mr. Gatt's claim upon an alternative ground ... which holds that an 'air carrier or foreign air carrier may not subject a person, place, port, or type of traffic in foreign air transportation to unreasonable discrimination,'" Blane Workie, DOT's assistant general counsel for enforcement said in a letter to the airline.

By refusing to transport Israeli citizens to and from the U.S. and a third country that accepts Israeli citizens, in this case the United Kingdom, the airline is in violation of the law, the letter said. "We expect (Kuwait Airways) to sell tickets to and transport Israeli citizens between the U.S. and any third country where they are allowed to disembark based on the laws of that country," Workie said.

Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said the case is a warning that "any airline that wishes to operate in the U.S. should know that we will not tolerate discrimination of any kind in our skies."

The airline explained that it's against the law in Kuwait to do business with any Israeli citizen or company, and that punishment for a violation could result in imprisonment and hard labor, according to the department.

"We do not find the interest of Kuwait in the enforcement of its laws in this case to be greater than the interest of the United States in the enforcement of its laws," the letter said. "It is our view that the U.S. interest in providing nondiscriminatory access to air transportation to an individual traveling from the U.S. to a third country that allows that individual's entry is greater than Kuwait's interest in applying its economic boycott of Israel."

The department said it is aware of another, similar complaint.

The department has given the airline 15 days to respond. A range of enforcement actions are possible, beginning with civil penalties. Kuwait Airways officials didn't immediately respond to a request for comment from The Associated Press.

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Follow Joan Lowy on http://www.twitter.com/AP—Joan—Lowy

Hurricane Joaquin Intensifies on Way to Bahamas

Hurricane Joaquin Sets Eyes on Bahamas, Eastern Seaboard

Our tenth named storm of the season, Joaquin, has strengthened into a hurricane in the Atlantic Ocean. It currently has winds of 80 mph, located 215 miles east-northeast of the Central Bahamas and is moving southwest at 6 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center.

ABC News

Over the next 48 hours The Bahamas will be affected by hurricane conditions from Joaquim.

Hurricane warnings have been posted for the Central Bahamas, and a hurricane watch is issued for the Northwestern Bahamas. These islands can expect hurricane conditions starting by Thursday morning. A storm surge of 2 to 4 feet above sea level will occur, and waves will be large and dangerous along the coast. Five to 10 inches of rainfall can be expected over the central Bahamas, but some rain totals may reach 20 inches in the islands of San Salvador and Rum Cay, where Joaquin will sit over for the next two days. Lesser amounts of 2 to 5 inches will fall in the southeastern and northwestern Bahamas.

ABC News

Hurricane Watches and Warnings have been posted for the Bahamas.

Joaquin is expected to linger over the eastern Bahamas through Friday as a hurricane. Overnight Friday into Saturday morning, the unusually warm waters is expected to allow Joaquin to strengthen into a category 3 hurricane with 115 mph winds as it starts to turn north. After this northerly turn, the path becomes uncertain through the rest of weekend as it interacts with a trough over the eastern United States.

ABC News

Although forecast uncertainty remains, here is the path through Monday as of the 11AM Advisory on September 30.

"Confidence in the details of the track forecast late in the period remains low," the National Hurricane Center said. "A wide range of outcomes is possible, from a direct impact of a major hurricane along the U.S. East Coast to a track of Joaquin out to sea away from the coast."

ABC News

Here are various models showing the predicted paths of Hurricane Joaquin.

It is still too early to determine the exact impacts that Joaquin may or may not have on the United States, but regardless of the final track that Joaquin takes, a surge of tropical moisture is expected to drench the East Coast, bringing several more inches of rain to an already soaked region.

Hurricane Warning Issued in Bahamas as Joaquin Approaches

A hurricane warning has been issued for the central Bahamas as Tropical Storm Joaquin approaches.

The storm's maximum sustained winds early Wednesday are near 70 mph (110 kph). The U.S. National Hurricane Center says strengthening is expected and Joaquin is forecast to become a hurricane later in the day.

The storm is centered about 240 miles (390 kilometers) east-northeast of the central Bahamas and is moving west-southwest near 6 mph (9 kph).

Meanwhile in the Pacific, Marty has weakened to a tropical depression as it moves away from Mexico's coast.

Marty's maximum sustained winds have decreased to near 35 mph (55 kph) and it's expected to weaken to a remnant low later Wednesday or on Thursday. The depression is centered about 115 miles (185 kilometers) south-southwest of Zihuatanejo, Mexico.

Hurricane Warning Issued in the Central Bahamas as Tropical Storm Joaquin Approaches

Israel Says It Strikes Gaza Following Rocket Fire

The Israeli military says it has carried out airstrikes in the Gaza Strip after a rocket was launched from the Palestinian territory toward Israel. No casualties were reported in the exchange.

The military says it targeted four "terror sites" in Gaza early Wednesday. Local media reports in Gaza said Israeli warplanes hit training sites belonging to the militant Hamas group that controls Gaza.

The strikes were in retaliation for a rocket launched at southern Israel late Tuesday. The rocket was intercepted mid-air by Israel's aerial defense system.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the rocket. Smaller militant groups in Gaza challenging Hamas' rule have claimed responsibility for sporadic rocket fire in recent months.

Army spokesman Lt. Col. Peter Lerner says Israel holds Hamas responsible for attacks from Gaza.