"U.S. East Coast Braces as Irene Strengthens"
"Hurricane Irene thrashed the Bahamas early Thursday, with widespread damage reported on at least two southern islands.
It was a powerful Category 3 hurricane with winds at 115 miles an hour. Forecasters said the winds will ramp up quickly over the next day and Irene was expected to become a Category 4 storm with winds at least 131 mph.