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(CNN) -- Earthquakes of the intensity felt Tuesday along a vast corridor of the East Coast don't come along too often in this region, geophysicist Rowena Lohman says. They are so rare "that it is very difficult for earth scientists to identify specific faults (in the area) that are 'active,' " she says, "where over time we would expect significant earthquakes to occur."

That doesn't mean quakes don't happen pretty regularly, she says. Smaller ones do, we just mostly don't feel them. But this time when the magnitude 5.8 earthquake hit Virginia, it resonated as far north as Toronto. That's partly because the East sits atop rock that is old and "cold," she says, and less able to absorb seismic waves than the malleable, younger rock of the West Coast's active earthquake zone. East Coast quakes, she said, tend to "ring like a bell."

Lohman, an assistant professor of geophysics and tectonics at Cornell University, spoke to CNN.com's Opinion section about the earthquake Tuesday:

CNN: What caused the earthquake that shook the East Coast?

Rowena Lohman: There are two likely culprits: the motion of tectonic plates past each other, and the melting of large ice sheets and glaciers that used to cover North America during the last ice age around 14,000 years ago. When the ice sheet was on top of North America, it pressed down on the Earth's crust, causing it to sink lower. Since the ice melted and that weight was removed, the crust has been slowly rebounding back to its normal position, and that motion causes earthquakes.

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Record-setting earthquakes

Measuring earthquakes

The effects of plate tectonics are felt much more strongly in regions that are close to plate boundaries, such as California or Japan, but the East Coast of the United States can experience smaller events, situated as it is essentially in the middle of a tectonic plate -- the North American Plate.

The ice sheet/glacier explanation is perhaps slightly more widely accepted, but in either case we are talking about very small motions of the Earth that result in relatively rare earthquakes. In fact, these earthquakes on the East Coast occur so rarely that it is very difficult for earth scientists to identify specific faults that are "active," that is, ones where over time we would expect significant earthquakes to occur.

If we were able to go back in time and record earthquakes in this region over many thousands of years, we would probably see that some areas had fairly regular earthquake activity, and we could then come up with a more solid explanation. In fact, that is what many people in the scientific community are trying to do -- they can't go and get the sorts of records that we receive from seismic instruments today, but they can go look for evidence of shaking in the past that tells us that there was a large earthquake in a specific region at a particular time. This is called paleoseismology and is a very powerful tool when combined with observations of current earthquakes.

CNN: I thought earthquakes were a West Coast phenomenon. Aren't these relatively rare here?

Lohman: Yes, they are rarer but result in relatively higher levels of shaking. The West Coast is a much more active region, with earthquakes, volcanoes and high rates of deformation overall and with a relatively warm, "squishy" young crust compared with the old, "cold" rock material underneath the East Coast. This means that the seismic waves that radiate outward from an earthquake in California are absorbed much more and are not felt as strongly as they would be for a similar earthquake here on the East Coast.

Scientists often say that the East Coast "rings like a bell" after an earthquake, with the seismic waves remaining strong over long distances, whereas in California the seismic waves are absorbed relatively quickly, so their effect is more like the thud you'd hear if you rang a wooden bell.

CNN: What's the risk for tsunami?

Lohman: There does not appear to be a risk for a tsunami from this earthquake at this particular time. One potential source would be if the shaking caused an offshore landslide -- and there is no evidence of that here. If the conditions are right, landslides can cause quite damaging tsunamis. This primarily depends on how large the landslide is and how quickly it moves. If the landslide moves slowly, then it doesn't transmit a lot of energy to the water, and we don't get a significant tsunami.

CNN: Is the magnitude 5.2 earthquake that struck Colorado on Monday night related to this quake?

Lohman: There isn't any indication of that right now, but that is certainly something people will look at.

CNN: When was the last time we had an earthquake on this side of the country? What happened?

Lohman: There have been quite a few large earthquakes on the East Coast, although since many of them occurred before we had the types of modern seismic instrumentation that we have today, it is difficult to determine their exact size.

There was one in 1897 very close to the location of today's event, in western Virginia, and there have been large earthquakes near Boston, Charleston (South Carolina) and other cities several times a century in the past that caused damage to churches, chimneys and other tall structures at the time.

Much smaller events, of the order magnitude 3 to 4, occur many times a year on the East Coast, but are usually only felt by the people who are directly on top of them. For reference, a magnitude 4 is about 33 times smaller than a magnitude 5, and 1,000 times smaller than a magnitude 6.

CNN: What's the risk for structures here? Like high-rises, nuclear power plants, reservoirs, water and transportation systems?

Lohman: When engineers discuss risk and hazard from earthquakes, they tend to need to know quantities that are quite difficult for earth scientists to provide. Earth scientists try to convert our understanding of how frequent earthquakes are likely to occur on a particular fault into numbers that reflect, for example, how likely it is that a particular spot will experience a given amount of shaking within the next 50 years. These are shown as "probability of exceedance" maps that allow structural engineers to determine the appropriate building codes that should be used for public structures, as well as private ones, in an area.

Since we have less information about earthquakes on the East Coast (since they don't occur as often), we've had to incorporate that uncertainty into our estimates. So the seismic hazard maps you can find online through the United States Geological Survey Hazards program reflect our understanding about all the faults we know about as well as an attempt to account for the ones we aren't aware of.

CNN: Is the East Coast ready for an earthquake?

Lohman: That's a question for a different kind of scientist or engineer. From what I saw today, the public response appeared to be very well-coordinated and appropriate. Sensitive facilities were shut down for further inspection, and agencies such as the USGS got information out to the public very rapidly.

This is a very good time for people to think about their own preparedness for any natural disaster, however. It's a good time to go through your house and make sure that your bookcases are attached to the walls (which is a good thing to do anyway) and that you have some emergency supplies and water on hand.

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(CNN) -- As rebels in Libya made dramatic strides in Tripoli, pro-Moammar Gadhafi forces toughed it out Wednesday, striking back in volatile pockets across the city.

Get up to speed on some of the recent events in Libya, what Gadhafi may do, how united the opposition is and possible scenarios for the future as CNN's Tim Lister answers frequently asked questions on the latest:

What options does Gadhafi have, if at all? Will he be put on trial if caught?

Gadhafi has very few options left and they are diminishing all the time as his forces dwindle. It is very unlikely that he can communicate with the remnants of his loyalists in places like Sirte. He might have been in a position to strike some sort of deal allowing him free passage out of the country a month ago, but now Tripoli has fallen to the rebels and his headquarters has been overrun, he is a hunted man.

The National Transitional Council is insisting that if he is caught in Libya he will be put on trial. Its chairman, Mahmoud Jibril, told a news conference in Qatar on Tuesday: "We will provide him with a fair trial, but I have no idea how he will defend himself against these crimes that he committed against the Libyan people and the world." He said Gadhafi must be brought to justice for political assassinations, arrests and hangings.

And the spokesman for the NTC, Abdel Hafiz Ghoga, told Egyptian television that Gadhafi must face trial in Libya before he can be transferred to the International Criminal Court in the Hague.

Tough battles ongoing in Libya

Libyans worry about Gadhafi's location

Who are the rebels in Libya?

CNN's Sara Sidner at Gadhafi's compound

The ICC issued arrest warrants for Gadhafi, his son Saif al-Islam and intelligence chief Abdullah al-Sanussi in June. They are accused of crimes against humanity.

His spokesman has said Gadhafi plans to continue fighting the rebels -- for years if necessary. But to do so, he would have to stay in hiding and devise some sort of guerrilla resistance. He has few if any organized armed units at his disposal and few places that support him. There are still pockets of resistance to the NTC, with Gadhafi loyalists reported to be shelling towns west of Tripoli on Tuesday, and clashes in the Saharan town of Sabha, a Gadhafi stronghold.

In some ways Gadhafi's situation now resembles that of Iraq's Saddam Hussein after he fled Baghdad. He was on the run for nine months despite a huge U.S. military presence.

There is one ominous unknown: whether Gadhafi has procured any of Libya's stockpile of mustard gas. Western diplomats are concerned about the security of what remains of Libya's (weapons of mass destruction) program.

What will happen to Gadhafi loyalists?

Senior figures in the NTC have called for reconciliation and brotherhood, but that spirit may be difficult to inculcate among fighters on the ground. Gadhafi's mercenary forces from Africa have always been hated by Libyans. After 42 years of often brutal rule, when dissent has been crushed time and again, there is likely to be some settling of scores.

Much depends on how quickly security can be restored in Tripoli. Some loyalist commanders have already surrendered. Some human rights groups are urging Libya's new rulers to establish a truth and reconciliation commission rather than put Gadhafi supporters on trial.

At his news conference on Tuesday, Jibril, a former minister of justice in the Gadhafi regime, urged his fellow Libyans to show a sense of national purpose. "Show the world you can build a modern nation; we should prove that we are up to this revolution and are able to build a modern country," he said.

"We have to be transparent in front of the whole world. Now we have to concentrate on building and healing our wounds," Jibril said. Facts on the ground will dictate whether his appeal is heeded.

If Tripoli stays firmly in the opposition hands, is the war over? What other areas or other obstacles are they facing?

The risk to the NTC comes in two forms -- a lack of security compounded by the widespread availability of weapons and tribal/ethnic discord.

The pictures Tuesday of fighters carting heavy weaponry and boxes of ammunition from Gadhafi's Tripoli compound with no discipline were the latest example of the weaponized chaos that has overtaken Libya in recent months. A large army compound west of Tripoli was also raided over the weekend as rebels advanced on the capital.

Much depends on how quickly the NTC can instill discipline in its ranks and control who has what weapons. The other part of this equation is ensuring members of the Libyan police stay on the job and looting is prevented. The NTC is considering asking several Arab states to supply security forces to help stabilize the situation in Tripoli.

The NTC has been an uneasy coalition, and one in which western tribes have had little presence. Now it has to perform a delicate balancing act as it shifts from being a rebel movement born and headquartered in the east to being a government in waiting for all of Libya. The non-Arab Berber population of the western mountains will want autonomy and the right to revive their language and other cultural symbols. Large tribes that have been marginalized during the Gadhafi era will want a seat at the top table. And the fighters that bore the brunt of pro-Gadhafi forces' shelling in Misrata may not feel much loyalty to the political leadership in Benghazi.

Libya's new rulers also need to take drastic action to get the economy moving again, by pumping oil and ensuring roads, ports and airports are reopened to import basic supplies. Reports from Tripoli in the last few days suggest chronic shortages of some medical supplies. If they can move swiftly to improve the humanitarian situation, they will have a better chance of taking the Libyan people with them.

The NTC's stabilization group has been working for months on a transition plan, no doubt mindful of the chaos that engulfed Baghdad after Saddam Hussein was toppled. But executing this plan will demand organizational skills the rebels have yet to demonstrate.

The opposition movement is definitely gaining major ground but what about cohesiveness inside the movement? How unified are they?

The murder last month of the rebels' military chief, Abdel Fattah Younis, was the starkest evidence yet that the NTC is hardly a harmonious group. Only the quick promise of a reshuffle among its ranks prevented Younis' tribe from taking revenge.

The NTC was formed in a hurry and has a disparate mix of Libyan nationalists, secularists and intellectuals, with its center of gravity very much in the east of Libya. Younis' murder, followed by the confusion over the (non) arrest of Saif al-Islam Gadhafi has not exactly engendered confidence.

Given the long history of tension between east and western Libya, it's notable that the rebel units in the capital are largely from the west, and that there's been no march on the capital from rebel strongholds in the east.

In the NTC's favor, the United States and European governments have been wholehearted in backing it as Libya's "legitimate governing authority." The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice, on Tuesday called the NTC "credible and reliable interlocutors."

The NTC will benefit from substantial technical and financial support from its supporters in the West and the Gulf. Qatar is organizing a donors' conference Wednesday with the aim of raising $2.4 billion, and the United States is moving swiftly to release $1.5 billion in frozen Libyan assets.

What are some possible scenarios for the next few months? Is a peaceful transition possible?

A peaceful if not perfect transition is plausible, but Libya is a huge country (1.75 million square kilometers) where all sorts of competing authorities are likely to emerge over the next few months. It's like releasing a pressure valve that's been closed for 42 years; there will be much jockeying for position. The NTC will have to show a unity of purpose and considerable finesse if it is to settle political arguments around a table rather than on the streets.

The worst-case scenario would see the NTC unable to stamp its authority on the country, and tribes organizing to protect and enrich themselves, as well as a window of opportunity opening for Islamist groups, which have had little role in the uprising but could exploit a political vacuum. Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb has a presence in several neighboring countries (including Algeria and Niger) and could take advantage of vast Saharan spaces should the government in Tripoli falter.

As one U.S. official put it Tuesday, there are three priorities in Libya now: security, security and security.

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DSK lawyers open up to Piers Morgan

New York (CNN) -- Lawyers for former International Monetary Fund chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn said they are not worried about a pending civil suit from his accuser after a New York judge dropped criminal charges against him.

"She doesn't have much, if any, chance in a civil case," William Taylor told CNN's Piers Morgan Tuesday night, the same day that a New York judge dismissed sexual assault charges against Strauss-Kahn. "The same difficulties, the same lies will come back to haunt her in a civil case."

A grand jury indicted Strauss-Kahn in May over allegations he sexually assaulted housekeeper Nafissatou Diallo in his suite at the swanky Sofitel hotel in New York.

Prosecutors requested that the charges be dropped after they began to question Diallo's credibility. They said the Guinean woman had lied on an asylum application. She also said she had been gangraped by soldiers in her native country, but later admitted it never happened, prosecutors said.

Strauss-Kahn: 'Relieved'

'Devastation' over dropped DSK case

The Strauss-Kahn case as it unfolded

DSK charges dropped

Diallo's lawyer Kenneth Thompson said she was crushed by the judge's decision.

"Devastated," Thompson told CNN's Don Lemon. "She has told the truth about what happened in that hotel room. She can't understand why Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance would abandon her. She and her daughter have been crying through the night."

Charges dropped in Dominique Strauss-Kahn

Thompson said Diallo was raped like she said in her asylum application. Thompson wondered if prosecutors pushed to drop the charges because Strauss-Kahn is rich and powerful.

"Clearly, the D.A. looked at Dominique Strauss-Kahn, his status, his power," said Thompson. "If Dominique Strauss-Kahn was a bus driver from the South Bronx or a construction worker from Harlem or a plumber... Do you think that Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance would care what was in Miss Diallo's asylum application?"

Thompson said he is glad that he filed a civil suit because he did not "trust the process."

Vance, in a news release Tuesday, said prosecutors had no choice because they were "not persuaded -- beyond a reasonable doubt -- that a crime has been committed, based on the evidence we have."

He said Diallo's testimony "was fatally damaged, for several key reasons."

Toobin: Dismissal was about proof, not truth

Along with the asylum application, Diallo lied about the specifics of her whereabouts after the rape incident and information on tax forms, prosecutors said.

A crowd of protesters gathered near the courtroom in New York Tuesday in support of Diallo, carrying handwritten signs reading "No impunity 4 rapists in power" and "Nafissatou we believe you."

Strauss-Kahn's lawyers had maintained his innocence throughout the process.

"I think what we said from the beginning, there was an act in that room that was consensual, not forcible and I think we're going to leave it at that," said Benjamin Brafman, another one of Diallo's lawyers. "Unless you yourself have been accused falsely of a serious crime that you did not commit, I think it's impossible to really understand the full measure of relief that Dominique Strauss-Khan felt today."

Watch Piers Morgan Tonight weeknights 9 p.m. ET. For the latest from Piers Morgan click here.

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New York (CNN) -- Almost a decade after the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, a new set of remains from the site has been identified, the New York City medical examiner's office announced.

The remains are those of Ernest James, 40, said Ellen Borakove, the spokeswoman for the office.

"The identification is a result of our ongoing efforts," Borakove said in a statement Tuesday.

An IT consultant, James worked with professional services company Marsh & McLennan on the upper levels of the North Tower, according to his fianc�e Monique Keyes.

After graduating in computer science from the Borough of Manhattan Community College, James had spent his entire career working in the industry in Manhattan. He had been with Marsh & McLennan for six years, Keyes said.

"He was content, he strived to be good at his job; he enjoyed working," Keyes said.

James was one of almost 300 employees and 63 consultants of the company who died September 11, 2001, when a hijacked airplane crashed into the tower, according to company spokesman Jeremy Lehrman.

A Harlem native, James was an "all-round lovable, fun guy, very vibrant with a great sense of humor," Keyes said of her partner of three years.

Having just returned from a cruise together the week before the attacks, the two were "looking forward to committing to each other, sharing a life together, having a family," she added.

James was survived by his mother and sister, who will receive his remains, Keyes said.

"I'm glad that the identification has arrived at this moment -- at the 10-year anniversary," she said. "I feel like I have some closure."

James' identification brings to 1,632 the number of victims named so far. As many as 1,121 victims still have not been identified, according to the medical examiner's office.

A statement from the office said 2,753 people were reported missing after the towers fell. DNA testing was used to identify the majority of the named victims.

The last set of remains identified from the attacks was in May, the New York Times reported. DNA testing is still ongoing on more than 6,400 samples of remains, the medical examiner's office said.

(CNN) -- Turkish champions Fenerbahce have been withdrawn from the UEFA Champions League group stage by the Turkish Football Federation (TFF) in relation to bribery and match fixing allegations.

In July more than 30 people were arrested and jailed over claims that several football matches, as many as 19, in the Turkish first and second divisions had been manipulated. The highest profile figure arrested in the scandal was Fenerbahce's president Aziz Yildirim.

Fenerbahce won last season's title on goal difference from Trabzonspor. But as the arrests mount the TFF decided to withdraw Fenerbahce before UEFA was forced to act on its behalf.

"Regarding the heavy disciplinary sanctions both Fenerbahce and the Turkish Football Federation (TFF), which means Turkey might encounter, it is decided to ban Fenerbahce Sports Club from the UEFA Champions' League this season," read a statement posted on the TFF's official web site.

The move took place 24 hours before Thursday's group stage draw. European football's governing body acted swiftly to end speculation over who will replace Fenerbahce by announcing that Trabzonspor, who finished second in the Turkish league last season, will take the final group stage berth.

After a meeting of UEFA's Emergency Committee on Wednesday evening it was also agreed that Spanish club Athletic Bilbao will no longer need to take part in a qualification match against Trabzonspor tomorrow and will go straight in to the Europa League instead.

"The panel considered that the Turkish Football Federation took the right decision to protect the game, fully in line with our zero-tolerance policy against match-fixing," said UEFA General Secretary Gianni Infantino in a statement posted on UEFA's web site.

"The Turkish Football Federation has shown with this decision that it takes its full responsibility in the fight against corruption."

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Raging waves whipped up by Hurricane Irene batter the seafront in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, on Tuesday.

(CNN) -- Traveling to the Caribbean during hurricane season is always a gamble, so if you bet on a storm-free vacation this week, you are out of luck but not out of options.

Hurricane Irene continued to pound the southeastern Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands on Wednesday.

The hurricane was headed for the Crooked and Acklins Islands and was on a path that will see it rake a large portion of the island chain as it heads northwest toward the United States, the National Hurricane Center said.

The dangerous storm prompted the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism & Aviation on Tuesday to recommend "strongly" that people with plans to travel to the Bahamas in the next five days postpone their trips.

It also asked tourists already there to leave.

"Even though the hotels in the Bahamas are fully prepared to accommodate guests under these circumstances, the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism & Aviation is strongly recommending that all visitors voluntarily evacuate the destination," the ministry said.

Tourists abandon Bahamas as Irene nears

The Bahamas Hotel Association's hurricane cancellation policy is in effect for travelers who need to postpone or cancel their vacation in the islands. The policy allows vacationers either to use their deposits or payments toward a future stay at the same property or request a full refund.

Irene causes havoc in Puerto Rico

Getting ready for Irene in Charleston

If you plan to fly in or out of the region this week, most carriers will let you change your itinerary without a fee:

United Airlines will allow changes for travel to, through and from more than a dozen airports in the Caribbean -- including San Juan, Puerto Rico; Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic; and several locations in the Bahamas -- for travelers scheduled to fly through Friday. Continental Airlines has a similar policy.

Delta Air Lines is waiving change fees for travelers scheduled to fly to, from or through Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Haiti and the Bahamas through Thursday.

US Airways also has relaxed its change-fee policies for passengers scheduled to fly to or from several Florida cities -- including Daytona Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Miami -- through Friday.

The policy also applies for travel to or from the Bahamas, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and the Turks And Caicos through Sunday.

American Airlines has issued a travel waiver for passengers flying to or from more than a dozen airports in the Caribbean, including St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands and Providenciales in the Turks and Caicos through Friday.

JetBlue is waiving change/cancel fees and fare differences for fliers traveling to and from the Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos.

Hurricane Irene has also forced more than a dozen cruise ships to change their itineraries, CruiseCritic.com reported.

Royal Caribbean evacuated CocoCay, its private island resort in the Bahamas, the cruise line said on its blog.

Meanwhile, port calls are not expected to resume in Nassau until Saturday, the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism & Aviation said.

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Raging waves whipped up by Hurricane Irene batter the seafront in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, on Tuesday.

(CNN) -- Traveling to the Caribbean during hurricane season is always a gamble, so if you bet on a storm-free vacation this week, you are out of luck but not out of options.

Hurricane Irene continued to pound the southeastern Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands on Wednesday.

The hurricane was headed for the Crooked and Acklins Islands and was on a path that will see it rake a large portion of the island chain as it heads northwest toward the United States, the National Hurricane Center said.

The dangerous storm prompted the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism & Aviation on Tuesday to recommend "strongly" that people with plans to travel to the Bahamas in the next five days postpone their trips.

It also asked tourists already there to leave.

"Even though the hotels in the Bahamas are fully prepared to accommodate guests under these circumstances, the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism & Aviation is strongly recommending that all visitors voluntarily evacuate the destination," the ministry said.

Tourists abandon Bahamas as Irene nears

The Bahamas Hotel Association's hurricane cancellation policy is in effect for travelers who need to postpone or cancel their vacation in the islands. The policy allows vacationers either to use their deposits or payments toward a future stay at the same property or request a full refund.

Irene causes havoc in Puerto Rico

Getting ready for Irene in Charleston

If you plan to fly in or out of the region this week, most carriers will let you change your itinerary without a fee:

United Airlines will allow changes for travel to, through and from more than a dozen airports in the Caribbean -- including San Juan, Puerto Rico; Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic; and several locations in the Bahamas -- for travelers scheduled to fly through Friday. Continental Airlines has a similar policy.

Delta Air Lines is waiving change fees for travelers scheduled to fly to, from or through Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Haiti and the Bahamas through Thursday.

US Airways also has relaxed its change-fee policies for passengers scheduled to fly to or from several Florida cities -- including Daytona Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Miami -- through Friday.

The policy also applies for travel to or from the Bahamas, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and the Turks And Caicos through Sunday.

American Airlines has issued a travel waiver for passengers flying to or from more than a dozen airports in the Caribbean, including St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands and Providenciales in the Turks and Caicos through Friday.

JetBlue is waiving change/cancel fees and fare differences for fliers traveling to and from the Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos.

Hurricane Irene has also forced more than a dozen cruise ships to change their itineraries, CruiseCritic.com reported.

Royal Caribbean evacuated CocoCay, its private island resort in the Bahamas, the cruise line said on its blog.

Meanwhile, port calls are not expected to resume in Nassau until Saturday, the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism & Aviation said.

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Raging waves whipped up by Hurricane Irene batter the seafront in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, on Tuesday.

(CNN) -- Traveling to the Caribbean during hurricane season is always a gamble, so if you bet on a storm-free vacation this week, you are out of luck but not out of options.

Hurricane Irene continued to pound the southeastern Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands on Wednesday.

The hurricane was headed for the Crooked and Acklins Islands and was on a path that will see it rake a large portion of the island chain as it heads northwest toward the United States, the National Hurricane Center said.

The dangerous storm prompted the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism & Aviation on Tuesday to recommend "strongly" that people with plans to travel to the Bahamas in the next five days postpone their trips.

It also asked tourists already there to leave.

"Even though the hotels in the Bahamas are fully prepared to accommodate guests under these circumstances, the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism & Aviation is strongly recommending that all visitors voluntarily evacuate the destination," the ministry said.

The Bahamas Hotel Association's hurricane cancellation policy is in effect for travelers who need to postpone or cancel their vacation in the islands. The policy allows vacationers either to use their deposits or payments toward a future stay at the same property or request a full refund.

Irene causes havoc in Puerto Rico

Getting ready for Irene in Charleston

If you plan to fly in or out of the region this week, most carriers will let you change your itinerary without a fee:

United Airlines will allow changes for travel to, through and from more than a dozen airports in the Caribbean -- including San Juan, Puerto Rico; Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic; and several locations in the Bahamas -- for travelers scheduled to fly through Friday. Continental Airlines has a similar policy.

Delta Air Lines is waiving change fees for travelers scheduled to fly to, from or through Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Haiti and the Bahamas through Thursday.

US Airways also has relaxed its change-fee policies for passengers scheduled to fly to or from the Bahamas and several Florida cities -- including Daytona Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Miami -- through Friday.

American Airlines has issued a travel waiver for passengers flying to or from more than a dozen airports in the Caribbean, including St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands and Providenciales in the Turks and Caicos through Friday.

JetBlue is waiving change/cancel fees and fare differences for fliers traveling to and from the Bahamas, the Turks and Caicos, the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico.

Hurricane Irene has also forced more than a dozen cruise ships to change their itineraries, CruiseCritic.com reported.

Royal Caribbean evacuated CocoCay, its private island resort in the Bahamas, the cruise line said on its blog.

Meanwhile, port calls are not expected to resume in Nassau until Saturday, the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism & Aviation said.

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Sidner surrounded by celebratory gunfire

Get the latest developments from Libya via our LIVE BLOG.

Tripoli, Libya (CNN) -- Claiming rebels controlled 90% of the country and were days away from "a new Libya," the rebel government said it is planning to move many of its key ministries to the Libyan capital of Tripoli on Wednesday.

But Libyan ruler Moammar Gadhafi's regime slammed the notion that the battle was over.

Two Arabic networks aired an audio message purportedly from Gadhafi that called upon all Libyans "to clear the city of Tripoli and eliminate the criminals, traitors and rats."

"They are hiding between the families and inside the civilian houses," the message said. "It's your duty to enter these houses and take them out."

CNN cannot confirm the authenticity of the message.

Hours earlier, Gadhafi spokesman Musa Ibrahim struck an equally defiant tone when he said government forces have the power to fight in Tripoli "not just for months -- for years."

"We will turn Libya into a volcano of lava and fire under the feet of the invaders and their treacherous agents," Ibrahim said in a phone call to satellite news channels, according to Reuters.

'This is a new beginning for Libya'

Libyan woman no longer afraid to speak

Matthew Chance from Libya

Battle for Tripoli continues

Pro-Gadhafi forces held out pockets of resistance in Tripoli on Wednesday. They fully controlled the airport but were struggling to control an area east of it. The unexpected resistance caused them to speculate that loyalists could be protecting a high-profile figure in the vicinity.

Gadhafi forces also maintained control at the Rixos Hotel -- where international journalists are trapped. A day earlier, bullets were fired into the windows of the hotel.

On the other hand, rebels celebrated their most significant catch yet with the capture of Gadhafi's Bab al-Aziziya compound Tuesday.

The compound, formerly the heart of the Gadhafi regime, had been damaged in recent weeks by repeated NATO airstrikes. Rebels said they had captured some of Gadhafi's forces inside the compound following an hours-long siege.

But neither Gadhafi nor any of his family members were found at Bab al-Aziziya.

Mahmoud Shammam, the information for the rebel government, the National Transitional Council, said it didn't matter where Gadhafi was.

"In a few hours, maximum a few days, we have a new Libya, a new, liberated Libya," he said Tuesday.

Opposition controls airport in Tripoli

Map: Tripoli hotspots

A senior NATO official said the war was "not over yet, although it's close. We continue to watch for flare-ups from around the country, where there are still going to be pockets of resistance. We are also watching the chemical weapons and Scud missiles to make sure they are not used in the endgame."

A growing number of foreign countries are recognizing the rebels' National Transitional Council as Libya's rightful government.

On Wednesday, South Korea said the NTC is "the legitimate governing authority representing the Libyan people." The South Korean government said it plans to deliver humanitarian aid worth $1 million.

Shammam said the release of money that has been frozen in international banks will be critical to the rebels' ultimate success. "We need to provide ourselves with a lot of necessities and we cannot do this without money," he said.

"Please, please, please, let the international community know -- we are hungry for freedom, we are hungry for democracy, we are hungry for a state of law and order and we would like everybody, everybody everywhere in Arab countries and in the international community to support us and help us to get that."

CNN's Matthew Chance, Arwa Damon, Jomana Karadsheh, Kareem Khadder, Raja Razek and Hamdi Alkhshali contributed to this report.

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(CNN) -- Russia's mission control has reported an abnormal situation with a space freighter that launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome bound for the International Space Station, NASA said Wednesday.

The rocket was carrying 2.9 tonnes of food, fuel and supplies, NASA said, but has no passengers on board.

The Progress 44 cargo craft, which launched at 7 p.m. Kazakhstan time, is due to dock with the ISS on Friday.

NASA spokesman Rob Navias, at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, told CNN that contact with the space craft had been lost about three minutes before it reached orbit.

"We have no confirmation of a crash from the Russians," he said.

Navias said the Russians launch a supply vessel roughly every three months.

The six people currently living on the ISS are "well supplied -- actually oversupplied" since the delivery of supplies after the last U.S. shuttle mission last month, he said.

Mission Control Houston said it had received a report of an "off-nominal situation" during the rocket's third and final stage, at five minutes and 50 seconds after launch.

Progress-series space freighters have been the backbone of Russian space cargo operations for decades, Russian news agency RIA-Noviosti reports.

As well as taking supplies to the ISS, they have been used to carry out scientific experiments and help adjust the space station's orbit, the agency reports.

CNN's Dave Alsup contributed to this report.

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(CNN) -- Bayern Munich are through to the group stages of the Champions League after a 1-0 win at Swiss side FC Zurich gave them a 3-1 aggregate success in their play-off second leg.

A strong Bayern side, featuring eight members of the Germany national side, secured their place in the last 32 courtesy of an early strike from Mario Gomez.

Gomez was left unmarked in the area to finish off a flowing move involving Toni Kroos and Thomas Mueller, for the only goal of the game in the seventh minute.

Bayern -- who will be hosting the final of the competition in May 2012 -- now join compatriots Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen in the main draw.

Four other second round ties were played on Tuesday, with Spanish side Villarreal also sealing their place in the group stage with a 3-0 win over Odense of Denmark, for a 3-1 aggregate success.

Highly-rated Italian striker Giuseppe Rossi netted a close range double, the second coming via a superb curling right-wing cross from Ruben Cani.

Substitute Carlos Marchena added a third after goalkeeper Stefan Wessels fumbled his long-range shot, but a bad-tempered second half saw each side have a player sent off, with the home side losing Borja Valero for head-buttting Andreas Johansson in the stomach.

Dynamo Zagreb are also through to the group stages, but they were given a scare by Malmo of Sweden.

Zagreb side led 4-1 from the first leg in Croatia, but Malmo won 2-0 on the night, just failing to get the third goal that would have seen them progress on the away goals rule.

Belgian side Genk beat Maccabi Haifa of Israel 2-1 on the night, a result that left the sides tied at 3-3 on aggregate.

The scoreline remained the same through extra time, but Genk prevailed 4-1 on penalties to seal their place.

Brazilian striker Ailton scored twice, with the decisive goal coming three minutes from time, to give Cypriot side APOEL Nicosia a 3-1 victory over Wisla Krakow of Poland for a 3-2 aggregate success.

There is a consolation prize for the losing teams with a place in the group stages of the Europa League.

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Read more about Hurricane Irene from CNN affiliate WSAV.

(CNN) -- Conditions rapidly deteriorated in the southeastern Bahamas early Wednesday as Hurricane Irene approached on a path that will rake the island chain before heading toward the United States, the National Hurricane Center said.

The storm, forecast to become a powerful Category 3 hurricane with winds of more than 110 mph by Thursday, could threaten large sections of the Eastern Seaboard, from the Carolinas northward.

"We see no reason for it not to be a major hurricane," said Bill Read, director of the Miami-based National Hurricane Center.

Read said Irene could potentially affect the unveiling of the Martin Luther King Jr. memorial in Washington and cause problems with flooding in northeastern states that have already experienced high levels of rainfall this summer.

He said the Atlantic up to Cape Hatteras in North Carolina is warm enough to sustain a major hurricane.

"All East Coast residents should pay close attention to this storm and take the time now to prepare," Craig Fugate, the Federal Emergency Management Agency administrator, said Tuesday.

Gallery: Hurricane Irene intensifies

iReporter captures Irene's aftermath

Irene strikes Dominican Republic

"People think hurricanes are a Southern thing but people in the mid-Atlantic and Northeast need to take Irene seriously," Fugate said. "We have a lot of time for people to get ready but we don't have forever."

The hurricane center's five-day forecast map shows the storm approaching North Carolina on Saturday and hugging the coast throughout the weekend.

Widespread damage is possible from coastal Carolina all the way up to the Canadian Maritimes, including the major cities of the Northeast, CNN Senior Meteorologist Dave Hennen said Tuesday evening.

Hennen said Irene is expected to pass well east of Florida so only minimal effects are expected Thursday and Friday as the storm moves northward toward the Carolinas.

Emergency officials in southeastern states have already stepped up operations in preparation for the first significant storm to threaten the United States in three years.

North Carolina's coastal Ocracoke Island on the Outer Banks and surrounding Hyde County have declared a state of emergency starting at 5 a.m. Wednesday. Officials declared a mandatory evacuation for all visitors and residents starting at 5 a.m. Thursday.

Are you there? Share photos, video, but stay safe

"We will be ready if Hurricane Irene reaches North Carolina," Gov. Beverly Perdue said. "Our teams are already lining up supplies, trucks and resources to reach anywhere the storm might touch."

Perdue said at a news conference Tuesday that "in North Carolina, we're prepared."

"Quite frankly (the state's) emergency center has done this over and over and over, and we have the best system in America, we know that ... and that system is very, very robust and strong."

But she advised coastal residents especially to make plans and to prepare hurricane evacuation kits: "food supplies, medicine, water -- begin to think about your pets, begin to think about those things all around your home or business that can cause damage if there are high winds."

In South Carolina, emergency officials in Beaufort County, which includes Hilton Head Island, worked to make certain that construction sites on major highways could be cleared quickly in case evacuations of coastal areas became necessary.

"We're contacting (construction crews) every day now to make sure if we should have to do something, that they could remove their barrels and construction equipment, etc. to clear the road so we don't have impediment in the roadways," county Emergency Management Director Todd Ferguson told CNN affiliate WSAV Tuesday. "We ... will continue to do that until this threat is passed."

Irene took aim at the southeastern Bahamas early Wednesday as it lashed the Turks and Caicos Islands with 90 mph winds.

At 11 p.m. ET, the storm was tracking to the north-northwest at 9 mph, the hurricane center said. Irene is centered about 410 miles southeast of Nassau in the Bahamas and about 980 miles south-southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina.

Forecasters said Irene could bring another 1 to 3 inches of rain to the Dominican Republic and Haiti, with isolated total accumulations of 15 inches in higher elevations. Potentially dangerous flooding and mudslides were a threat, the center said.

Rainfall accumulations of 6 to 12 inches are expected in the Bahamas and in the Turks and Caicos islands, it said.

Travelers brace for Hurricane Irene

In Puerto Rico, officials reported the death of a 62-year-old woman Tuesday as drenching rains from Irene soaked the U.S. commonwealth. She was trying to cross a bridge in a car over a flooded creek when the vehicle was inundated and she drowned, according to Lourdes Vazquez, a spokeswoman for the city of Carolina, Puerto Rico.

The storm left widespread damage on the island, leaving about 600,000 electric customers without power at its peak.

President Barack Obama has signed an emergency declaration for Puerto Rico, providing for federal disaster assistance.

CNN's Nelson Quinones contributed to this report.

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Editor's note: Edward Djerejian is the author of "Danger and Opportunity -- An American Ambassador's Journey Through the Middle East" (Simon & Schuster Threshold Editions, September, 2008.) A former U.S. ambassador to Syria and to Israel, he is the founding director of the Baker Institute for Public Policy at Rice University.

(CNN) -- The likely fall of Moammar Gadhafi's regime poses critical challenges to the emerging new Libyan leadership, to the United States and to the international community, and has important political implications for the future of the Syrian regime.

In the first instance, the Libyan National Transitional Council will have the primary responsibility for the restoration of law and order, a necessary condition for a viable political transition to a representative and inclusive political system and to economic development.

A political horizon that shows the Libyan people the way forward toward constitutional and judicial reforms, local, parliamentary and presidential elections, the establishment of civil society organizations, and a national security and defense structure under civilian leadership will be key to mobilizing national support. It would also provide the framework for launching the national economy, in which the energy sector plays a large role.

According to the International Monetary Fund, Libya's oil and natural gas industry in 2010 accounted for more than 95% of export earnings and 75% of government receipts. While the restoration of stability and the introduction of political reforms are crucial, Libya's economy will need to be invigorated to ensure longer-term prosperity.

With the largest oil reserves in Africa, Libya has abundant natural resources that, if properly developed and managed, could provide sufficient funds for supporting more broadly based economic growth and development across the country. This will not be easy. Shokri Ghanem, the former oil minister, has said restoring Libya's oil production to prewar levels could take more than a year, and the country's production of approximately 1.6 million barrels per day has been almost completely disrupted by the fighting.

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Gunfire, explosions across Tripoli

Gadhafi son's arrest 'never confirmed'

Another important factor is the re-establishment of Libya's global economic and commercial ties and the receipt of the Gadhafi regime's substantial frozen assets abroad.

Secondly, the role of the international community in supporting Libya's political and economic transition is fundamental. The United States should continue and enhance its outreach and coordination within NATO and the UN, and with the Arab League and the African Union to promote humanitarian, political, economic and stabilization efforts.

Bearing in mind the lessons of post-conflict reconstruction in Iraq, the United States and European Union can advise the NTC on securing critical infrastructure and creating -- and administering -- more representative institutions, but it will be up to the NTC leadership and local commanders to ensure that fighters maintain discipline.

Those who have entered Tripoli and are poised to overthrow Gadhafi will need to be integrated into a national command structure. Old grievances and tribal differences may pose problems if the Libyan National Transitional Council does not fully integrate anti-regime elements from the west into a comprehensive political transition. It is far from clear that the jurisdiction of the NTC will be fully accepted in Tripoli and elsewhere in western Libya. Factionalism has emerged as a stumbling block for the rebels.

In any case, the United States' role should be a major supportive one, but it would be unwise for the United States to commit troops to stabilization efforts in Libya. We are already heavily committed in blood and treasure in Iraq and Afghanistan at a time of serious domestic economic and fiscal challenges.

The United States does not need the added burden of military involvement in yet another Muslim country, a development that would be exploited by extremists in the region. The Europeans have a more immediate geopolitical interest in Libya and can continue to take the lead with our strong support in the NATO context.

A note of caution is necessary. Popular uprisings and rebellions as in Libya are heroic manifestations of the human quest for freedom and liberty. However, the initial phase of a revolution needs to be transformed without undue delay into good governance, social justice and economic well being.

If not, revolutions can be hijacked by new brands of autocrats, either secular or religious. Hopefully, the Libyan people will be able to craft their political and economic future in a positive way.

In a regional context, Gadhafi's demise will not go unnoticed in Damascus. Like Gadhafi, President Bashar al Asad's regime is confronting its people and popular protests with lethal force.

When a people are brutally attacked by their government for protesting for their political, economic and social rights, the regime loses its legitimacy and it is only a question of time before end of regime scenarios emerge. It is no accident that Syrian protesters reportedly have chanted, "Gadhafi is gone, now it's your turn Bashar." The fall of the Libyan dictator only reinforces Syria's increasing isolation in the region.

The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Edward Djerejian.