New meteor shower influenced by Jupiter's gravity

A first-of-its-kind meteor shower is expected to occur Friday night and into early Saturday morning.

The Camelopardalid meteor shower is a first because Earth has never run into the debris from this particular comet.

The Comet 209P/LINEAR is a very dim comet that orbits the sun every five years and was discovered in 2004.

MORE: New meteor shower could turn into meteor storm

Unlike other meteor showers expected to be visible around the same time of year, the Camelopardalid is unique because its debris is strongly influenced by Jupiter's gravity, which constantly alters the orbit of this comet's debris, said William Cooke, head of the Meteoroid Environment Office at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center.

Although NASA is confident when the meteor shower will occur, it's unclear what the shower will look like, Cooke said.

"It could be practically nothing, or it could be a couple hundred meteors per hour," Cooke said.

The debris that Earth will encounter this week is the dust that the comet ejected back in the 1800s, according to NASA.

"Our forecast models aren't helping us because we can simulate things in a computer, but until you see it, you don't know how many particles a comet gives off," Cooke said.

People in North America will get the best view, and peak activity will be from 2 a.m. to 4 a.m. ET Saturday.

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Teen found dead in hotel room after prom

HOUSTON – The Block family, in town for a basketball tournament, stayed at the Hyatt in north Houston, Texas, Friday night while the MacArthur High School prom was well under way.

"It seemed nice. Put me back to when I was in 12th grade," said Michael Block, in town from San Antonio.

They would never have thought the night would take a tragic turn for 18-year-old Jacqueline Gomez, a MacArthur student for whom this prom night would be her last.

"She then stayed overnight in the hotel. In the morning hours, the person that was with her found her deceased in her bed. We are not sure at this hour what the cause of death is," said Det. Mike Miller, with the Houston Police Department Homicide Division.

Police said they found alcohol and prescription pain killers in the hotel room. They also told KHOU-TV that the girl's boyfriend had called 911. They took him in for questioning about what happened.

"He was there. He knows everything, so we're just continually wanting to find out what happened and everything," said Miller. "We have no reason to believe he contributed to her death."

Kyren Block and his family were staying just a few doors down from some of the MacArthur High School students.

"You could hear it all the way down the hallway. They were yelling," Block said.

Others staying at the hotel had no idea what had happened.

"The girls had on beautiful gowns, you know chiffon-looking gowns. They looked really nice. I watched them come in. Yeah that's very tragic," said Donald Burton, a hotel guest.

Homicide detectives are still investigating and trying to find out what took the 18-year-old's life.

KHOU learned that Gomez worked at the Kroger grocery store just down the street from MacArthur High School. She was just two weeks away from graduation.

Her close friends Bibiana and Antonio now only have pictures to remember their friend by.

"My heart sank, I hoped it really wasn't her. I didn't want to believe it," Bibiana said. "She was an amazing girl.

"She liked helping out everybody," Antonio added.

For now, the MacArthur senior's friends and family are struggling to cope with her loss. They're telling KHOU they want answers. They want to know what exactly happened to her... and why.

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Gas prices shouldn't be high, but are: What gives?

Rumors about the demise of U.S. gasoline demand have been greatly exaggerated.

Until late 2013, most energy observers forecast the world's most reliably gas-guzzling market to consume less fuel this year. What was once thought to be a structural decline in demand, however, has proven more durable than expected.

As the summer driving season nears, retail gas remains stubbornly lodged near $4 per gallon. According to the Energy Information Administration, gas prices rose for 12 straight weeks through late April, and were 20 cents a gallon higher than the same point last year.

So what gives?

"The world's not swimming in crude or gasoline yet," said Francisco Blanch, commodities strategist at Bank of America-Merrill Lynch, in an interview. "Despite all the crude and gasoline production in the U.S., international markets are not tagging along."

International developments matter, analysts say, because gas prices are linked to internationally priced Brent crude. Turmoil in Ukraine and spotty supply from the perennially unstable Middle East has conspired to keep oil above $100 per barrel.

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In a research note this week, analysts at Goldman Sachs called crude oil fundamentals "stable but tight," adding that most developed-economy stockpiles "remain at low levels" amid lower-than-expected output from hotspots like Libya and Iraq.

That backdrop explains why prices at the pump have defied the gravitational pull of a litany of mitigating factors such as a more fuel-efficient U.S. car fleet, rising domestic production and a still-fragile recovery that should blunt demand.

BofA-Merrill points out that domestic oil and gas production has driven gasoline imports to near zero, while the U.S. is churning out nearly 10 million barrels a day. Despite all this, there has been little relief at the pump due largely to factors outside America's control.

The International Energy Agency said in its most recent report that OPEC will need to increase its own production this year to sate rising demand. Meanwhile, the energy watchdog said non-OPEC production is also falling short of expectations.

'Shale boom may not be helping'

"In the U.S. and Canada, yes, there is a big shale revolution going on…but the rest of the world is not producing enough to feed itself," said BofA's Blanch. "That's why oil prices abroad are elevated and why gasoline, which is pegged to oil prices, are so high."

The EIA expects crude oil prices to fall this year, which should keep a lid on gas prices. Still, the agency expects average gas prices to rise by 3 cents during the June—August period compared with the same quarter last year.

The latter may come as another blow to consumers, many of whom are hard pressed to see material benefits in the U.S. shale surge when retail energy costs are still so high.

"For now, the shale boom may not be helping consumers directly by pushing [gas] prices lower," said Blanch. Still, the oil and gas renaissance can alleviate energy inflation while creating economic benefits, like more jobs, he added.

© CNBC is a USA TODAY content partner offering financial news and commentary. Its content is produced independently of USA TODAY.

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Malaysia Airlines MH370 mystery is in the hands of the CIA, says former PM Dr Mahathir Mohamad

Tech troubles hinder MH370 search0:40

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Technical troubles have hindered a resumption of the search for missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370.

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Possible endpoints for MH370 based on analysis of satellite data. Source: Supplied

WHAT happened to missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370? Ask the CIA but don’t blame us, says a former Malaysian prime minister.

Dr Mahathir Mohamad wrote in his personal blog today that — with the help of the Boeing’s advanced technology — the CIA or “certain parties” could have hijacked the aircraft remotely.

“It is a waste of time and money to look for debris or oil slick or to listen for “pings” from the black box,” Dr Mahathir said. “This is most likely not an ordinary crash after fuel was exhausted. The plane is somewhere, maybe without MAS markings.

“Someone is hiding something. It is not fair that MAS and Malaysia should take the blame.”

Dr Mahathir, who was Malaysian prime minister from 1981 to 2003, cites a 2006 article on flightglobal.com as the basis for his argument, which states that the CIA could activate an autopilot installed in order to prevent terrorists from taking control of the flight deck by force.

“They can land safely or they may crash, but aeroplanes do not just disappear. Certainly not these days with all the powerful communication systems which operate almost indefinitely and possess huge storage capacities,” Dr Mahathir wrote.

He also called into question Boeing’s involvement in the disappearance — particularly in light of a US patent issued in 2006 for a system that remotely locks out the aircraft’s pilot and guides the aircraft to land automatically.

Dr Mahathir also challenged the availability of satellite tracking data on the plane.

“MH370 is a Boeing 777 aircraft. It was built and equipped by Boeing, hence all the communications and GPS equipment must have been installed by Boeing.

“If they failed or have been disabled, Boeing must know how it can be done and surely Boeing would ensure that they cannot be easily disabled as they are vital to the safety and operation of the plane,” he said.

ADV Ocean Shield slips from the wharf at HMAS Stirling on May 10 in Rockingham, Australia. The Australian Defence Vessel Ocean Shield departed for the MH370 search area after resupplying at HMAS Stirling. Picture: Paul Kane / Getty Images Source: Getty Images

Meanwhile, a Chinese navy survey ship will start mapping the seabed off the West Australian coast this week as part of the latest phase in the search for the Malaysian airliner, officials said Monday.

Chinese, Australian and Malaysian authorities met at the west coast port city of Fremantle at the weekend and agreed that the Chinese ship Zhu Kezhen will conduct a bathymetric survey of the Indian Ocean floor as directed by Australian air crash investigators, Australia’s Joint Agency Coordination Center said in a statement.

The Canberra-based centre said the ship was scheduled to sail for the survey area on Wednesday, weather permitting.

Officials believe the Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 that vanished with 239 passengers and crew on March 8 during a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing veered far off course and crashed in the southern Indian Ocean.

After an initial air and seabed search failed to find any trace of the wreckage, authorities this month announced a new phase over a vastly expanded seabed search area covering 60,000 square kilometres. The new phase also involves mapping of the seabed where depths and topography are in parts largely unknown.

echnicians tie down the Bluefin-21 autonomous underwater vehicle prior to the ADV Ocean Shield slipping from the wharf at HMAS Stirling on May 10. Picture: Paul Kane Source: Getty Images

Negotiations are underway to contract powerful sonar equipment to scour the seabed for wreckage that could be in water more than 7 kilometres deep.

The original ocean floor search of an area of less than 400 square kilometres where a sound consistent with aircraft black box was thought to have emanated was conducted by a US Navy unmanned sub, the Bluefin 21, near its 4.5 kilometre depth limit.

The Bluefin 21 had continued searching an ever widening area until a communications problem was discovered last week involving the transponders on the sub and the Australian navy ship that tows it, Ocean Shield.

The centre said the Ocean Shield arrived on Sunday at the Australian west coast port of Geraldton, where preparations were underway to install spare transponder parts to both the ship and sub.

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Rolf Harris trial told how 11-year-old was ‘tongue-kissed’, 16-year-old groped by famous entertainer

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Artist and television personality Rolf Harris arrives at Southwark Crown Court in London, England. Picture: Peter Macdiarmid Source: Getty Images

A WOMAN has described the tears of relief that washed over her as they “got the bastard” and arrested Rolf Harris four decades after he allegedly indecently groped her on the dance floor in New Zealand.

Three women from different corners of the world gave evidence against the 84-year-old entertainer yesterday including one who alleged he apologised to her moments after an assault.

A New Zealand woman told the court she was working for a wine company serving sparkling wine at a function on North Island in 1970 when she was about 16 years.

She said she saw the then famous star and had asked him for an autograph. He in turned asked her for a dance and it was while they were on the dance floor of the function at a local restaurant that he allegedly assaulted her.

“In a flash, in a moment I saw the dark side of a man who I thought could be trusted,” the woman said.

“We were in a public place. He slid his hand down by back then up under my dress and put his hand between my dress.”

The woman cried in court as she recalled how she pulled away and after collecting her belongings immediately left the venue before her shift had finished. She later told her mother but did not report it to police. In 2013 when Harris was arrested the woman described her elation.

“Oh I told you they’d finally get the bastard, I was so relieved, all these years later it was unbelievable the relief I felt,” she said after she contacted an Australian media group to help find a contact for police to report the incident.

Veteran Australian entertainer Rolf Harris, centre, who is accused of indecent assault, accompanied by members of his family, arrives at Southwark Crown Court in London. Picture: Lefteris Pitarakis Source: AP

Under cross examination by Harris’ lawyer Sonia Woodley QC she reacted with anger at suggestions she had made the story up and the “twisting of her words”.

“How do you sleep at night?” she asked Ms Woodley loudly to which the lawyer replied she had a job to do.

Another witness from the UK then described how she was allegedly assaulted while on holiday in Malta with a boyfriend. She said Harris had given the couple some advice on where there was a doctor after the boyfriend cut his foot. The woman returned to the beach bar where they had encountered Harris and two men to thank him and let him know things were okay. It was at this point the woman, then 18 years old, said she saw a large framed drawing on the wall of two little boys with two rocking horses in the bar which Harris confirmed he had painted. He then invited her to a back room ostensibly to see other works.

The woman recalled how Harris had pushed her up against a wall in the room and started to kiss her. She said she initially felt flattered by a friendly kiss but then it turned “slobbery” and he put his hands over her breasts and later under her skirt, into her underwear and into her vagina and grabbed her hand and put it over his clothes onto his penis. She said the motion was all very quick when he suddenly stopped, cuddled her and said “I’m sorry” before leading her back out to the bar area.

An earlier witness from Darwin recalled 1969 when she was staying with friends as a sick 11 year old and Harris, also staying at the home, asked her how old she was.

She said she told him and he then allegedly replied “Good I want to be the first one to introduce you to a tongue kiss”.

“I just stood there, I didn’t say anything, I froze … then he walked up towards me,” she said and described the kiss which she said had affected her relationships and intimacy for years.

Under cross examination Ms Woodley asked if it was that incident that affected her relationships or the fact she had been allegedly assaulted by a cousin when she was 17 to which the woman said it was the Harris assault when she was a child.

The case is continuing.

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Four Corners says multiple authorities, including the Malaysian Military let Malaysia Airlines flight 370 disappear

Pointing the finger ... Malaysia's acting Transport Minister and Defense Minister Hishammuddin Hussein says Malaysia’s military was called and asked to keep an eye on MH370. Source: AP

A NUMBER of authorities, including the Malaysian military, reportedly let MH370 disappear, according to shocking new claims about the missing plane.

ABC’s Four Corner’s program quoted Malaysian Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein as saying that Malaysia’s civil aviation authorities called the military asking them to keep an eye on the plane but that the military allowed the plane to glide out to sea.

The plane was deemed not to be hostile and therefore the military did not send a plane up to investigate.

“If (we didn’t) shoot it down, why send it (jet up),” Mr Hussein said.

Malaysia’s airspace as MH370 flew almost directly over the station located on the island of Penang but that it appeared nothing was done.

Anwar Ibrahim said the military had completely breached the standing operating procedures.

“The air force will be alerted and will have to then be flown to that area to either ... guide the plane to land or to leave the Malaysian airspace. They’re standard operating procedure and this was never done,” he said.

“Yeah I mean it’s a major scandal here because ... this is of course amounting to a major threat to national security.”

Happy family ... A screen capture from a You Tube tribute for Malaysian Airlines pilot Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah, posted by his family. Source: YouTube

MORE: Doubts raised over ‘ping’ validity

The program also addressed rumours that Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah’s wife had left him.

His brother-in-law, Asuad Khan, said claims that his sister Faizah had left Zaharie, taking their children with her to another house, in the hours prior to the ill-fated flight’s take off were “completely false.”

Mr Khan also denied that his 53-year-old brother-in-law was experiencing personal problems, had been upset about politics or that he was unfit to fly on March 8.

He said the veteran pilot’s marriage was not in trouble over a rumoured affair, saying that as a Muslim he was permitted to have multiple girlfriends outside his marriage.

Close family ... Ahmad Seth Zaharie, 26, with his sister Aishah Zaharie, 27, left, and mother Faizah Khanum Mustafa Khan. Source: Supplied

RELATED: Pilot’s family lash out at reporters

“Even I don’t believe it because she, she’s at home. Well the normal procedure for their ... whenever the husband fly the wife will go to another house where the younger son’s staying. Otherwise she will be alone in that big house. That’s been practised since they bought the house.”

It was claimed Captain Zaharie had received a two-minute phone call shortly before takeoff from a mystery woman, using a mobile phone number obtained under a false name.

Family tribute for Captain Zaharie Shah0:58

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Family of missing Malaysian Airlines Captain Zaharie Shah from flight MH370 pay tribute to him. Courtesy: Chumguan Phoon/YouTube

MORE: Captain Zaharie’s ‘mystery phonecall’

Mr Khan defended his brother-in-law’s right to have a girlfriend.

“That I do not know about. Even if I know I said why not? We are allowed to, as long as you take good care of your wife. Even if you ask my sister and she said she don’t care,” he said.

“He can marry another one. Why not — we can marry four. We are Muslim.”

Technical experts in the US were also working to recover deleted information from a sophisticated flight simulator Zaharie had set up on a home computer.

But Mr Khan said the simulator had not been used this year.

“I don’t think so because the simulator is not working,” he said.

“That simulator was dismantled already, the things crash. It don’t work so he got to ah reformat the drive.”

Family ties ... Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah and daughter Aishah Zaharie. Source: Facebook. Source: Facebook

RELATED: Captain Zaharie’s daughter ‘was in Australia’

Mr Khan also said Zaharie had not attended the trial of Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim that day, which some reports suggested proved he had been radicalised and had hijacked the plane in an act of terror.

“No. I ask my sister personally, even my sister herself informed him on what happened on that day,” he said.

The program also claimed that someone inside the cockpit began interfering with the in-flight entertainment system around the time MH370’s transponder was turned off or failed.

It also revealed that a team of up to five officers could or should have been on duty at the nearby radar operations centre at Butterworth air base looking for unidentified aircraft.

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