Nation/World Glance
U.S. braces for possible cyberattacks after sanctions
WASHINGTON — The U.S. is bracing for cyberattacks Iran could launch in retaliation for the re-imposition of sanctions this week by President Donald Trump, cybersecurity and intelligence experts say.
Concern over that cyber threat has been rising since May, when Trump pulled out of the 2015 nuclear deal, under which the U.S. and other world powers eased economic sanctions in exchange for curbs on Iran’s nuclear program. The experts say the threat would intensify following Washington’s move Tuesday to re-impose economic restrictions on Tehran.
“While we have no specific threats, we have seen an increase in chatter related to Iranian threat activity over the past several weeks,” said Priscilla Moriuchi, director of strategic threat development at Recorded Future, a global real-time cyber threat intelligence company.
Video shows massacre suspect slouched, punching self in face
SUNRISE, Fla. — Prosecutors on Wednesday released hours of video interrogation of Florida’s school shooting suspect, footage showing the young man slouching in a chair, being repeatedly urged by a detective to speak louder and punching himself in the face when he is alone.
The footage contained the same material as a transcript released earlier in the week, and both were edited to remove what authorities say was a direct confession by Nikolas Cruz to the Feb. 14 massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland.
In other developments, a sheriff leading the state commission investigating the massacre said Wednesday that the suspect’s behavior before the shooting was a “roller-coaster,” where he would have stretches of good conduct before it deteriorated.
Cruz, a 19-year-old former student at Stoneman Douglas, is charged with killing 17 people in the Valentine’s Day attack there.
Venezuela party cracks down on opposition lawmakers
CARACAS, Venezuela — Venezuela’s pro-government constitutional assembly stripped two opposition lawmakers of their immunity from prosecution on Wednesday, accusing them of having roles in a drone attack that authorities say was an attempt to kill socialist President Nicolas Maduro.
The National Constituent Assembly voted unanimously to lift the protection for Julio Borges and Juan Requesens, who have seats in the oppositioncontrolled legislature. The move came after the Supreme Court ordered the arrest of Borges, who lives in exile in Colombia’s capital, Bogota.
Requesens was arrested Tuesday, an action captured in a video circulating on social media. His party, Justice First, confirmed that the video showed Requesens.
‘Superman’ actress Margot Kidder’s death ruled a suicide
HELENA, Mont. — “Superman” actress Margot Kidder’s death has been ruled a suicide, and her daughter said Wednesday it’s a relief to finally have the truth out.
Kidder, who played Lois Lane opposite Christopher Reeve’s Superman in her most famous role, was found by a friend in her Montana home on May 13.
At the time, Kidder’s manager said Kidder died peacefully in her sleep.
A statement released Wednesday by Park County coroner Richard Wood said the 69-year-old Kidder “died as a result of a self-inflicted drug and alcohol overdose” and that no further details would be released.
Deputies: Arrest made in lemonade stand stickup
MONROE, N.C. — North Carolina authorities arrested a juvenile Wednesday they say robbed a 9-yearold lemonade vendor of $17 at gunpoint, a stickup that prompted an outpouring of sympathy and donations for the young entrepreneur.
Tony Underwood, a spokesman for the Union County Sheriff’s Office, said detectives had obtained security camera footage of a person who matched the suspect’s description in an area near where the holdup occurred.