DOJ investigates its own Russia investigation

Justice Dept. review said to shift into criminal inquiry The origin of the probe into Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential election under review by the Justice Department has now become a criminal investigation. And a final report on the Lion Air crash in Indonesia has found that a series of failures by Boeing and the airline crew led to the deadly incident. Also, what’s up with the newly released logo for the 2024 Paris Olympics? Happy Friday! (We’re still beta-testing this newsletter. Let us know your thoughts by replying to this email.) [US President Donald Trump speaks to reporters.]( Justice Dept. review said to shift into criminal inquiry A US Justice Department review of the origins of the probe into Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential election [is now said to be a criminal investigation](. Attorney General William Barr launched a review earlier this year to investigate President Donald Trump's complaints that his campaign was improperly targeted by US intelligence and law enforcement agencies during the election. By shifting the review into a criminal investigation, the prosecutor running it, John Durham, has the power to subpoena for witness testimony and documents, to convene a grand jury and to file criminal charges. Critics argue that Barr is using the Justice Department to chase unsubstantiated conspiracy theories. Impeachment inquiry: [How Russia's state TV covered the Republicans’ stunt]( storming the restricted impeachment inquiry sessions Lion Air investigation faults series of failures by Boeing, airline crew Boeing acted without adequate oversight from US regulators and failed to grasp risks in the design of cockpit software on its 737 MAX airliner which led to a Lion Air crash that killed all 189 people on board, [Indonesian investigators found in a final report released Friday](. Investigators also examined errors by airline workers and crew and criticized the design of the anti-stall system, which automatically pushed the plane's nose down, leaving pilots fighting for control. The fatal crash, followed by another at Ethiopian Airlines less than five months later, led to a global grounding of the Boeing 737 MAX and a crisis for the world's biggest planemaker. Also: [How the faulty 737 Max MCAS system worked]( Russian agent to be released and deported Convicted Russian agent Maria Butina is [set to be released from a Florida prison Friday]( after serving most of her 18-month sentence for conspiring to influence US conservative activists and infiltrate the National Rifle Association. Butina, 31, had been scheduled for release from the low-security prison in Tallahassee in early November, but a change in federal law moved up her release date based on credit for good behavior. Butina is expected to be quickly deported to Russia, where she will likely get a hero’s welcome. Also: [How to avoid accidentally becoming a Russian agent]( How Lebanon's 'WhatsApp tax' unleashed a flood of anger[Demonstrators carry national flags as they stand on a bridge during an anti-government protest.]( Frustration had already been building for years in Lebanon over widespread corruption, gridlock in government and crumbling infrastructure. The “WhatsApp tax” was simply the last straw. Lebanon's government has long had issues with corruption, nepotism and an entrenched political class. Frustration about those issues, as well as a deteriorating economy and failing public services, [set the stage for the outpouring of anger](. “For years, they’ve been making promises and lying … and we, from our stupidity — it was our stupidity, but now we’ve become aware — believed them,” said Wassim Ghazal, a protester who has been enforcing a makeshift roadblock in central Beirut for several days. “But now, enough, we’ve had enough. They’re all liars.” Iraqis resume protests Iraqis, fed up with a lack of good jobs, poor public services and corruption, are back on the streets Friday. The BBC reports that [two people have been killed]( after being hit with tear gas canisters. Dozens more have been injured, and many fear the demonstrations could be a repeat of protests earlier this month that left nearly 150 people dead. Uluru final climb[Tourists rise early to travel to this Sunrise Viewing Station for early morning glimpses of Uluru.]( Australia's Uluru [officially closed to climbers for good]( on Friday as a permanent ban took effect after a decades-long fight by indigenous people. Hundreds of tourists clambered up the UNESCO World Heritage-listed, 1,142-ft rock Friday before the climb closed. Uluru is a top tourist draw in Australia despite its remote desert location near Alice Springs in the Northern Territory. The Anangu people, the “Traditional Owners” of Uluru, have called for the climb to be closed since 1985, when the park was returned to Indigenous control. The Anangu say Uluru has deep spiritual and ancestral significance. Also: [Why Australia returned Uluru to Aboriginals 34 years ago]( South Korea has a burgeoning tattoo scene — but most tattoo parlors are illegal South Korean tattoo art is famous all around the world, and it’s mostly known for its distinct, intricate, miniaturized style. Yet, South Korea’s burgeoning body art scene still often remains untaxed, unregulated, unprotected and mostly illegal — since 1992. Some artists have faced random crackdowns from police. The South Korean government has arbitrarily enforced a law that limits the[act of giving tattoos to only medical professionals](. Morning meme: The official logo for the Paris 2024 Olympics has been released. It’s an outline of a woman’s face. The Washington Post raises a good question: [is it a logo or dating app](? In case you missed it on The World: [Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi meets with US Defense Secretary Mark Esper.]( - [Norway’s favorite lunch]( - [Climate risk on trial]( - [Franco exhumed and reburied]( - [South Korea’s secret tattoo parlors]( - [Russia hosts Africa summit in Sochi]( - [Qatar plans to abolish restrictive laws on foreign workers]( - [Yes, Leonardo da Vinci was a genius]( - [Inequality at heart of Chilean protests]( - [Brexit fashion business]( - [PM calls for general election]( - [Uncertain role for US troops in Syria]( [The World on Facebook]( [The World's Twitter account]( [Edit your subscription]( | [Unsubscribe]( | [View in your browser]( Top of the World is brought to you by [PRI's The World](.