Saturday's world stories
Smoke seen coming from Russian consulate chimney in SF
Black smoke was seen coming from the chimney of the Russian consulate in San Francisco just one day after the Trump administration ordered its closure, per the AP.
And now the weather: It's 95 degrees today in usually temperate San Francisco.
Why it matters: Russian officials wouldn't allow firefighters into the building, and a spokesperson for the San Francisco Fire Department told the AP that the fire "was not unintentional. They were burning something in the fireplace." Given the current tensions between Russia and the U.S., it's not surprising that this might happen.
Mueller teams up with IRS for Russia probe
Special Counsel Robert Mueller is teaming up with agents from the IRS's Criminal Investigations unit to help aide in his Russia probe, reports The Daily Beast's Betsy Woodruff.
- The unit, which Woodruff describes as "one of the federal government's most tight-knit, specialized, and secretive investigative entities" focuses solely on financial crimes, such as tax evasion and money laundering.
- The agency also has access to the president's tax returns, which Trump has repeatedly refused to submit to the public.
- Timing: Reports surfaced on Wednesday that Mueller is now working with NY Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, who has investigated Trump's business dealings, in his probe of Paul Manafort. Mueller and Schneiderman's teams have reportedly already collected evidence on financial crimes, including potential money laundering.
- Why it matters: Muller teaming up with the IRS is just another sign that his Russia investigation is intensifying, and reveals that financial crimes have become a central part of his probe.