The House and Senate Actually Worked Together to Put Sanctions on Russia

Team America: Lawmakers in the House and Senate are moving towards a bipartisan decision on how to deal with Russia, Iran and North Korea. Congress is poised to place sanctions on all three countries that will likely have major implications for business ties and other diplomatic relations. The sanctions. which would limit the president's power to change or lighten the sanctions without the approval of Congress, are largely seen as a setback for President Trump, though he is expected to sign the bill. Trump could veto the bill, but Congress could also override a veto with a two-thirds vote.

Oakland Gives ICE The Boot: Last week, the City Council of Oakland unanimously voted to officially end its relationship with ICE (US Immigration and Customs Enforcement). The immigration enforcement agency and city had at a previous Memorandum of Understanding, meaning Oakland operated as a sanctuary city for undocumented immigrants despite federal law. The recent decision comes in response to the plummeting number of reported crimes from Latino communities. Many people within the community are scared to contact police because they don't want to reveal that they are undocumented and risk deportation. The city is hopeful that this new policy will restore trust in law enforcement and serve as an example for other sanctuary cities.

Protests in Poland leads to results: Last week the Polish Parliament voted to neuter the country's judicial system by firing all of the judges on the Supreme Court that didn't align with their ideals. Thousands of Polish protesters took to the streets to voice their dissent. The nation has become less and less democratic since the ruling party came into power in 2016. The European Union, of which Poland is a member, put pressure on President Andrzej Duda with the threat of sanctions if the bill became a law. Now President Duda, who usually favors Parliament, has said he will veto the two bills. Lawmakers are expected to rewrite the bills, but the date for the new drafts and what they will entail is uncertain.

Uneasy trade: On Monday, Britain and the United States will chat informally about developing news trade deals. Trade deals can be tricky. On one hand, they're a necessary part of diplomacy that allows citizens to get foreign goods without high tariffs. But these deals take a long time to put together -- sometimes years -- as lawyers, regulators and public officials from various countries all have to give their stamps of approval. Given Brexit in the UK and President Trump's promises to put America first, the negotiations for this trade deal are foggy at best.

Wunderbar: On Saturday, thousands of people marched through the streets of Berlin for the city's annual Christopher Street Day parade to celebrate LGBTQ pride. Since 1979, Germany has had this parade to commemorate the Stonewall riots of 1969 that took place in New York City on Christopher Street. The riots are generally seen as the beginning of the LGBTQ civil rights movement. The parade comes just weeks after a 393 to 226 vote that legalized same-sex marriage in Germany.

Trafficking tragedy: A tractor trailer driver from Florida who attempted to transport undocumented migrants is now facing criminal charges in Texas after the death of eight people and 30 more who were severely injured inside the truck's cargo space. Authorities in San Antonio were alerted to the trailer on Sunday in a Walmart parking lot, and found victims inside who had succumbed to the effects of heat exhaustion. Police are calling it a mass casualty incident. Texas Governor Greg Abbott, who has not been an advocate for undocumented immigrants, said it was "a heartbreaking tragedy."