Reigning in brutality - how one man's outrage led to the Red Cross and the Geneva Conventions

The history of the Geneva Conventions tells us how the international community draws the line on brutality.

Napoleon III at the Battle of Solferino. Painting by Adolphe Yvon. 1861.
  • Henry Dunant's work led to the Red Cross and conventions on treating prisoners humanely.
  • Four Geneva Conventions defined the rules for prisoners of war, torture, naval and medical personnel and more.
  • Amendments to the agreements reflect the modern world but have not been ratified by all countries.
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Gov. Andrew Cuomo calls for New York to legalize recreational marijuana

"We must end the needless and unjust convictions and the debilitating criminal stigma and let's legalize the adult use of recreational use of marijuana once and for all," the governor said.

(Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
  • Governor Andrew Cuomo said he'd pursue the legislation in 2019.
  • New York would become the 11th state to legalize recreational marijuana.
  • The legalization of marijuana in a prominent state like New York would likely represent a landmark shift in how the country views marijuana regulation.
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7 times American presidents were eerily prophetic

These seven presidents had a window into the future—or were really good guessers.

  • Presidential candidates run on platforms of change and are elected by those who desire their vision of the future.
  • We look at seven times presidents' writings that have been oddly, if accidentally, prophetic.
  • Of course, there may be some hindsight bias in our selections.
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I worked in the prison system for 5 years. Here’s what it does to a person.

Bishop Jahwar saw first-hand that prison often doesn't work as intended.

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  • Most people who go to prison are not incorrigible criminals — just normal people who made mistakes.
  • The prison system can become breeding ground for antisocial behaviors.
  • Bishop Jahwar worked with prisoners to help them retain the core of who they were and "take masks off".
  • The opinions expressed in this video do not necessarily reflect the views of the Charles Koch Foundation, which encourages the expression of diverse viewpoints within a culture of civil discourse and mutual respect.
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Pot stocks soar as Sessions resigns — but will his replacement relax laws?

Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions imposed stricter guidelines on marijuana policy during his tenure. It's still unclear where his replacement, Matthew Whitaker, stands on the issue.

(Photo credit should read JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images)
  • Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions resigned on Wednesday. In the following hours, stocks of marijuana companies soared.
  • The interim attorney general, Matthew Whitaker, has expressed support for a law that legalizes a non-psychoactive form of cannabis, though it's unclear where he stands on medicinal or recreational legalization of other forms of the drug.
  • Six out of 10 Americans support legalization — up from 3 out 10 in 2000.
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