Before it became the headquarters of global cooperation, the site of the UN headquarters in New York was known for its foul smell. That's because slaughterhouses lined the block.

The UN buildings were designed by 11 architects and built in 1947 for the equivalent of $130.2 million in today's money. The territory belongs to no government, and it has its own police force, Ian Bremmer explains on GZERO World.

UN headquarters also features the famous Hall or Flags or the huge General Assembly Hall, where South Korean boy band BTS performed last year, and a first-rate art collection.

Watch the GZERO World episode: How a war-distracted world staves off irreversible damage

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Members of the Mexican army stand guard at a roundabout on a main avenue, following a military operation in which Mexican officials said cartel boss Nemesio Oseguera, "El Mencho," was killed in Jalisco state, in Guadalajara, Mexico, on February 23, 2026.
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At the Munich Security Conference, a group of global technology providers, including Microsoft, announced the Trusted Tech Alliance — committed to shared, verifiable principles for trusted, transparent, and resilient technology across borders. At a moment of economic volatility and zero-sum technological competition, countries and customers are demanding greater accountability from technology providers. The Alliance addresses this by bringing together companies from across Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America around shared commitments: transparent governance, secure development practices, supply chain oversight, open digital ecosystem, and respect for the rule of law—ensuring the benefits of emerging technologies strengthen public trust while driving job creation and economic growth. Learn about the Trusted Tech Alliance here.