The group, which includes Iran, has been split over the war. It called for “maximum restraint” in the Middle East without casting blame on any particular country.

© Francis Mascarenhas/Reuters

China sees the BRICS group as a vehicle for challenging American power. India wants to keep the group broad enough to avoid choosing sides.

© Haiyun Jiang/The New York Times

The Equal Earth projection shows countries’ true relative sizes, unlike the Mercator map, which critics say makes Africa look smaller than it is.

© UNTV, via Reuters

Prime Minister Balendra Shah, 36, rose to power this year on the back of youth anger with graft and mismanagement. His fledgling government now faces a huge test.

© Atul Loke for The New York Times