The U.S. steps up pressure on the ex-president of Côte d’Ivoire to step down. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton heads to the Middle East. Vice President Biden leads Haiti talks. A top U.S. official sees potential for a sustained recovery. Climate change negotiations ended a month ago; now comes the hard part. The United States is helping Pakistan track tuberculosis. Meet an Egyptian blogger who became an author. And finally, Russian poet Joseph Brodsky is also known for his drawings.

U.S. Sanctions in Côte d’Ivoire
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The United States has imposed financial sanctions against former Côte d’Ivoire President Laurent Gbagbo, who has refused to yield the presidency to newly elected Alassane Ouattara. Gbagbo’s wife, Simone Gbagbo, and three of his senior advisers also face sanctions , says Adam Szubin, left, director of the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control.


Secretary Clinton’s Middle East Agenda
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Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton’s travels January 8-13 to the United Arab Emirates, Oman and Qatar to promote greater political, social and economic opportunities for the region’s youth. A senior State Department official says U.S. support for civil society groups will top the agenda.

U.S., Haiti Partner for Reconstruction
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Vice President Biden leads a team of U.S. government officials in meetings with Haitian-American leaders ahead of the one-year anniversary of Haiti’s devastating earthquake to discuss the “unprecedented challenges that remain for recovery and reconstruction efforts.”

 A Self-Sustaining U.S. Recovery
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A self-sustaining recovery that is driven by improving consumer and business spending may be taking hold in the U.S. economy, U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Benjamin Bernanke says. Bernanke tells the U.S. Senate Budget Committee the pace of the economic recovery in the United States will likely be moderately stronger this year than in 2010.

 Keeping Promises After Cancún Climate Talks
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A month after climate negotiations concluded in Mexico, nations are working to keep their promises to cut greenhouse gas emissions, U.S. Deputy Special Envoy for Climate Change Jonathan Pershing says. Right, activists demonstrate outside the climate conference in Cancún.

Tracking TB in Pakistan
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With U.S. support, researchers are conducting the first comprehensive survey of tuberculosis in Pakistan since the 1980s. Pakistan long has been listed among the 22 nations with the highest rates of tuberculosis.

Egyptian Blogger Becomes Author
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Egyptian author Ghada Abdel Aal is a widely recognized media figure and representative for a generation of young professional women throughout the Middle East. Her career started when she launched her blog, “I Want to Get Married,” in 2006.

A Russian Poet’s Artwork
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Russian-American poet Joseph Brodsky is probably the most studied Russian poet of the 20th century. He was also an accomplished artist, says Solomon Volkov, author of the book Conversations with Joseph Brodsky. Left, a Brodsky self portrait.