Washington  - US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton will travel to China, Japan and other Asian countries this month in her first trip abroad since becoming the nation's top diplomat.

Clinton will stop in Japan, Indonesia, South Korea and China during the February 16-22 trip for talks on bilateral relations, regional issues and the nuclear disarmament negotiations with North Korea.

Clinton will also discuss the global economic turmoil, humanitarian issues, security and climate change, State Department deputy spokesman Robert Wood said.

Washington  - They already call each other by their first names.

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, looking forward to a warmer era of diplomatic relations with the United States under President Barack Obama, called the new top US diplomat "Madame Secretary Hillary" or simply, "Hillary," a sign of friendship for Germans, who often call each other by their last names even after decades.

Washington  - US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton reaffirmed the United States' "special relationship" with Britain after a meeting with British Foreign Secretary David Miliband on Tuesday.

Miliband became the first foreign official to meet Clinton since her confirmation last month as the top US diplomat. German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier held separate talks with Clinton just hours later.

Washington, Feb. 3 : Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is expected to visit Japan, South Korea and China, on her maiden official trip.

FOX News reports that Clinton's voyage is likely to begin next week. She may also tack on other stops, including possibly one in South East Asia, officials said on Monday.

The US State Department has not yet commented on Clinton''s travel plans.

Washington -

Washington, Jan. 29 : US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has pledged to avoid political infighting, but there are still some of her supporters carrying a torch for her ideas, and perhaps for an electoral comeback someday, reports the New York Daily News.

A web site going by the name of NoLimits. org will "keep you up to date with news about issues on which Hillary took a lead and we know you care so much about," group President Ann Lewis said in an e-mail to as many as two million people culled from the Clinton campaign database.