Clinton arrives in Laos on landmark visit

VIENTIANE: Hillary Clinton arrived in Laos on Wednesday for a brief but historic trip, becoming the first US secretary of state to visit the communist country in 57 years.

The visit will focus on the legacy of the Vietnam War and a controversial dam project. "It's a pretty big deal for the Laotians, and we will underscore a number of areas that we're working on together," a senior US official said.