Ellen DeGeneres Named Special Aids Envoy

Ellen DeGeneres has been appointed a special envoy in the global fight against Aids by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

The lesbian TV star will use her celebrity status to help raise awareness about the deadly disease.

In a statement, DeGeneres says, "The fight against Aids is something that has always been close to my heart. And I'm happy that I can use my platform to educate people and spread hope".

Clinton announced the new role during a speech at the National Institutes of Health in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday (08Nov11).