Date set for Clinton's US Senate confirmation hearing

Washington: The US Senate Foreign Relations Committee said on Wednesday it will hold a confirmation hearing on January 13 for Hillary Clinton to serve as President-elect Barack Obama's secretary of state.

The panel will also hold a confirmation hearing on January 15 for Obama's pick to become the US ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice. Both hearings will begin at 9:30 a.m. (1430 GMT).

Clinton, a US senator from New York and wife of former President Bill Clinton, ran a long race against Obama for the Democratic nomination. After winning the presidential bid, Obama named his former rival to the high-profile post of secretary of state.

The committee did not say when it would hold votes on the nominations.