Obama 'to nominate Hagel as Pentagon chief'

Barack Obama, the US president, is set to nominate former Republican Senator Chuck Hagel as his next defence secretary, a senior administration official has revealed. Obama, who returned to Washington on Sunday from his Hawaiian vacation, was expected to nominate Hagel as early as Monday. The nomination would need approval from the Senate, where the former Nebraska senator and Vietnam veteran is likely to face questions over his attitude to Israel, and past calls for military cuts.