Biden chooses retd Gen. Lloyd Austin to run Pentagon

Washington, Dec 8 : US President-elect Joe Biden has chosen retired General Lloyd Austin, a former commander of the US Central Command, to head the Pentagon, according to a media report.
If confirmed by the Senate, Austin, a retired four-star general of the US Army, would be the first black man to lead the Department of Defence, Xinhua news agency quoted the Politico news report as saying on Monday.
A formal announcement is expected soon as the President-elect’s transition team said earlier that additional nominations of the new cabinet, including the post of the Secretary of Defence, will be made before Christmas.
Also on Monday Biden, announced some nominations and appointments of his health team.
In a statement on Monday, the President-elect said he was nominating Xavier Becerra, Attorney General of California, as the Secretary of Health and Human Hervices.
If confirmed, Becerra, a former US Congressman from California, will be the first Latino to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, which will oversee the distribution of Covid-19 vaccines in the coming months.