US Senate approves Panetta to head Pentagon……

CIA chief Leon Panetta would assume his new post replacing Robert Gates from July 1.

The United States Senate unanimously confirmed Leon Panetta s nomination to be defence secretary hailing his successes as CIA chief as major challenges await him in Afghanistan and Libya.

Robert Gates said there had been contacts between US and Taliban….

"There s been outreach on the part of a number of countries, including the United States. I would say that these contacts are very preliminary at this point," US Defence Secretary.

The comments from the outgoing US defense chief were aired a day after Afghan President Hamid Karzai announced the United States was in contact with the Taliban, a striking public acknowledgment of a peace initiative that has been cloaked with secrecy.