[Grammar] weird structure "Mitt Romney's dog to be immortalized in Devo song"

[othmanz]

I came across this headline in an online news site, the use of the verb to be is eerie here, isn't it?

"Mitt Romney's dog to be immortalized in Devo song"

another example that I ve found:

Other less profitable services are to be axed later this year.

I can't get this gist of the use of TO BE in theses sentences? if any one can explain it I would be grateful.

 

[billmcd]

In that context, "to be" = "will be".

 

[othmanz]

In that context, "to be" = "will be".

I checked on a website, I realized that to be, express pledge and promise, for example,

I am to go to the doctor tomorrow.
Means that I pledge to go to see the doctor tomorrow, possibly because I have taken an appointment.

In the past, it is used when talking about pledges those have been cried off.
The prime minister was to meet a member of the council yesterday

It is also used in when talking about faith and destiny:
Napoleon was to die in exile.

 

[othmanz]

In that context, "to be" = "will be".

But here yes, it has same meaning as will be, I admit

 

[Tdol]

It's commonly used in newspaper headlines with the will meaning- it saves space on the page.