| Pete Hegseth, the Fox News host Donald Trump has chosen as defense secretary, portrayed his lack of senior management experience as an asset in his confirmation hearing in Washington. Hegseth, a military veteran, pledged to be a “change agent” to “restore the warrior ethos.” Senator Jack Reed, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, told Hegseth, “I do not believe that you are qualified to meet the overwhelming demands of this job.” Facebook’s parent company Meta Platforms plans to cut 5% of staff through performance-based terminations, according to an internal memo. Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg said the move would “raise the bar on performance management.” The cuts will hit around 3,600 employees. Senior BlackRock executive Mark Wiedman, who was seen as a potential successor to Chief Executive Officer Larry Fink, is leaving the firm. Wiedman is head of global client business and in the past oversaw the early growth of the firm’s massive ETF business. He has chosen to pursue opportunities outside the company, according to people with knowledge of the matter. France’s Prime Minister Francois Bayrou said he would open the contested 2023 pension reform to renegotiation as he seeks the backing of lawmakers to stay in power and urgently adopt a budget. The premier said labor and business unions will be tasked with negotiating the reforms. South Korean investigators arrived at the residence of President Yoon Suk Yeol on Wednesday morning in what appeared to be a second attempt to arrest the impeached leader over his short-lived martial law declaration. Members of the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials arrived at Yoon’s residence at 4:20 a.m. local time, according to a local media report. | 
