The Los Angeles Dodgers are desperate for help in the outfield. To take Michael Conforto's spot, they could trade for this outfielder from the Seattle Mariners.

Gary Shapley is the fourth acting IRS commissioner to be replaced in the three months since Donald Trump took office.

A former U.S. Open champion and top 10 FedEx Cup finisher was battling his swing before a strong first RBC Heritage performance.

It's still early in the Canadian Premier League season, but Cavalry and Vancouver FC are already in need of a win as two of the only three teams without a win.

The Atlanta Hawks will face the Miami Heat in this exciting NBA Play-In Tournament matchup on Friday at State Farm Arena.

Darnell Jones-Ogletree, the father accused of killing his 13-year-old daughter Kei'Mani Latigue, appeared in court on Friday.

The U.S. will shrink its military footprint in Syria over the coming months, bringing troop levels below 1,000.

Why it matters: President Trump tried to pull all American forces from the war-ravaged country during his first term.

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• Along with Turkey, Iran and Russia, the U.S. is one of several foreign powers with a foothold in Syria as the country rebuilds after the fall of dictator Bashar al-Assad.

The latest: Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell announced the reduction Friday afternoon, citing "the significant steps we have made toward degrading ISIS' appeal and operational capability regionally and globally."

Zoom in: Three small operating bases in northeast Syria will be shuttered, the New York Times reported Thursday.

Yes, but: There's significant buildup elsewhere in Central Command, which oversees military operations across the greater Middle East.

• Aircraft carriers Carl Vinson and Harry S. Truman are launching warplanes to combat Houthi rebels in Yemen.
• Patriot air defenses were shifted to the region, away from the Indo-Pacific.
• And B-2 bombers were dispatched to Diego Garcia, an island in the Indian Ocean.

By the numbers: The Pentagon in December disclosed there were roughly 2,000 troops in Syria — far more than the widely known 900.

Go deeper: Trump and Biden on Syria: Maybe not so different

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• The share of borrowers applying for adjustable-rate mortgages has increased to its highest level since November 2023.
• ARMs often come with lower interest rates than fixed-rate loans. But they're also riskier.
• While an ARM can save you money, it may be safer to get a fixed-rate mortgage if you plan to stay in the home long term.

As mortgage rates rise, more borrowers are looking for ways to keep their homebuying costs down. Could an adjustable-rate mortgage be the way to do that?

On Wednesday, the Mortgage Bankers Association reported that for the week ending April 11, 2025, the share of borrowers applying for ARMs rose to its highest level since November 2023.

"Given the jump in rates, more borrowers are opting for the lower initial rates that come with an ARM, with initial fixed rates closer to 6% in our survey last week," Mike Fratantoni, MBA's SVP and chief economist, said in a press release.

MBA's data also showed that the average fixed 30-year mortgage rate increased 20 basis points to 6.81%. So it's possible that borrowers could get a significant discount by opting for an adjustable-rate loan. But is that a good idea?

Why more buyers are shifting to ARMs

"Generally, ARM rates are lower than fixed mortgage rates, however, how much lower depends on market conditions," says Jennifer Beeston, executive vice president of national sales at mortgage lender Rate.

Beeston says that ARMs have trended closer to fixed rates in recent years, but that they're starting to diverge more.

Because ARM rates are typically lower than fixed mortgage rates, they can help buyers find affordability when rates are high. With a lower ARM rate, you can get a smaller monthly payment or afford more house than you could with a fixed-rate loan.

How does an adjustable-rate mortgage work?

With a fixed-rate mortgage, your interest rate remains the same for the entire time you have the loan. This keeps your monthly payment the same for years.

As the name suggests, adjustable-rate mortgages work differently. You'll start off with the same rate for a few years, but after that, your rate can change periodically. This means that if average rates have gone up, your mortgage payment will increase. If they've gone down, your payment will decrease.

5/1 adjustable-rate mortgage example

The most popular type of ARM is the 5/1 ARM. We'll use it as an example to show how these types of mortgages work.

The first number tells you how long you'll keep the rate you were initially given. So, say you get a 5/1 ARM with a 6.20% interest rate.

For the first five years you have the mortgage, your rate will stay at 6.20%.

The second number tells you how often the rate will adjust after the initial fixed-rate period is over. With a 5/1 ARM, the rate adjusts once a year. If over those first five years market conditions cause interest rates to rise, you'll likely end up with a higher rate when it comes time to adjust.

Five-year ARMs also come in a 5/6 variation, which means that after the five-year fixed-rate period your rate will adjust once every six months.

Are adjustable-rate mortgages risky?

Because your monthly payment can go up over time, these types of mortgages are risky.

"Personally, I am not a huge fan of ARMs unless the borrower is educated on the risks and has a firm understanding," Beeston says.

ARMs do come with some limits on how much they can change each time they adjust. When you apply for an ARM, your lender will give you a loan estimate that spells out those limits and tells you how high your payments could ultimately go.

Don't assume you'll be able to refinance your way out of an ARM if your monthly payments go too high, Beeston warns.

"People always assume if that happens, they can refinance, but if rates overall are higher or if they do not qualify to refinance, they can end up in a bad financial position," she says.

Is an ARM better than a fixed-rate mortgage in 2025?

ARMs tend to be popular with borrowers who don't plan to stay in their homes for a long time. If you sell your house before the initial fixed-rate period is over, you won't have to deal with a changing mortgage payment.

If you plan to stay in your home for longer, Beeston recommends going with a classic 30-year fixed-rate mortgage.

"A 30-year fixed is fantastic for risk-averse borrowers," she says. "Not all countries have 30-year fixed loans. We are very lucky in America to have the ability to lock the rate of our loan for the life of the loan."

How much can an ARM save you right now?

How much you could save by opting for an ARM depends on your mortgage lender and your finances.

Say you get quotes from a lender that show you can get a 5/1 ARM with a 6.20% interest rate or a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage with a 6.80% interest rate on a $300,000 loan.

For the first five years, the monthly payment on the ARM (not including taxes and insurance) would be $1,837, while the monthly payment on the fixed-rate mortgage would be $1,955.

This is just an example. ARM rates can vary a lot, so if you're interested in seeing if an ARM could save you money, your best bet is to talk to a lender.

You can also keep an eye on Business Insider's daily mortgage rate coverage for the most up-to-date info on current ARM rates and how they compare to fixed-rate options.

More than 40 million Americans hold federal student loans, and over 10 percent are believed to be in default.

Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen on Friday discussed his talk with Kilmar Abrego Garcia after his El Salvador visit.

WWE legend Stone Cold Steve Austin is officially confirmed for WrestleMania.

Abrego Garcia's deportation has become a flashpoint as President Donald Trump follows through on campaign promises of mass deportations.

• North Korea sent troops and weapons into Russia's war in Ukraine.
• Top US officials have suggested it could receive help with missiles and submarines in return.
• China appears to also be involved in a transactional relationship with Russia, a top admiral said.

Since North Korea went all-in on supporting Russia's war in Ukraine, sending weapons and even troops, US officials have been speculating what it could be receiving in return.

Last week, two top US military leaders in the Indo-Pacific region suggested that support could mean a host of potential wins for Pyongyang, from military capabilities to sidestepping sanctions.

At a US Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on the challenges and threats in the Indo-Pacific region, North Korea, Russia, and China were important topics of concern, particularly the deepening relationship between Pyongyang and Moscow.

The strategic partnership between the two countries, US Army Gen. Xavier Brunson, Commander of United Nations Command, Combined Forces Command, and US Forces Korea, said in his opening statement, has significantly shifted the status of the theater.

The relationship has presented new opportunities for North Korea to circumvent international sanctions, fill gaps in its military, and pursue a new status on the world stage.

That includes a share "of space, nuclear, and missile-applicable technology, expertise, and materials" from Russia, the general added, some of which will enable advancements in North Korea's arsenal over the next few years.

North Korea's nuclear forces have already been improving. The country has developed new intercontinental ballistic missiles for its nuclear warheads. Further support will only accelerate advancements.

Other expected gains, Brunson and US Navy Adm. Samuel Paparo, the leader of US Indo-Pacific Command, said, include air assets, surface-to-air missiles, and submarine technologies.

These would be in addition to the valuable experience in modern war North Korea is receiving, as well as critical intelligence on how its weapons and troops perform in battle. North Korea's heavy artillery and tactical ballistic missiles have seen use in Russia's brutal conflict against the Ukrainians.

The South Korea Institute for Defense Analyses recently presented new research indicating that Pyongyang may also be receiving billions of dollars for its part in the war.

Potential North Korean gains from its involvement are part of a significantly larger "transactional symbiosis" between North Korea, Russia, and China, Paparo said, "where each state fulfills the other state's weaknesses to mutual benefit of each state."

In China's case, it provides support for Moscow and potentially receives help with its submarine program, which would be important in a maritime conflict in the Pacific with the US Navy.

"China has provided 70 percent of the machine tools and 90 percent of the legacy chips that have enabled Russia to rebuild its war machine," the Indo-Pacific commander said. "And then coming back to China is potentially submarine quieting help, as well as other help in some of the areas where Russia is strong."

Neither Beijing nor Moscow's embassies in the US immediately responded to Business Insider's request for comment.

Ukraine imposed sanctions on several Chinese companies on Friday for supporting Russia in the making of Iskander missiles. A day earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy alleged that China was supplying Russia with weapons.

China and Russia have been building a partnership against the West, particularly the US, for years now, strengthening military ties.

North Korea and Russia formalized their emerging partnership last year through a mutual defense pact and Pyongyang's offer to deploy thousands of combat troops to fight alongside Moscow's forces in Kursk. Those soldiers, some of North Korea's better forces, have seen massive losses in combat.

Prior to the deployment, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin met for apparent discussions on an arms deal. Intelligence indicates Russia received thousands of artillery shells and missiles from North Korea.

The arms agreement has caused concern in the US and South Korea. Seoul had been sending Ukraine artillery indirectly through the US, which effectively put both North Korea and South Korea on opposite sides of the war.

Both of the people who died in Thursday's deadly shooting at Florida State University have been identified.

Democrats could be making a risky gamble by zeroing in on Trump's immigration policies, analysts told Newsweek.

Let's analyze three trade destinations that would send the veteran left-hander to playoff-caliber teams.

Kilmar Abrego Garcia is in El Salvador's custody on Friday as the Trump administration says he will not come back.

Kilmar Ábrego García, mistakenly deported from the U.S., was moved from CECOT to a detention center in Santa Ana, El Salvador, Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) said on Friday.

The big picture: Ábrego García said he was traumatized at the Salvadoran megaprison.

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• "He said he's sad every day," Van Hollen said at a news conference after returning from El Salvador. Ábrego García's wife, mother and brother were present.

Context: Van Hollen met with on Ábrego García on Thursday after the senator spent days working to meet with him.

• The Trump administration has confirmed that he was mistakenly deported and has defied a Supreme Court order to facilitate his return to the U.S.

Zoom in: Ábrego García said his prison cell at CECOT had about 25 prisoners, and he was not afraid of them.

• He told Van Hollen he was fearful of prisoners in other cell blocks, who taunted him. Most cells were packed with about 100 people, Ábrego García estimated.

State of play: Van Hollen and Ábrego García met at the senator's hotel. The Salvadoran government initially wanted to hold the meeting with the hotel's pools in the background.

• The pair was surrounded by video cameras during the meeting, Van Hollen said.
• "The government of El Salvador is complicit in that illegal scheme," Van Hollen said.
• Initially, Van Hollen's requests to see or speak to Ábrego García, his constituent, were repeatedly denied.
• He decided to drive to CECOT with a lawyer for Ábrego García's wife and mother, but they were stopped by soldiers who said they had orders not to allow him to go further.

Friction point: "Everybody asks those of us who are Democratic senators whether there's any bottom line where Republican senators will say 'enough is enough' and won't simply continue to be rubber stamps for the Trump administration," Van Hollen said.

• "So far, we haven't hit bottom in this case. We have what I believe is an outright defiance of the Supreme Court."

Zoom out: CECOT has become the symbol of President Trump's immigration crackdown, with several Republican lawmakers and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem touring the prison.

• Trump sent hundreds of Venezuelan migrants there with little or no due process.

The big picture: "This case is not just about one man," Van Hollen said on Friday. "It's about protecting the constitutional rights of everybody who resides in the United State of America."

• He said the Trump administration is eliminating foundational constitutional premise of due order.

Go deeper: Timeline: The case of a Maryland man mistakenly deported to El Salvador

Editor's note: This story has been updated with more details from the press conference.

• Meta will be one of the co-sponsors of the 2025 White House Easter Egg roll.
• Corporate sponsorships are expected to be a larger part of the 2025 event than past editions.
• Meta is facing an ongoing antitrust trial just blocks away from the White House.

First Lady Melania Trump on Friday announced that Meta will co-sponsor the 2025 White House east egg roll blocks away from a courthouse where the company's future continues to hang in the balance.

According to Trump's office, Meta will sponsor an "AI-Powered Experience and Photo Opportunity." Other tech companies, including YouTube, which is owned by Google, and Amazon, will also sponsor parts of the event that dates back to the 1870s.

A spokesperson for the first lady deferred comment to the White House Historical Association. CNN reported in March that all funds raised by sponsorships would go to the private nonprofit that helps preserve and educate the public on the White House's history.

The White House previously expressed interest in having more explicit corporate sponsorships, leading to the possible conflicts of interest that Meta's presence will underline.

The Federal Trade Commission is currently prosecuting an antitrust case that alleges that Meta "cemented" its monopoly after acquiring Instagram and WhatsApp in 2012 and 2014. If the FTC wins, they could ask that the social media giant be forced to sell two of its biggest acquisitions.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg testified over 10 hours in DC Circuit court this week. He has repeatedly tried to curry favor with Trump and his orbit. The New York Times reported that Zuckerberg has visited Mar-a-Lago and the White House multiple times. According to The Wall Street Journal, the Meta CEO held multiple meetings with top White House officials, including chief of staff Susie Wiles.

Meta donated $1 million ahead of Trump's inauguration amid a rush by companies to get closer to the incoming administration. Separately, Meta settled a lawsuit with Trump for $25 million.

In a statement before the antitrust trial began, Meta expressed confidence that it would prevail. Legal experts have said the FTC has a high bar to reach, especially since federal officials previously OKed Meta's acquisitions when they occurred.

Meta and the White House Historical Association did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment.

• I was excited and terrified about becoming a father.
• My wife told me that we were raising an adult since we were not going to be there with him forever.
• Now, he is an adult, and like me, he is prioritizing his family.

When I got the news that I was going to be a father, a lot went through my mind. First, there was excitement and happiness. We weren't trying to have a baby, but we were also not trying not to. Then came fear and even doubt.

My wife once told me that we were raising an adult, not a child and that we wouldn't always be there for him.

So, from a young age, we raised our son to be his own person, to think for himself and make decisions. We taught him critical thinking, time management, and making choices with money. He didn't like team sports, so he chose taekwondo. He learned discipline, and it provided him with a personal challenge, which was in keeping with his personality.

He now has a daughter

He's grown up now. After graduating from a magnet high school technology program, he joined the Army, was awarded an ROTC scholarship, and was commissioned as an officer. He's now a construction manager, married, has bought his first house, and is a father to a little girl.

My son's job is just a 10-minute commute. He has the flexibility to come home for lunch or work from home sometimes. When he comes home, Jena runs to the door and calls to her daddy. No matter how long he's worked or how tired he is, he picks her up and excitedly says, "Hello, beautiful."

From my point of view, we have a lot to be proud of. But there are some who would say that I failed as a father. That I didn't raise my son to be a "man" because I didn't make him play football or because I interceded when there were issues in Scouts with bullies. I actually had a scoutmaster tell me that "boys will be boys," believing that fighting would somehow make them men.

Many in society will often look down on men who do not hold to their masculine ideals. A television host criticized a husband recently for grocery shopping with his wife. Some believe firmly in having only traditional gender roles. Where men are providers and women the caregivers.

I set the example that family came first

When my son was born, I decided that my family would come first. That meant prioritizing family time, being home for dinner, school events, after-school and weekend activities, and vacations.

There were times when I made career choices that weren't the best for me but were the best for my family. It meant taking jobs that weren't the highest salary but were stable, a short commute and prevented us from having to move to pursue a career. Turns out I was leading by example.

Like me, my son prioritizes family time, goes shopping with them, and pushes strollers. He goes on vacations, camping trips, and picnics in the park. He parents his daughter when his wife goes to yoga. And has even gone to work with nail polish after Jena decided to give him a manicure.

Maybe being a man means more than being physically tough and emotionally vacant. Maybe being masculine can mean making tough choices and not being defined by others.

The other night, my wife and I were at our son's house; it was nearly dinner time. A car backed into the driveway. Our granddaughter, now 3, ran through the kitchen, threw open the door, and shouted, "Daddy!" From outside, we heard a man say, "Hello, beautiful."