• A high-profile Paul Weiss lawyer is leaving after just five months.
• Damian Williams is joining Jenner & Block, a Big Law firm fighting the Trump administration.
• Williams served as US Attorney in Manhattan, one of the most powerful Justice Department positions.

Damian Williams, one of the most prominent federal prosecutors in the country, is walking away from the law firm that struck a deal with Donald Trump — and joining one that's suing him.

Williams is leaving Paul Weiss five months after returning to the firm to work for Jenner & Block, a law firm actively challenging the Trump administration in court.

Jenner & Block announced the move Friday. Williams will serve as co-chair of both the firm's Litigation Department and its Investigations, Compliance, and Defense Practice.

The high-profile defection is a blow for Paul Weiss, an elite law firm that was the first to broker an agreement with President Donald Trump in March. As part of the deal, Paul Weiss said it would devote $40 million in pro bono hours toward Trump's political priorities. After it was announced, Trump rescinded an executive order that would have, among other sanctions, stripped Paul Weiss employees of security clearances and cut off government contracts.

Eight other firms have since made similar deals with the White House. Four — including Jenner & Block — opted to sue instead. All four have won court rulings blocking Trump's orders.

"Jenner & Block fearlessly advocates for its clients and provides outstanding strategic counsel through their most difficult challenges," Williams said in a press release. "I've seen firsthand how this firm expertly tackles the toughest cases and lives its values."

"I'm excited to join a team with an extraordinary depth of legal talent that doesn't shy away from hard fights — and delivers results that matter," his statement continued.

Williams isn't the only notable attorney to leave Paul Weiss in recent weeks. Karen Dunn, a prominent litigator who helped Kamala Harris prepare for her 2024 presidential debate with Trump, left along with three other top lawyers last month to start a new boutique law firm.

Williams previously served as the US Attorney in the Southern District of New York, one of the most powerful perches in the Justice Department. Williams brought criminal cases against Sean "Diddy" Combs, Sam Bankman-Fried, New York City Mayor Eric Adams, and now-former Sen. Robert Menendez of New Jersey.

Before that, Williams worked at Paul Weiss between 2009 and 2012 and clerked for Justice John Paul Stevens on the US Supreme Court and Merrick Garland on the federal appeals court in Washington, DC.

In Paul Weiss' January announcement about his return, Williams praised the firm's "devotion to pro bono."

"Damian is a transcendently talented lawyer who has led many of the government's highest-profile prosecutions and investigations," Paul Weiss's chair Brad Karp said at the time. "He will be an exceptional addition to our already outstanding team of white collar and regulatory lawyers and a leader in the national legal community."

A representative for Paul Weiss didn't respond to a request for comment Friday.

• I ranked four different store-bought barbecue sauces from worst to best.
• They all paired well with chicken nuggets, though some were thicker and more flavorful than others.
• I liked the barbecue sauces from Sweet Baby Ray's the most, including the no-sugar-added variety.

Barbecue season is here, so I made it my mission to find out which brand delivers the tastiest barbecue sauce straight from the bottle.

I tried store-bought barbecue sauces from three different brands to determine which offered the smokiest, tangiest flavor for the best value. I also tried one brand's no-sugar-added version to see if it could measure up to the original.

While barbecue isn't typically my go-to sauce for all things dipping — proud ranch fan, here — I tried each of the sauces on their own and with chicken nuggets to see which sauce was my favorite.

Here's how I'd rank four store-bought barbecue sauces, from worst to best.

My least favorite barbecue sauce was Kraft's slow-simmered original barbecue sauce.

The sauce is made with ingredients like tomato, molasses, and hickory smoke.

It cost $4.19 for an 18-ounce bottle at my local Key Food supermarket in Brooklyn, New York.

The sauce wasn't as thick as the other brands I tried.

The texture was more watery and ketchup-like compared to the thicker, more molasses-heavy varieties.

The sauce was light and tangy, but it didn't have a strong enough flavor for me.

Compared to the other brands, I thought this barbecue sauce was lacking. I typically go for a thick, smoky barbecue sauce, and this was much lighter. I think I would struggle to fully coat chicken or ribs in this more viscous sauce, though I did enjoy the flavor.

It was tangy and slightly sweet, with a honey-like flavor, but reminded me more of a sweet-and-sour sauce than a true barbecue sauce.

I also tried KC Masterpiece's American Original barbecue sauce.

The sauce is made from molasses, onions, and spices to deliver an authentic Kansas City-style barbecue sauce.

Aside from any store discounts, this barbecue sauce was the cheapest I tried. An 18-ounce bottle cost $2.89 at my local Key Food supermarket in Brooklyn, New York.

KC Masterpiece's was the thickest sauce I tried.

It clung to the chicken nugget and had a dark, buttery, molasses-like consistency.

I thought this sauce was a good balance of smoky and sweet.

The sauce had a robust, smoky flavor and a consistency that easily clung to the chicken nugget, making for a balanced bite that overtook my tastebuds.

It was really sweet, very much tasting of molasses. However, I was missing that slight tangy flavor that would have really taken this sauce over the edge and provided a more dynamic flavor profile.

Up next was the Sweet Baby Ray's barbecue sauce with no added sugar.

Before this taste test, I was already familiar with Sweet Baby Ray's barbecue sauce.

The brand has been cited as the top-selling barbecue sauce in the US, so this sauce had a lot to live up to, especially since it had no added sugar, which I worried would weaken the flavor.

An 18.5-ounce bottle cost $4.89 at my local Key Food, making it the most expensive sauce I tried.

The sauce had a balanced consistency. It wasn't too thick or too watery.

The sauce easily coated the chicken nugget, without being too thick or gloopy.

I was really impressed by the flavor. It was sweet without being overpowering.

Overall, this sauce nailed it for me. It was tangy but not sickly sweet, and it had a balanced consistency in terms of texture. I definitely got the smoky flavor without the overpowering molasses flavor I tasted in the KC Masterpiece barbecue sauce.

It was also the lowest-calorie sauce of the ones I tried, with 15 calories per serving.

However, when it came down to price, it was beaten out by the original version.

My favorite barbecue sauce was Sweet Baby Ray's original barbecue sauce.

It perhaps comes as no surprise that this sauce was my favorite. After all, the brand has won awards at various barbecue competitions for its sauce.

An 18-ounce bottle cost $2 at my local Key Food after a markdown of $1.89, making it the least expensive barbecue sauce I tried.

The sauce had a rich, red color and a similar consistency to the no-sugar-added version.

It was just a touch less thick than the other sauce from Sweet Baby Ray's, but it still managed to coat the chicken nugget easily. In my opinion, this was the best sauce for dipping.

Sweet Baby Ray's original barbecue sauce struck the perfect balance for me.

The sauce had a slightly acidic, tart flavor that balanced out the sweet notes and an undercurrent of earthy flavor that made me feel like I was at a backyard barbecue.

Next time I'm firing up the grill for some barbecue ribs or just need a dipping sauce for my nuggets or chicken tenders, I know exactly which barbecue sauce I'm grabbing.

• Readying the Qatari plane set to serve as Air Force One will likely cost less than expected, the Air Force secretary said.
• Qatar gifted the plane to the Trump administration last month, but it needs to be overhauled.
• Democratic lawmakers and others have said retrofitting the plane could cost upwards of $1 billion.

The costs of modifying a luxury jet gifted by Qatar to the Trump administration to serve as an interim Air Force One for the president could be less than expected, the US Air Force secretary said this week.

Some lawmakers and outside experts have said the expected costs could be as high as $1 billion, as the aircraft would require substantial security and communications reworks before it could be used for presidential air travel.

Secretary of the Air Force Troy Meink said on Thursday that it'll probably cost less than $400 million to retrofit the jet. Some costs, he added, would likely still exist regardless.

"There has been a number thrown around, on the order of a billion dollars, but a lot of those costs associated with that are costs that we would've experienced anyway," such as new technologies, capabilities, and spare parts, Meink said at a House Armed Services Committee hearing.

The Boeing 747-8 in question was gifted by the Qatari royal family to the Department of Defense last month. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth recently directed the Air Force to start planning to modify it for use.

The extensive modifications are meant to ensure that when the plane becomes Air Force One — a call sign for any Air Force aircraft the president flies on but also the name that is most commonly associated with the well-known light blue and white Boeing VC-25 aircraft regularly used for flying the president — it meets the security demands for the mission.

The Qatari aircraft is a 13-year-old luxury jumbo jet with multiple bedrooms, bathrooms, a salon, offices, dining areas, a living room, and a playroom for kids.

Last month, the US Department of Defense said it would "work to ensure proper security measures and functional-mission requirements are considered for an aircraft used to transport the President of the United States."

Air Force One is effectively custom-built to be a flying command center if needed. Concerns from lawmakers, especially Democrats, in Congress have centered around potential ethical problems, as well as worries about filling this role with a plane gifted by a foreign country and the work needed to upgrade it with necessary capabilities.

Connecticut Rep. Joe Courtney, the top Democrat on the House Armed Services subcommittee that oversees Air Force One, previously argued that "retrofitting a plane from Qatar would create huge costs & a security nightmare that would impede the work underway to deliver the actual AF1 by 2027."

Trump has voiced disappointment with Boeing over delays in delivering the new VC-25B aircraft meant to replace the current Air Force One jets. Congressional leaders, however, warn that retrofitting the Qatari jet may be an unnecessary distraction.

At Thursday's hearing, Courtney said that "based on the experience that we already have gone through with retrofitting planes, 747s, it's clear that this is going to be a drain on the Air Force's budget."

• As an American who spent six months living in Europe, I noticed lots of lifestyle differences.
• I plan on taking some aspects of life in Europe back home with me.
• I'll no longer let the weather affect my plans and hope to find more small adventures close to home.

It's no secret that Europeans and Americans have very different lifestyles. From shopping habits to sports preferences to work culture, we often fall onto different ends of the spectrum.

I experienced these differences firsthand as an American traveling around Europe for six months, spending time in places like the UK, Czech Republic, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Switzerland.

Here are the five European lifestyle choices I'll be integrating into my life in the States.

I'll no longer let the weather ruin my plans.

I'm lucky to have sunshine most of the year in my home state of Colorado. Because of this, though, I tend to talk myself into staying home when the weather is rainy, windy, or even overcast.

When I was in the UK, however, rainy days were a normal part of life. I didn't want to waste time following my "nice weather or bust" mindset, so I started watching the locals.

For example, they had quality rain jackets and carried waterproof casings to go over their backpacks or bags to keep them dry.

I followed their lead and invested in a more heavy-duty raincoat, and I quickly learned that with proper preparation, the cold and rain aren't bad at all. The moody weather often added to the overall ambiance of the day.

I'm going to make an effort to find more adventures near my hometown.

When I travel, I actively try to accumulate the most experiences in an area, from museums and landmarks to local events. However, I feel guilty about not always doing this at home. It's similar to the cliché that some born-and-bred New Yorkers have never been to the Statue of Liberty.

Some of my favorite experiences in Europe weren't the grand, famous monuments, but the quirky things I encountered in small towns.

I loved seeing a statue of a goat king in Kerry, Ireland, and stumbling upon an older couple giving an alphorn concert in a Swiss village.

I'm certain there are similar gems close to my hometown, and now I'm determined to find them.

I'll be embracing the idea that less is more.

Many of the Europeans I met were wonderful at having a "less is more" mindset. They owned fewer things, like clothes and decor items, and bought less food at once than I did in the US.

They seemed to have a different attitude about buying things in general. Part of this is likely because European apartments are generally smaller than American homes.

After shopping less while abroad, I'm going to try to maintain that habit stateside.

Using two duvets instead of one comforter is a game changer.

In my marriage, I'm known as the "blanket hog" — though this is still hotly debated on my end. So, when my husband and I walked into an alpine cabin and saw two neatly folded duvets over the bed, he was ecstatic.

We encountered this several times throughout our journey, and I must admit, having my own fluffy blanket to cuddle into was pretty nice. The duvet covers are also way easier to wash than a comforter.

I'm excited to continue following soccer.

Americans still haven't embraced soccer the way other countries have. Though I'll always be a diehard American football fan, being in Europe for the UEFA European Championship opened my eyes to just how electrifying soccer can be.

From the team chants and bitter rivalries to the epic watch parties, I'll be setting my alarm to watch some major games from across the pond.

This story was originally published on November 7, 2024, and most recently updated on June 6, 2025.

Rep. Mary Miller (R-Ill.) is coming under fire from colleagues in both parties after misidentifying a Sikh man as Muslim and saying he should have "never been allowed" to deliver the House's morning prayer.

Why it matters: Even some Republicans are expressing disgust at Miller, a right-wing hardliner who has cultivated a reputation for making inflammatory comments.

• "People should think before they talk or type," vented one House Republican, speaking on the condition of anonymity to offer candid thoughts on a fellow Republican.
• Miller's office has not responded to a request for comment on her post.

What happened: After Giani Singh, a Sikh Grandhi from Southern New Jersey, delivered the House of Representatives' daily prayer, Miller said in a now-deleted post on X that it was "deeply troubling a Muslim was allowed to lead prayer in the House of Representatives this morning."

• "This should have never been allowed to happen," she said, erroneously stating that the U.S. was "founded as a Christian nation" and that "our government should reflect that truth."
• Miller later edited the post to replace "Muslim" with "Sikh," then deleted it altogether.

What they're saying: The House Republican who spoke to Axios said Miller's comments make her look "darn ignorant."

• Rep. Nick LaLota (R-N.Y.) said in a post on X that "a Sikh prayer on the House floor ... doesn't violate the Constitution, offend my Catholic faith, or throttle my support for Israel," adding, "Live and let live."
• "I'm deeply disappointed by Rep. Mary Miller's comments," Rep. Donald Norcross (D-N.J.), who has previously sponsored Singh as a guest chaplain, said in a statement to Axios.
• The Congressional Asian Pacific Islander Caucus condemned "Rep. Miller's anti-Sikh and anti-Muslim bigotry," calling her post "disgraceful."

Reality check: The U.S. was not founded as an explicitly Christian nation, and the the First Amendment to the Constitution protects freedom of religion.

• Article VI of the Constitution also states that "no religious Test shall ever be required" to hold public office.

Zoom out: This is not the first time Miller has been embroiled in controversy.

• She said in 2021 that "Hitler was right on one thing. He said, 'Whoever has the youth has the future.'" She later apologized for the remark.
• She also said that Roe v. Wade being overturned in 2022 was a "victory for white life," which her office later claimed was a misread of her prepared remarks.

• Recent hiring has mainly been constrained to just two areas of the US economy.
• Healthcare and restaurant job seekers had an easier time landing work than those looking elsewhere.
• White-collar fields had lower demand, such as in professional and business services.

Health services and restaurant gigs are in strong demand, while office jobs are not.

May's jobs report out Friday morning showed the US added 139,000 new jobs that month. Adding in March and April's numbers, that means that there are 406,000 more employed workers now than in February.

But over those last three months, gains have been tightly concentrated in two sectors, while the rest of the labor market has been much flatter.

Employment in private education and health services jumped by 252,000 in May from February, with robust growth at hospitals and individual and family services.

Employment in leisure and hospitality rose by 122,000 from February, mainly due to growth in food services and drinking places, which include restaurants and bars.

Together, that means those two sectors account for 92% of the total net job growth from February to May.

Cory Stahle, an economist at the Indeed Hiring Lab, told Business Insider there are still job opportunities, especially if you want an in-person job like in healthcare. However, he said there is less demand in white-collar fields.

"Right now, your feelings as a job seeker are going to be largely determined based on the type of work you do or the type of work you're looking for," Stahle said.

White-collar changes were mixed: employment in financial activities increased from three months ago, while professional and business services fell. However, the growth in financial activities was small compared to the healthcare sector or leisure and hospitality.

"This report's a really good example of what we've seen as a trend in the last couple of years, which is there are real divides that have emerged in job opportunities for job seekers," Stahle said.

Are you a job seeker or recently landed work in healthcare or leisure and hospitality? Share your story with this reporter at [email protected].