Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman met a group of religious leaders in New York, including two rabbis, a rare interfaith gesture for the de facto ruler of the conservative Islamic kingdom that allows negligible religious freedoms.The 32-year-old heir to the throne, currently on a three-week tour of the U.S., met two Roman Catholic and three Jewish figures on Wednesday, the Saudi embassy in Washington said in a statement. Saudi Arabia enforces an austere interpretation of Sunni Islam, but Prince Mohammed has said he wants to ease the country toward “moderate Islam, open to the world and all religions.”“The meeting emphasized the common bond among all people, particularly people of faith, which stresses the importance of tolerance, coexistence, and working together for a better future for all of humanity,” the embassy said. Although Prince Mohammed had recently met Christian figures, it marks the first time he’s announced a meeting with a Jewish … [Read more...] about Saudi Prince Meets New York Rabbis in Rare Interfaith Gesture
New york
Where Top Chefs Go Out to Eat in New York
It seems everyone is a restaurant expert these days, from your overly opinionated office mate to anonymous Yelpers with an axe to grind. But if there’s one group that truly knows how to pick a good place, it’s a chef.Where do the best professional cooks go to eat in New York when they’re not doing it as part of their job?It turns out, they go everywhere: to after-hours joints in Little Tokyo, cozy neighborhood spots for date night, and the hottest dining rooms in midtown.Café Luxembourg has been an art deco escape on the Upper West Side since the 1980s. Craig Koketsu of Quality Meats goes there on nights off with his wife. “I am hard-pressed to recall an experience that is as comforting and enjoyable as any of my frequent dinners at Cafe Luxembourg, a few blocks from my apartment,” says Koketsu. His go-to meal is a Boulevardier (shaken not stirred) with mixed green salads (“I know, you’re yawning, but … [Read more...] about Where Top Chefs Go Out to Eat in New York
The Search for New York Fed Chief Isn’t Over Yet
John Williams is a front-runner in the race to take leadership of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, but there are still more hoops to jump through.Williams, president of the central bank’s San Francisco branch, is on the short list of finalists, according to a source who spoke on the condition of anonymity. The Fed’s Board of Governors in Washington has been kept informed of the process, according to another person familiar with the matter.But the simple fact that there’s still a list -- and not a single candidate -- means the search is in the informal vetting stages, though the end is drawing nearer.When the New York Fed search committee settles on a final, single candidate, all non-bank directors on the branch’s board will vote to formally recommend that person to the governors in Washington, who then vote on whether the person gets the job. Washington in recent history has reliably signed off on the final pick, voting records show.That final step in the … [Read more...] about The Search for New York Fed Chief Isn’t Over Yet
The New York Fed Needs a New Perspective
It is perhaps the most important economic policy-making and regulatory position many people have never heard of: the president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.Although there are 12 regional Fed presidents across the country, the president of the New York Fed is first among equals. Together with the chairman of the Federal Reserve, the New York Fed president defines the conditions under which Americans borrow and lend; how they buy cars and houses, and manage their growing consumer debt; whether businesses will have demand for their products and services; and whether the pay of American workers will be sufficient for their families and their futures. She, or he -- although it has always been a “he” -- shapes the conditions of our prosperity as well as our poverty.New York Fed President William Dudley is stepping down this summer, and a search committee is in the process of identifying a successor. Now more than ever, the Fed needs a leader who will put the interests … [Read more...] about The New York Fed Needs a New Perspective
Reports of Williams Heading to New York Fed Spur Pro-Diversity Backlash
The Federal Reserve is facing a backlash over its lack of diversity in key positions after reports this weekend that John Williams, the current president of the San Francisco regional branch, is the front-runner to succeed William Dudley as head of the powerful New York Fed.It’s one of the most important roles in global central banking. The Fed’s New York branch oversees Wall Street and holds a permanent vote on monetary policy. The bank’s own search committee emphasized a diverse process to fill it, hiring a search firm that specializes in identifying minority and women candidates.Yet New York Fed directors have identified Williams, 55, a respected macro-economist who is also white, as the leading candidate, according to a Wall Street Journal report on Saturday and a New York Times story Sunday, both citing people familiar with the process. Spokesmen for the New York and San Francisco Feds, as well as the Fed Board in Washington, all declined to comment or said they … [Read more...] about Reports of Williams Heading to New York Fed Spur Pro-Diversity Backlash