World news-roundup: Japanese diplomat honoured for saving Jews from Nazis

Country: Brazil

The Jewish head of Brazil’s central bank has been named Central Banker of the Year by a British banking magazine. Judges were impressed with the personal stats of Israeli-born Ilan Goldfajn’s, and after some moody talk of ‘taming inflation’ and ‘fiscal responsibility,’ named him the most eligible of his ilk.

Country: South Africa

Jewish leaders in the Western Cape have clashed with South Africa’s ruling ANC party over Israel’s decision to ban South African groups supporting the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement. The ANC said the ban amounted to ‘thuggery’ but the country’s Board of Deputies said Israel was within its rights.

Country: United States

A public plaza in Washington, DC near Russia’s US embassy is to be renamed in honour of a Jewish critic of the Kremlin murdered in 2015. Boris Nemtsov, a physicist and liberal politician, was deputy chair of the government and helped introduce capitalism in the 90s but was gunned down after criticising Vladimir Putin.

Country: Japan

A wartime Japanese diplomat based in Kaunas, Lithuania has been honoured by Japan’s prime minister for disobeying superiors and issuing visas to Jews fleeing Nazi-occupied Poland. Chiune Sugihara saved 6,000 Jewish lives, all the more remarkable considering Japan and Germany were wartime allies.