United Nations / AFP US President Barack Obama urged countries to “welcome the stranger in our midst” at a summit that drew pledges from 50 countries to take in 360,000 refugees. Speaking at a US-led refugee summit at the United Nations, Obama praised Germany and Canada among other countries for opening up their doors to those fleeing the war …

  Tokyo / AFP Japan’s central bank on Wednesday unveiled a surprise overhaul of monetary policy, promising to redouble attempts to fuel inflation and kickstart the torpid economy. After a hotly anticipated meeting, the Bank of Japan said it would set a target for 10-year government bond yields to try to push them higher, while delaying a further cut in …

  Hong Kong / AFP Postal Savings Bank of China (PSBC) is set to raise $7.4 billion in its Hong Kong initial public offering, which is expected to be the world’s biggest flotation this year, reports said Wednesday. The listing is also poised to be the biggest since Chinese internet giant Alibaba floated in New York in 2014, raising $25 billion. …