Russian President Vladimir Putin appears to be more open than ever to a compromise with Japan that would end the two countries’ post-World War II territorial dispute. Both sides have been making tentative moves toward reconciliation since May, and a deal may finally be in the works after decades of false starts. In a recent interview with Bloomberg, Putin …

  Dubai / Reuters Gulf stock markets were mixed in quiet trade on Tuesday as Riyadh’s bourse pulled back after rising sharply on the previous day, when Saudi Arabia and Russia said they would cooperate to support oil prices. Riyadh’s stock index gained early on Tuesday but closed 0.2 percent lower at 6,190 points, failing a test of technical resistance …

  New York / AFP Wall Street stocks rose early on Tuesday, lifted by merger announcements, including Canadian pipeline company Enbridge’s acquisition of Spectra Energy in an all-stock deal valued at $28 billion. The Enbridge deal will create an network of oil and gas pipelines serving most of Canada and the United States. Spectra surged 10.7 percent, while Enbridge advanced …