| * Workers strike at Chinese mine in Niger * US probes Microsoft China bribery claim * Russian business deals on hold * Gaddafi cousin arrested in Cairo * Ntaganda faces war crimes charges * Peru's capital markets "scarcely liquid" say finance minister * Tehran's shoppers subdued for new year * India court summons Bharti chairman * S Africa: weakening rand adds to list of economic woes Markets: mixed Workers strike at Chinese mine in Niger
Workers went on a 72-hour strike at a China National Nuclear Corporation uranium mine (Sino-U) in northern Niger, demanding better wages and bonus payments, trade union officials said on Tuesday.
http://on.ft.com/14b754E US probes Microsoft China bribery claim
Microsoft said it would co-operate with any government inquiry following a report that the Department of Justice and Securities and Exchange Commission were investigating bribery allegations made against company employees.
http://on.ft.com/YpxVPb Russian business deals on hold
Billions of dollars in Russian business transactions via Cyprus are on hold because of the shutdown of the country's financial system as bankers and lawyers work feverishly to salvage the deals.
http://on.ft.com/WDZAQu Gaddafi cousin arrested in Cairo
Ahmed Gaddaf al-Dam, a cousin and close aide of Muammer Gaddafi, the late Libyan dictator, was arrested in Cairo on Tuesday after a siege which lasted several hours in the upmarket district of Zamalek.
http://on.ft.com/YoZ3y0 Ntaganda faces war crimes charges
For more than four years, General Bosco Ntaganda has been on the run from the International Criminal Court. But for most of that time the warlord wanted for war crimes in eastern Congo has not exactly lived the life of a fugitive.
http://on.ft.com/YpDRb2 Peru's capital markets "scarcely liquid" say finance minister
Peru is typically grouped with Mexico, Panama, Colombia and Chile as one of Latin America's high-growth economies, a darling of international investors. But how easy is it to invest in? Not easy at all, says Luis Miguel Castilla, Peru's finance minister.
http://on.ft.com/16FEcNo Tehran's shoppers subdued for new year
As Persian new year approaches, Tehran residents traditionally flock to the capital's grand bazaar to get festive treats at lower prices than elsewhere in the city. But this year the seasonal rush is decidedly subdued in the run-up to new year, or Norouz, which will start on March 21, due to economic hardship which has been intensified by US and EU banking and oil sanctions.
http://on.ft.com/15ZvisP India court summons Bharti chairman
Bharti Airtel's chairman has been ordered to appear in front of an Indian court investigating telecoms corruption next month, sending shares in the country's largest telecoms company by revenue down about 5 per cent.
http://on.ft.com/15Zvp7P S Africa: weakening rand adds to list of economic woes
As South Africa's Monetary Policy Committee has been meeting this week it will have been grappling with some familiar themes: a subdued global outlook and sluggish growth at home while juggling with the trade-off between boosting economic activity and countering inflationary pressures.
http://on.ft.com/16GQJjC Emerging Markets
MSCI Emerging Market Index down -0.03% at 1,025 Americas
DJIA up +0.03% at 14,456
S&P 500 down -0.24% at 1,548
Bovespa down -1.07% at 56,361 Asia
Nikkei 225 up +2.03% at 12,468
Topix up +1.71% at 1,046
Hang Seng up +0.65% at 22,184
Shanghai Composite up +1.75% at 2,297
MSCI Asia ex-Japan down -0.01% at 536.67
S&P CNX Nifty Index down -0.18% at 5,736 Currencies
€/$ 1.29 (1.29)
$/¥ 95.05 (95.13) Commodities
Brent Crude (ICE) up +0.47 at 107.92
Light Crude (Nymex) up +0.29 at 92.45
100 Oz Gold (Comex) down -1.30 at 1,610 | 
