Turkey's economic growth weakened last year to 2.9 percent, well down on 2013 and creating worries for the Islamic-rooted government ahead of June legislative elections, official data showed on Tuesday.

Gross domestic product increased by 2.9 percent in 2014 from the year earlier, well behind the government's official target of 3.3 percent, the Turkish Statistics Institute (TUIK) said on its website.

The euro drifted lower in Asia on Tuesday with investors following talks between debt-hit Greece and its international creditors as Athens looks to reform its bailout obligations.

In Tokyo, the single currency slipped to $1.0790 and 129.69 yen, from $1.0825 and 130.10 yen in New York, while the dollar was at 120.17 yen against 120.18 yen.

Oil prices fell in Asia Tuesday as dealers monitored last-ditch efforts between global powers and Iran to reach a deal on Tehran's nuclear program and ease sanctions imposed on the crude producer. 

U.S. benchmark West Texas Intermediate fell 69 cents to $47.99 while Brent eased 55 cents to $55.74 in mid-day trade.

Japan has no plan as of now to join the China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, its government spokesman said Tuesday.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters Japan is still seeking answers about how the regional financing institution would be governed.

The U.N. World Tourism Organization said Monday it was "confident" in Tunisia's ability to rebound as the Bardo National Museum reopened to the public after the massacre of 21 tourists.

"We have total confidence in Tunisia. We are confident that it will overcome the past and that it will move forward," UNWTO secretary general Taleb Rifai told reporters in Tunis.

French oil giant Total said Monday that it has sold its stake in a Nigerian oil field to a local company for $569 million (523 million euros).

Total's sale of its share in the onshore Oil Mining Lease 29 to Aiteo Eastern E&P comes after the French group made two similar divestment in Nigeria. The three transactions reached a sum of $1 billion.

Demand from China, rising domestic purchasing power, cheap land and labor have helped Brazilian giants earn themselves a healthy slice of the international food sector, as shown by the Heinz-Kraft merger.

HJ Heinz's owner 3G Capital, billionaire Jorge Paulo Lemann's investment fund, will have a 51 percent stake of the new group under an agreement with Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway to create North America's third-largest food and beverage conglomerate.

Two major companies in a prominent $1.4 billion Asia investment fund managed by New York banking giant Morgan Stanley unexpectedly told securities regulators they will not file their financial statements on time and froze trading in their stocks, actions generally considered to be cause for concern.

The publicly traded companies, Tianhe Chemicals Group Ltd. and Sihuan Pharmaceutical Holdings Group Ltd., separately announced late last week that they would be unable to meet Hong Kong Stock Exchange deadlines because auditors have not yet signed off on their financials. Both companies pledged to cooperate with the auditors.

In Syria's northeastern province of Latakia, workers roll the country's first locally made cigars, a new product being launched despite the devastating civil conflict now in its fifth year.

The workers are employed by Syria's state-run General Tobacco Company, which has decided to branch out into cigars in a bid to create desperately needed jobs and boost revenue.

Russia is to sign up to the Chinese-led development bank AIIB, first deputy prime minister Igor Shuvalov said Saturday at an international forum in China, cited by Russian news agencies.

"I'd like to inform you that Russian President Vladimir Putin has taken the decision that Russia will participate in the capital of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB)," Shuvalov said at China's Boao Forum, quoted by RIA Novosti state news agency.