Ankara

Greece's new defense minister has started his term by reportedly leaving a wreath off the waters of the Aegean islets that led Ankara and Athens nearly to the point of war in the past. 

Accusing Turkey of committing genocide is a form of execution without trial, President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an has indicated, while also stating that Ankara is ?ready to pay for any misdeed? if an ?impartial board of historians? concludes that it was at fault for the events of 1915.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an?s invitation to ceremonies marking the centenary of the Battle of Gallipoli in Çanakkale in late April, which coincides with the remembrance day for the victims of the 1915 mass killings of Armenians, was  ?cynical and shortsighted,? Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan has said.

The presidential emblem at the entrance of the old Çankaya Palace in Ankara has been removed, as the transfer of all service units to the new presidential palace has now been completed.

A U.K. citizen has been detained in ?zmir on suspicion that he fought for jihadists in Syria, Turkish police have announced in the wake of demands from Ankara that Western countries do more to cut down on extremists traveling to Syria.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry has ?mistakenly? published a picture of an ?Armenian Genocide Monument? on an official day planner, prepared to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Çanakkale in World War I.

A picture of the monument is included on the April page of the planner.

The number of suspected policemen detained since Tuesday as part of the latest operation in the illegal wiretapping probe has reached 22, after two more police officers surrendered to authorities on Jan. 29.

Earlier, 20 policemen, detained on charges of being involved in an illegal wiretapping case, were sent to court for questioning.

Israel accused Turkey's parliamentary speaker Jan. 28 of "misusing" a Holocaust commemoration to criticize Israeli policy, the latest exchange in a bitter row between the former allies.

French President Francois Hollande on Jan. 28 called on Turkey to take new steps towards the "truth" behind the mass killings of Armenians a century ago, saying "it is time to break the taboos".

Both President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an and the head of Turkey?s Constitutional Court have denied there is any tension between them, after joining a luncheon hosted by the former at the presidential palace in Ankara.