A museum dedicated to the founder of the modern Turkish state has reopened in his native city in northern Greece following a year’s restoration work.

Greek and Turkish government officials said the museum, at the house where Mustafa Kemal Ataturk is believed to have been born in 1881, would help efforts to strengthen ties between the two historic rivals.

The three-level house inaugurated in Thessaloniki on Friday lies within the Turkish Consulate complex. It has been declared a modern monument by Greek cultural authorities, and was restored to the appearance it had in 1881.

Ataturk, who led Turkey’s defeat of Greek expeditionary forces in the 1919-22 war, lived part of his childhood in Thessaloniki. He became Turkey’s first president, heading efforts at reconciliation with Greece, and died in 1938.

German consumer goods company Henkel has caused a stink with its brand of toilet freshener after Ukrainians complained that it resembled their national flag.

The yellow-and-blue Bref Duo Stick freshener has been removed from sale in eastern Europe after a TV advertisement aired on a Russian channel was seen in neighbouring Ukraine.

The advert shows the freshener that looks like the flag being put under the toilet rim.

Tore Birol, Henkel’s general manager for laundry and home care products in Ukraine, said yesterday that the company had pulled the product within three days of the complaints.

He said: ‘We are very sorry if people were offended by the design of our new product’

Mr Birol explained that the freshener was coloured yellow to represent its lemon scent and blue to symbolise water and hygiene.