ISTANBUL
Anadolu Agency does not verify these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.
Turkish dailies on Wednesday mainly dedicated their front pages to Russia’s military actions after the downing of one of its warplanes plus Turkey’s reactions.
HURRIYET ran a front-page headline: “[Downing] the aircraft is an excuse,” alongside a map of the region from Cyprus to Armenia.
The daily reported that Russia was trying to expand its presence in the region, saying that it has made recent moves in Armenia, the Greek Cypriot Administration and the wider Mediterranean.
HURRIYET claimed that Russia had requested use of a military base in Baf [Paphos] and the port of Limassol in southern Cyprus.
The paper also said Russia had increased the numbers of its warships in the Mediterranean to 13 and that the country had strengthened its military presence in Armenia with Mil Mi-24 and Mil Mi-8 helicopters.
MILLLIYET’s headline read: “Alarm in the Mediterranean,” reporting that the coast off Syria is full of warships.
The daily wrote: “The tension escalated after Russia sent a majority of its Black Sea navy to the Eastern Mediterranean... There are 36 ships from 12 countries now off the coast of the region.”
“[Putin] follows Hitler’s footsteps” was STAR’s headline, running with an image depicting the Russian president as the German dictator.
“Putin, with his aggressive foreign policy and his manners, which do not heed international warnings, continues escalating tension in the world,” the paper wrote.
On its front page, VATAN covered Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu's remarks over Russia, with the headline: "What would [Putin] do, if we shot?"
The daily reported that Davutoglu called on Russia to show empathy. "If we bombed the places where Russia has close ties in eastern Ukraine, by violating Russia's airspace … what would Putin do?" the prime minister was quoted as saying.
In other news, papers reported Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s remarks blaming the PKK for burning a mosque in southeastern Turkey.
AKSAM used the headline: “Cultural massacre,” citing Erdogan’s statement.
In an address to local representatives in the capital Ankara on Tuesday, Erdogan strongly condemned the recent burning of an Ottoman-era mosque in Diyarbakir province.
"I call on the people of the region: the terrorist organization is targeting your material and spiritual existence...Protect your faith,” he said.
STAR quoted Erdogan accusing the PKK of carrying out a “cultural massacre” like the Daesh group in Syria.
The 16th century Fatih Pasa Mosque was severely damaged in a fire on Monday. The regional governor’s office said PKK terrorists set the mosque ablaze as security forces entered the Fatih Pasa neighborhood to remove illegal barriers.
“Yesterday a mosque, today schools [have been burnt]” was VATAN’s front-page headline. The daily wrote that PKK terrorists set fire to four school buildings in Diyarbakir after the mosque incident.
MILLIYET’s headline also read: “PKK burned four schools.”
In arts news, VATAN played with words in its headline on a story covering accusations of plagiarism being directed at U.K. singer Adele.
"Adele't time" was the headline, playing with the Turkish word for ‘justice’ – adalet.
The daily wrote that Adele's hit song Million Years Ago bears a striking resemblance to Turkish singer Ahmet Kaya's Acilara Tutunmak [Clinging to Pain].
VATAN reports that Gulten Kaya, Ahmet Kaya's widow, is making experts investigate the alleged similarities between the two songs.
“According to the result, they will apply to the court," the paper claimed.
Adele’s new album, 25, was released in November and sold 3.38 million copies in the U.S. in its first week, according to American music magazine Billboard.
Kaya, who sang both in Turkish and Kurdish, and was known for his political stance on many issues, died in 2000 in exile in the French capital Paris.
In economic news, DUNYA used the headline: “Two giant investments to store natural gas.”
Birol Ensari, an owner of the Ankara-based energy company Bendis, is establishing two natural-gas stores in Tarsus [district in southern Mersin] with a 10.5-billion Turkish lira [$3.6 billion] investment.
The daily said that these investments come amid Turkey’s search for new gas resources.
