Ufuk

Around 31 percent of Turkish population still smokes despite decade-long campaigns

Around 17 million people among Turkey's population of 83 million still smoke despite years-long efforts to discourage people from smoking, an expert said on National No-Smoking Day on Feb. 9.

But Murat Ağırtaş, the provincial health director of the Central Anatolian province of Kırıkkale, said Turkey dropped in the ranking of a list of heavy-smoker countries.

?zmir Festival turns 30 in May

The 30th International ?zmir Festival will be organized between May 17 and June 25 this year with 10 concerts, three of which will be open to the public, at venues including the Ahmed Adnan Saygun Arts Center, the ?zmir State Theater Konak Stage, the Library of Celsius, the Kültürpark Open Air Theater and the Ephesus Ancient Theater.