Online registry by end-year
An online database of the country’s blood donors is due to be launched later this year, Health Ministry officials said yesterday. The so-called Blood Donor Registry, which will be ready to run in pilot mode by late November, will also keep a record of blood donation agencies operating around the country. The new system is expected to improve the efficiency of blood collection, bolster safety procedures and increase the number of blood donors. The system is also expected to facilitate regular donors by issuing them with an identification number and keeping a record of their details.
Rector’s warning.
Looser regulations introduced at the start of the academic year for university transfers have seen the number of students at Athens University rise to 25 percent above its capacity, the institution’s rector, Theodoros Fortsakis, said yesterday. Speaking to Vima FM, Fortsakis warned that there is a risk hundreds of students will be unable to complete the first semester of the year as there is not enough staff to teach the student body, especially after cutbacks have already whittled away their number.
Lawyer attacked.
Police in Penteli, northern Athens, were investigating an attack against a lawyer who was shot at and robbed outside his residence yesterday morning. According to the victim, two men approached him as he was leaving his home. One fired a weapon at him, with the bullet narrowly missing his head. The assailants fled the scene with the lawyer’s briefcase, which reportedly contained 30,000 euros. The victim was slightly injured in the attack and was being treated at an Athens hospital.
Jackpot.
The Jackpot lottery prize is expected to reach around 17 million euros on Thursday, as the last round held on Sunday did not reveal any winners for the 15th draw in a row. The number’s in Sunday’s draw, which drew 2,370,000 tickets, were 42, 39, 16, 9 and 5. The bonus, or Joker, number was 12. The last time the lottery’s prize reached such levels was in April 2010, when the sum of 19.2 million euros was shared among three winners.
Arson.
Police yesterday were investigating two attacks carried out with gas canisters at apartment buildings in the northern port city of Thessaloniki on Sunday night. The first explosion took place in the area of Toumba at 9.55 p.m., while the second followed about 10 minutes later in Sykies. The blasts did not cause any serious damage or injuries. Police have not ruled out that they may be related.