(NS-Ebola)
A clinical trial for a new vaccine targeting the deadly Ebola virus has begun in Nova Scotia.
Health Canada has authorized Moderna to conduct the Phase 1 trial, which started when a volunteer in Truro received the first vaccination last Monday.
The company expects to enroll 80 volunteers in Truro, Halifax and Toronto.
The participants will not be exposed to the virus during the trial, which is designed to evaluate the vaccine’s safety, determine dosages and monitor for side effects. (The Canadian Press)
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(NS-Japan-Sailors)
Sailors from Japan are expected to take part in a special wreath-laying ceremony today in Halifax.
The sailors, members of the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force, arrived in Halifax harbour on the weekend aboard two training vessels.
They are expected to join members of the Royal Canadian Navy this morning to form a ceremonial guard for the ceremony at the Sailors’ Memorial in Point Pleasant Park.
The Canadian military says members of the ceremonial guard will be carrying unloaded rifles as part of the official commemoration. (The Canadian Press)
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(PEI-Rare-Snake)
The P-E-I government is asking the public for help as the province’s Environment Department begins a new study of the Island’s rarest reptile.
The elusive and aptly named smooth greensnake is known for its bright green colour and sleek scales, but these small snakes are not easy to find.
That’s why the department’s Forests, Fish and Wildlife Division is asking Islanders to carefully collect any dead snakes that might resemble a smooth greensnake and then call the department for pickup.
As easy as that sounds, there’s a catch: adult smooth greensnakes typically turn blue after they die, the result of their yellow pigment fading away. (The Canadian Press)
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(NS-RCMP-Officer-Charged)
A suspended Nova Scotia R-C-M-P officer has been found not guilty of two counts of sexual assault.
Constable William McNutt was charged in December 2024 after allegations against him were made following an incident in July 2019 in the Nova Scotia community of Northport.
McNutt was acquitted on Wednesday, as Judge Del Atwood said the evidence did not establish beyond a reasonable doubt that the complainant did not consent to sexual activity.
Meanwhile, McNutt is facing another sexual assault charge involving a different complainant, and a judge stayed a third set of sex assault charges as it took too long for the case to go to trial. (CBC News)
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(PEI-Georgetown-Death)
Police in eastern P-E-I are investigating the sudden death of a man in Georgetown who was acting erratically in public before he lost consciousness.
R-C-M-P say they received a 9-1-1 call on Wednesday night.
Firefighters and paramedics attempted to revive the man by performing C-P-R.
Mounties say the 34-year-old man from Kings County was pronounced dead, and the provincial coroner’s office was later called in to determine the cause of the man’s death. (The Canadian Press)
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(NL-Summer-Games)
Athletes from across Newfoundland and Labrador have come together to compete at the Newfoundland and Labrador Summer Games.
A boisterous opening ceremony was held on Saturday in Corner Brook for the 15-hundred young participants.
They will be competing in 10 sports this week in Corner Brook and nearby Stephenville.
The ceremony ended with the Games officially opening with the lighting of the Games cauldron. (CBC News)
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(Atlantic Update by The Canadian Press)
