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Check FAQAbout Melissa
Award-winning journalist with two decades of audio, television and digital experience in live reporting, breaking news, investigative journalism, global diplomacy coverage and documentaries. Currently based in Berlin, Germany. Available for TV and radio live hits as well as packaged audio reports for news and current affairs programs/podcasts. In-person tape-syncs and double-enders are also possible barring COVID-19 restrictions. Experienced field producer/ fixer with a comprehensive list of freelance camera contacts in New York City (where I was based before moving to Germany). Background: For the past nine years, I have been the United Nations correspondent for CBC Radio Canada reporting in English and French on local and international stories for radio, television and the web. During that time I covered wide-ranging topics of international interest from the UN and greater New York area, such as the discord in the Security Council over the wars in Syria and Yemen, the accusations of ethnic cleansing in Myanmar, Whitney Houston’s funeral, the mass shooting in Newtown, Conn., and attempts by local and federal officials to manage the COVID-19 outbreak. I began my career as a journalist in the CBC Montreal newsroom in 1998. Since then, I have held a number of positions with Canada’s public broadcaster including investigative reporter, assignment editor and current affairs radio show producer. I was also a volunteer media instructor in Rwanda (2007) and Ghana (2013).
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Tulsa searches for mass graves from 1921 massacre that destroyed ‘Black Wall Street’
The article discusses the resumption of the search for victims of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, where a white mob destroyed the African-American neighborhood known as 'Black Wall Street'. The excavation in Tulsa, Oklahoma, was delayed due to the pandemic and gained attention when President Trump planned a rally there on Juneteenth. Mayor G.T. Bynum expressed commitment to uncovering the city's history and providing justice. The article recounts the events leading to the massacre and its aftermath, including unsuccessful lawsuits and the silence surrounding the incident for decades. It also highlights the work of the Greenwood Cultural Center and the ongoing resistance to acknowledging the massacre. The excavation team, led by historian Scott Ellsworth, is using ground-penetrating radar to locate potential mass graves, with the hope of providing answers and aiding in reparations efforts.
Trudeau faces another tough vote — Canada's bid for a UN Security Council seat
Canada's campaign for a seat on the United Nations Security Council is reportedly encountering difficulties, according to diplomats speaking with CBC News. The challenges are attributed to Canada's voting record in the UN General Assembly and the country's delayed entry into the competition for the council seat. The election, which is eight months away, is shaping up to be a tough vote for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government, as they navigate the complex landscape of international diplomacy and seek to secure a position on the prestigious council.
Diplomats at the United Nations are trying to reinvent voting methods amid COVID-19
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the United Nations is exploring new voting methods for the upcoming Security Council elections, as traditional in-person voting poses health risks. The UN staff have been working from home since mid-March, and large gatherings are banned. Two main options are being considered: staggered voting times to reduce crowding and an electronic ballot system, which faces skepticism over security and practicality. China suggested a drive-through voting site, but it was deemed impractical. The U.S. and Saudi Arabia showed some support for e-voting, but most countries expressed concerns. Canada, which hosted a Celine Dion concert for ambassadors before the pandemic, is competing for a Security Council seat and remains neutral on the voting method as long as it's safe and confidential. The General Assembly is expected to approve a final proposal soon, but currently, decisions are made by consensus, which could potentially allow any country to block the election process.
Residents returning to east Aleppo find destruction 'beyond imagination'
Eastern Aleppo begins cleanup as residents return to assess the damage and rebuild their lives after the Syrian government's recapture of the city. The UNHCR's Sajjad Malik estimates 1.5 million people are in Aleppo, including 400,000 internally displaced persons. The UN is aiding with shelter, food, medical clinics, and vaccinations, while also addressing water shortages in Damascus. The destruction, including bombed hospitals and schools, is extensive, with the economic infrastructure severely damaged. Efforts are underway to document unregistered births, deaths, and marriages, and despite the devastation, there is a cautious sense of hope among the population.
Canada has started 'official' talks with Iran to renew ties, says Stéphane Dion
The Canadian government under Prime Minister Trudeau, with Foreign Affairs Minister Stéphane Dion, has initiated official discussions with Iran to re-establish diplomatic ties, a move contrasting the previous Harper administration's stance. Despite lifting some economic sanctions, Canada maintains Iran on its list of state sponsors of terrorism and expresses significant concerns over Iran's human rights record, support for Assad and Hezbollah, and threats against Israel. The government is also working to free Homa Hoodfar, a Canadian professor imprisoned in Iran.
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