hello, and welcome. at least two people have been shot dead by security forces near venezuela's border with brazil. more than a dozen others the soldiers are attempting were injured when troops opened fire to prevent the arrival of foreign on members of the area's aid on the orders of indigenous community. president nicholas maduro, who denies there is a humanitarian president maduro has closed crisis in his country. the border to prevent meanwhile an anti—maduro music international aid from coming in. concert has been taking place the america r&b singer, on the border with colombia. r kelly has been charged with venezuela aid live is backed ten counts of aggravated, criminal, by the british tycoon richard branson. sexual—abuse in illinois. the bbc‘s 0rla guerin is there. prosecutors say the charges are related to the alleged abuse of four victims. three of them under the age of seventeen. the singer denies the allegations. in the united states, well, as you will be able to house democrats have tabled in the united states, house democrats have tabled a measure aimed at stopping president trump's emergency declaration. mr trump took the decison to bypass congress after it refused to approve $5.7 billion for the mexican border wall. the president says he will veto any measure to block his national emergency. now on bbc news,

the first black woman to become a headteacher in london, and the story of the south asian women who galvanised britain's trade union movement in the 1970s. in the run up to international women's day, a special edition of witness history. you may find some of the historical images shown disturbing. hello, and welcome to witness hostory, here at the royal academy in london. —— witness history. we present five moments in the recent past as told to us by women who were there. we are featuring some remarkable women. we meet carmen callil, who founded the publishing house virago press. we go back to

the 60s and talk to the first black female head teacher in britain. and the plot experienced by a young girl whose parents were arrested in moscow under the stalin regime. and we go to south africa and see how it moves on from the horrors of apartheid. at first, london and the story of the strikers in saris. a group of south asian women employed at the grunwick factory. they decided to take a stand for workers rights and their action captured the imagination of many other trade unionists. jayaben desai, her 200th day on the march. a presentation from the shopworkers union to jayaben desai, treasurer of the strike committee. the site was very

strong... jayaben desai was a very strong... jayaben desai was a very strong woman. she had made up of mind to bring the union into the factory. because our women were treated badly. we believe that, if women had so many rights in this country, then why can't we have them also? grunwick country, then why can't we have them also? gru nwick relied country, then why can't we have them also? grunwick relied on the new influx of patients from east africa to supply the workforce. commonly thought passive and hard—working, the tables were about to turn. translation: in the grunwick factory there was a big classroom where the manager used to sit. he would

observe us all from that room. he would keep an eye on us. if you are going to the toilet and it took too long, then he would ask why? what we re long, then he would ask why? what were you up to? there is no doubt... the unlikely leader of the grunwick strike would challenge the stereotype. i was on the picket line from the first day. the ladies came out with mrs jayaben desai. from the first day. the ladies came out with mrs jayaben desai. will you stay here? untilwe out with mrs jayaben desai. will you stay here? until we finish this dispute. a year? any time. five years? ten years. unions from across england supported us. all the unions

we re england supported us. all the unions were there with big banners. there we re were there with big banners. there were a lot of policemen, you could see them all over the street and in the middle of them was jayaben desal the middle of them was jayaben desai. the strike committee found its act evermore circumscribed. two yea rs its act evermore circumscribed. two years after it had begun, the strike was called off. jayaben desai was not upset with the defeat at all. we felt that asian women in england had fought the two years for the union. and we were proud of that fight. the reason why if we were fighting, we

have achieved. the treatment with the staff has already changed. it is a great victory. the wages were increased after that. don't you think it is a victory was make ——?|i am so think it is a victory was make ——?|i am so proud of myself, that we thought for our right. laxmiben patel remembering the grunwick strike. in a different part of london and a similar time, a young black woman is making history by becoming the first female black head teacher in the uk but, despite the positive spin from the media at the time, yvonne connolly suffered racist abuse when her of appointment was announced. mrs yvonne connolly

has to be thanked by that. there is an awful lot of love, mostly for her. she is london's first west indian head teacher and what a love for her. i was one of the first black teachers in london in 1969. i had done three years of teacher training injamaica sol had done three years of teacher training injamaica so i thought i would come to britain. i came in august, 1963, at the raid, grey day. i wondered what i had done. i had planned to be here for three years but three years led to four years. i was very aware that there were racial tensions in quite a number of

schools. i would turn up and somebody would just... suppose without meaning to, say but you are black. of course, my reply was, yes, lam also black. of course, my reply was, yes, i am also a teacher. nothing changed the us but enough to cause discomfort. after six years, i applied for a headship and i wanted to see what interviews at these levels might be and i was absolutely amazed when my name was called. the newspapers picked this up the next day and the school was inundated by quite a numberof day and the school was inundated by quite a number of journalists day and the school was inundated by quite a number ofjournalists who came to take photographs. since she took over the headship a few weeks ago, she has brought a new vitality to it. children from many parts of

the world mix happily unaware of prejudice. the school was threatened to be burnt down. i had newspaper articles sent to me with crossing out my photograph with actually nasty comments. go back to jamaica. i also had letters from interestingly enough, members of the black community, he felt i had sold out to the white establishment and they reminded me, these letters reminded me in no mean terms that i was here only for the black children. the racism was coming, both from the white side and from the black side. i had responsibility for all the children in my school. regardless of race or religion. in

fa ct, regardless of race or religion. in fact, the differences were less than the commonality is that we shed and therefore one had to get on with it. happily, the parents were only interested in whether their children would get a good education and that certainly was my focus. i felt that i had certainly was my focus. i felt that ihada certainly was my focus. i felt that i had a job to do in britain and i am happy having been here now for 56 years. the inspiring yvonne connolly. in the early 1970s, female authors were underrepresented according to carmen callil. she developed virago press, in 1973, it would go on to publish some of the most famous writers of the modern age. she tells a story of how it all

began. but always wanted to change the world. the virago press is entirely staffed by women. he proudly announced itself as a feminist publishing house. somebody later said to me that i put women at the centre of the stage, that was the centre of the stage, that was the thing, instead of men being the centre of the stage, i looked at women's writing and saw the world through their eyes. i did not think the way women lived was good enough. the expectations for somebody like me wasjust to the expectations for somebody like me was just to have two parties —— tea parties and get married. and i could not do that. i was also working always the men, you see. and i was very struck by how much more idle they were that i was. they were still the days when they had secretaries. cannot tell you how much my bottom and my knees were

pinched... we are not fragile little things... by the end of the 60s, the women's movement had come overfrom america and, of course, i was very interested by the young women who we re interested by the young women who were absorbing it all and to get up andi were absorbing it all and to get up and i said absolutely, so agree with you that exclamation mark do not know how i came across virago press. the heroic woman? yes and i think occasionally i think women should be loudmouth and arrogant.|j occasionally i think women should be loudmouth and arrogant. i started the company and to cap the name in 1972 and the first book was published in 1975. he took some time to get the list together. writers have the right the books.

chamberlain was first author to be commissioned by virago press. her book was written when she was barely known. women should tell the ran stories. it was the story of women's lives not men's lives. it was and the first world war in the trenches, it was raising children, being married, working on the land and being poured in a can village. married, working on the land and being poured in a can villagem eliminated the difficulties they still faced. we had to change the world through our concept of how women's lives should be presented. that was my important thing. this year there will be putting out 85 titles and a turnover in excess of £1 million it is a clear indication that was something missing in the world of books. the world loves a

story. you change people ‘s lives telling stories and, once we started publishing the novel, they started to buy the non—fiction also because they trusted the print. the stories we publish were writers like roslyn layman, margaret atwood, white, and women and men scooped them up because they talk to them about their own lives. carmen callil on their own lives. carmen callil on the founding of the feminist publishing house virago press. remember you can watch witness history every month we can catch up on anotherfilm history every month we can catch up on another film is along with more than a thousand regular programmes in ouron line than a thousand regular programmes in our on line archive.

just before stalin's death in 1953 the soviet dictator ordered the arrest of several hundred doctors in moscow. he accused them of plotting to kill senior communist officials. many were tortured and executed in prison. professorjakov many were tortured and executed in prison. professor jakov ra paport many were tortured and executed in prison. professorjakov rapaport was one of the few survivors of what was called the doctors plot, his daughter renders the party was arrested. there was a very loud knock at the door. i opened the door and there was a crowd, a big crowd of men. i decided that they were burglars who had come to take our furniture. and then there was a telephone call. and one of them grabbed me, screamed at me, talk! talk! and it was too much for me,

andi talk! and it was too much for me, and ifainted. my parents came home, ididn't and ifainted. my parents came home, i didn't see it, because i was unconscious for several hours. they took my father away. both my parents we re took my father away. both my parents were medical scientists. it was actually the last year of stalin's life when he became extremely paranoid, and he arrested all major doctors in the kremlin hospital. they were accused of spying for england, to israel, america. and deliberately killing high—level communist party members. major targets were jewish communist party members. major targets werejewish doctors. you could not turn off —— turn on the

radio without hearing about these jewish killer doctors, scum on earth, people who sold their salt of the devil. my father was accused of spying for england. translation: rumours were spreading about the sort of punishment that would be meted out. there were threats of hangings on red square. but he refused to sign false accusations. he was kept their in manacles and many he was kept their in manacles and any he was kept their in manacles and many many days and nights without sleeping. if he signed the full false confession it would have been his death sentence.

in march 1953 stalin died. and the situation of the doctors in prison changed immediately. translation: i rememberthe changed immediately. translation: i remember the marvellous evening when i was suddenly called to go downstairs. i was taken in a prison van to see a general and he told me "you are free, you have been totally rehabilitated and can go home." that was really a big celebration in our house, at the time of stalin's death. because it was stalin's death and for us it was a rebirth of my father. i think, and for us it was a rebirth of my father. ithink, i and for us it was a rebirth of my father. i think, i am sure that the doctors plot accelerated stalin's death. because he didn't have doctors to help him, all of them

we re doctors to help him, all of them were arrested. and when his stroke happened, there was nobody at hand to help him. natasha rapoport on stalin's doctors plot. which had to south africa. when apartheid was abolished in the 1990s, is an advocate needed to confront its past without comprising its future. we we re without comprising its future. we werejudged to without comprising its future. we were judged to unearth the truth of oui’ were judged to unearth the truth of our past. to lay the ghost of our past so they will not return to haunt us. south africans face a collective test today. the reaction to these hearings will show whether they were able to expose the sins of apartheid while free themselves from the desire for revenge against those

who propped up the system. the act allowed a m nesty who propped up the system. the act allowed amnesty only if the perpetrator had confessed to committing the crime.|j perpetrator had confessed to committing the crime. i did terrible things, idid committing the crime. i did terrible things, i did terrible things to members of the anc.” things, i did terrible things to members of the anc. i grew up in soweto. it was rampant with security police. you people, get out now, very quickly. the army presence grew on streets that began to look like battlegrounds. it felt like hell. pa rents battlegrounds. it felt like hell. parents watched tear stroke from their —— smoke from their children's life. if you are a black person you needed a special permit if you are a black person. absolutely no freedom of movement. as an activist i was shotin of movement. as an activist i was shot in the leg by the police while attending the funeral of a fellow student. it was at the graveyard

where the police again started shooting. i survived, where the police again started shooting. isurvived, others where the police again started shooting. i survived, others were killed on the spot. it is a scar which is a constant reminder of where i come from. i knew the harshness of the system first—hand. yet as a member of the amnesty committee, i had to decide that these people had to be granted amnesty. not because they are apologetic, but really because they is close to truth. that was really difficult. did you then shoot the person? yes, that is correct? people would cry, just by listening to the explanation was given. of how people we re explanation was given. of how people were tortured. people were killed.

what kind of man users a method like this on to other human beings? there we re this on to other human beings? there were occasions when people who applied to amnesty did say sorry. those were few and far in between. but it was extra ordinarily difficult to me when people did not even difficult to me when people did not eve n ca re difficult to me when people did not even care to apologise. there was no other way other than to eliminate these people. these hearings provide a forum for those who have been treated in the past as if they were rubbish. archbishop at desmond tutu was the start of the truth commission. without his leadership the commission would not have been able to obtain its objective. i

think the trc process ensured that people were not vengeful. that there was copper public acknowledgement and recognition of those who had suffered. we asking from you, please do forgive us. we are still going through a process of coming out of oui’ through a process of coming out of our grief. i wake up every morning andi our grief. i wake up every morning and i am grateful that after all i ama and i am grateful that after all i am a south african. that is all from an all—female edition of witness history this month, to celebrate international women's day. we will be back next month with more first—hand accounts of extraordinary moments in history. but now, from me and the rest of the witness history team, goodbye.

we saw a top temperature on friday of 18 celsius across west wales with lots of sunshine for much of the country. howver where we held on to low cloud mist and fog it was quite chilly, temperatures reaching eight degrees in the south coast. mostly sunny days, mild as well, but mornings will start quite chilly at times with a bit of frost and some mist and fog around. we see a return to mist and fog and low cloud across central, southern and eastern parts of england early on saturday. the weather front slowly encroaching into western parts of northern ireland, bringing outbreaks of rain. but elsewhere largely dry. let's zoom into central southern eastern england for this morning,

as we will have some fog patches around, maybe not so much around southern counties like we saw on friday morning, but most will be further north, east anglia as far north as east yorkshire. it will melt away through the morning and we should see some sunshine becoming a bit more widespread, this weather front across the west will bring rain to northern ireland and spread across scotland into western wales and the south—west of england. the skies brightening behind it but ahead of it in the sunshine is where we will see the highest temperatures, again 16, maybe 17 celsius, so exceptionally mild for the time of year. through saturday night, we will see some cloud, a bit more mist and fog developing elsewhere, notice this green blue hue across south—eastern scotland, reporting cooler off the near continent. light winds, it will be actually start to sunday with a touch of frost around.

we could have some mist and fog further north which had turned in the way and the part two of the weekend it should be another nice one with sunshine around. after that cold start temperatures won't be quite as high. into the start of next week, light winds and cooler air, so don't be surprised if we start monday morning with a bit of frost in there, again some mist and fog. that will tend to burn away quickly through the day and monday looks like being another fine one, with light winds and plenty of sunshine. the wind a little more of a feature across the far north—west of the country where we could see a little of rain. into the afternoon off that cold start the temperatures rising to around 15 or 16 celsius. it stays very pleasant as we reach the middle part of the week, but notice temperatures beginning to fall away into the latter part of the week, as we lose the warm southerlies and they are replaced 00:26:51,362 --> 2147483051:50:10,396 with a cool 2147483051:50:10,396 --> 4294966103:13:29,430 westerly from the atlantic.