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Tuesday, January 31, 2017
Goat plague wipes out 10 per cent of endangered antelopes
By Alice Klein
SERGEI KHOMENKO/New York Times / Redux / eyevine
Save the saiga. Hundreds of Mongolia’s iconic antelopes have died after contracting a deadly virus that normally affects sheep and goats.
Saiga antelopes (Saiga tatarica) were once widespread across the grasslands of Europe and Asia. But hunting and disease have reduced their numbers from 1.25 million to 50,000 over the last four decades.
Now, a further 900 saiga – almost 10 per cent of the endangered Mongolian subspecies (Saiga tatarica mongolica) – have perished in the country’s Khovd province, and thousands more are at risk.
The carcasses tested positive for Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR), a highly contagious virus that usually affects sheep and goats, also known as goat plague. Symptoms of the disease, which kills up to 90 per cent of infected animals, are severe diarrhoea, fever, pneumonia and mouth sores.
First reported in Côte d’Ivoire in 1942, PPR has since spread between domestic sheep and goats across Africa, the Middle East and Asia. But outbreaks in wild animals are rare, and have never before been seen in free-ranging antelopes.
Mongolia had its first ever outbreak of PPR in sheep and goats in September 2016 after the virus spread from China. It may then have crossed to saiga during close contact at shared grazing grounds, says the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO).
Further tests are being carried out to confirm that PPR is responsible for the deaths. Other possible causes need to be ruled out, including the Pasteurella multocida bacteria that wiped out 200,000 saiga antelopes in Kazakhstan in 2015.
“If PPR is confirmed to be the main cause, the saiga death toll is likely to reach into the thousands in the next three months,” says Bouna Diop at FAO.
The worst-case scenario would be if the disease spreads among different saiga herds throughout the winter. Seasonal migration and mixing of the antelopes could then mean an upsurge in fatalities in the spring.
There is no effective treatment for the disease in saiga. “The best strategy is to vaccinate domestic sheep and goats and prevent further spill over to saiga,” says Diop.
FAO and the World Organisation for Animal Health launched a PPR eradication programme in 2016, which aims to wipe out the disease worldwide by 2030 using measures such as vaccination, movement control and quarantine.
The virus does not affect humans.
Read more: Mystery disease claims half world population of saiga antelopes
Senate Democrats just made a stunning move to delay votes on Trump's Cabinet nominees Senate Democrats just made a stunning move to delay votes on Trump's Cabinet nominees
Democrats on the Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday boycotted votes on President Donald Trump's picks for Treasury secretary and secretary of health and human services, opening up a new front in the battle over the president's Cabinet.
Not a single Democratic senator on the committee showed up for the votes on Steve Mnuchin or Tom Price, boycotting because of what they considered to be unanswered questions regarding Mnuchin's and Price's business dealings.
The 26-person committee, with 14 Republicans and 12 Democrats, needed at least one Democrat to be in attendance for a vote to proceed.
"I think some of this is because they just don't like the president," said the head of the committee, GOP Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah. "They have a right not to like the president — I happen to like the president very very much — but they really shouldn't treat dignified people who are willing to sacrifice to serve in the government."
Hatch also called the boycott "one of the most alarming things I have seen in my whole 40 years in the Senate" and said Democrats should "stop posturing and acting like idiots."
According to The Hill, Republicans conducted a similar walkout during a 2013 confirmation for Obama's EPA nominee Gina McCarthy.
Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio said at an impromptu press conference in the hallway outside the committee's meeting room that Mnuchin and Price "lied" about business dealings in front of the committee.
"We're not going to this committee meeting today because we want the committee to regroup, get the information, have these two nominees come back in front of the committee, clarify what they lied about — I would hope they would apologize about that — and then give us all the information we need for our states," Brown said.
Republicans on the committee showed up for the vote and one by one expressed displeasure with the boycott by Democrats.
During their hearings, both Mnuchin and Price have faced questions from lawmakers over their previous business dealings.
Price had numerous investments in healthcare-related stocks while drafting legislation with the potential to influence the healthcare sector. Additionally, an investment in an Australian pharmaceutical company was called into question as a possible violation of the Stock Act, which governs investments from congressional members.
Price told the committee that the investment into the Australian company, Innate Immunotherapeutics, was available to all investors. A report from The Wall Street Journal, however, found that his investment was through a private offering in the US available to fewer than 20 Americans. It was available to all investors in Australian and New Zealand.
Mnuchin was attacked for failing to disclose nearly $100 million in assets — mostly real-estate holdings — and directorships at offshore entities related to his hedge fund, Dune Capital Management. Additionally, Democrats called out foreclosure activities by OneWest Bank, a mortgage lender owned by a group led by Mnuchin.
Mnuchin said during testimony that OneWest had not used so-called robosigning for foreclosure documents, but an investigation by the Columbus Dispatch showed that such automation was used for at least some loans in Ohio.
Offices of Democratic members of the committee didn't immediately respond to requests for comment.
Monday, January 30, 2017
A 'presidency in chaos': Legendary investigative journalist Carl Bernstein says Washington is already losing faith in Trump A 'presidency in chaos': Legendary investigative journalist Carl Bernstein says Washington is already losing faith in Trump
Prominent investigative journalist Carl Bernstein says President Donald Trump's administration is in chaos less than two weeks after he took office.
"It’s apparent to all but his most serious defenders and those who are his greatest advocates," Bernstein said on CNN Monday night.
"Republicans on Capitol Hill who I'm talking to who are doubting his abilities," Bernstein said, "doubting even his stability under pressure. This is an extraordinary series of events."
Bernstein famously reported on the Watergate scandal during Richard Nixon's presidency in the 1970s, which eventually led to Nixon's resignation.
Trump on Monday night fired acting US Attorney General Sally Yates over her objections to his executive order on immigrants and refugees, after 72 hours of dissent from Republicans and Democrats following Trump's signing of the order last week.
Bernstein said that, while Trump was "within his rights" to dismiss Yates, "it was not wise that he did."
Hundreds of thousands of people have flooded the streets in the US and abroad protesting Trump's executive order, dubbed a "Muslim ban" by prominent critics because the order specifically targets immigrants and refugees from seven majority-Muslim nations.
Bernstein continued:
"[Trump] has obstructed the most basic of American principles of what we stand for as a country in terms of immigration; a nation of immigrants. These are authoritarian pronouncements that he has been making for days now, and it's starting to haunt him."
Aside from the immigration executive order, Trump in the first 10 days of his presidency has rhetorically rumbled with lawmakers, heads of state, and the press — and it's all happening under the specter of Trump's historically low 43% approval rating.
We need smarter ways to probe primate brains
James Balog/Aurora
By Alun Anderson
JULIA FISCHER is a leading primatologist best known to the public for her work with a dog called Rico that she spotted on a German TV show.
Rico, it was claimed, could remember the names of some 70 toys and fetch them on command. Despite Fischer’s initial scepticism, her experiments showed that the Border collie’s talents were even greater than claimed. The story of Rico and the press frenzy that followed its publication in Science is retold in Fischer’s new book Monkeytalk. It is a delight, especially when we learn that another Border collie has learned the names of 1022 toys.
But to Fischer, head of the cognitive ethology department at the University of Göttingen, Germany, the story has a deeper significance. A dog’s range of barks, growls and whines is restricted, as are the vocalisations of monkeys: the vocal organs of these animals are simply not wired up to the bits of the brain that could provide the fine motor control needed.
That means the range of things an animal can communicate about vocally may tell us little about what it can think about and act upon. To get “inside the worlds and minds of primates”, as the book’s sub-title claims, requires us to put aside language-biased preconceptions and to come up with imaginative experiments. Fischer’s book is a wonderful, short guide to the ingenious and patient work that is giving us deeper insights into primate psychology.
I particularly loved the studies that reveal the secrets of monkey social __life through broadcasting “audio dramas”, created by cutting and pasting the recorded voices of members of a monkey group. Using some hidden loudspeakers, researchers created apparently scandalous goings-on and saw how their monkey audience reacted.
In one, a threat call from a low-ranking female chacma baboon was followed by the screams of a higher-ranking female from a different family, suggesting that she was being attacked. This shocking breach of inter-family etiquette excited the listeners and showed how well they knew individuals and their place in society.
In another, a bachelor male heard the voice of a male grunting in the undergrowth and then his consort’s mating call some way off. The bachelor’s head spun: if the male and his consort were apart it might mean a break-up – and an opportunity. Moments later he “ambles nonchalantly towards ‘her'”, Fischer writes.
“Monkeys react strongly to fake ‘audio dramas’ of other monkeys’ shocking breaches of etiquette”
These and many other experiments show that monkeys possess profound social intelligence and can solve problems in their own environment. But as we move towards more abstract intelligence and language, a gap opens up between them and us.
Fischer adroitly explores the big questions now being asked about primate minds. Can they understand the intentions of others? Are they able to “time travel” and plan for the future? How much can they learn by watching others? Are they capable of metacognition, of knowing what it is that they know?
Monkeytalk has its faults: it starts like a textbook and it takes a little time before you discover its unusual mix of science and insight, interspersed with funny anecdotes from African field work, including how to dress for “survival in the bureaucratic jungle”. Pink pumps, a plastic handbag, lots of rhinestones and glittery appliqué were all needed for Fischer to meet local expectations of what a lady looked like – and obtain a vehicle permit.
The book ends on a serious note, though. The only way we will really understand our own origins is to explore the minds of other primate species along with the bewildering differences in the societies they live in, their ecology, neurobiology and genetics. But primate populations are being destroyed so fast that our close relatives may vanish from the wild before we can find out what made us human.
Monkeytalk: Inside the worlds and minds of primates by Julia Fischer, University of Chicago Press
This article appeared in print under the headline “Smarter secrets”
'A lot of bad dudes out there!': Trump launches into morning tweetstorm defending immigration order 'A lot of bad dudes out there!': Trump launches into morning tweetstorm defending immigration order
President Donald Trump continued Monday to defend his executive order from Friday barring immigrants from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the US.
After days of confusion and protests at airports over the order — which bars citizens Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen from traveling to the US — Trump argued on Twitter that it resulted in few detentions at airports, saying passenger delays were due to an unrelated Delta Air Lines systems malfunction.
Some observers said Trump's orders de-emphasized the number of travelers affected by the hasty implementation of the travel ban, stranding many in transit and blocking some from prescheduled flights.
Only 109 people out of 325,000 were detained and held for questioning. Big problems at airports were caused by Delta computer outage,.....
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 30, 2017 The president also knocked Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer, of New York, who teared up during a press conference Sunday while dubbing the executive order "mean-spirited" and "un-American."
protesters and the tears of Senator Schumer. Secretary Kelly said that all is going well with very few problems. MAKE AMERICA SAFE AGAIN!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 30, 2017 There is nothing nice about searching for terrorists before they can enter our country. This was a big part of my campaign. Study the world!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 30, 2017 If the ban were announced with a one week notice, the "bad" would rush into our country during that week. A lot of bad "dudes" out there!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 30, 2017 Trump has faced an enormous bipartisan backlash over the implementation of the order, which was reportedly hastily executed by top staff members including chief White House strategist Steve Bannon.
While many Democrats and civil-liberties advocates decried the order as unconstitutional, many Senate Republicans also criticized the rollout of the order, which left top government officials out of the loop and confused customs and border agents, causing hourslong detentions and uncertainty over the weekend.
"It is clear from the confusion at our airports across the nation that President Trump's executive order was not properly vetted," Republican Sens. John McCain and Lindsey Graham wrote in a joint statement released Sunday. "We are particularly concerned by reports that this order went into effect with little to no consultation with the Departments of State, Defense, Justice, and Homeland Security."
For their part, Trump and his top White House brass have publicly dismissed critics.
Appearing on "Meet The Press" on Sunday, chief of staff Reince Priebus suggested that the order may expand at some point to include other countries that the administration fears harbor potential terrorists.
"Perhaps some of these people should be detained further," Priebus told NBC. "And if they're folks that shouldn't be in this country, they're going to be detained. So apologies for nothing here."
Embryonic education: How learning begins long before birth
Stocktrek Images /Superstock
By Guy Lewy
NEWLY hatched turtles head straight for the sea and tadpoles recognise a predatory salamander the very first time they see one. But what may, on the surface, appear to be a primordial instinct can sometimes hide a deeper, stranger truth: that our first lessons in __life come before birth itself.
Over the years, studies of young animals belonging to a range of species have pushed back the known onset of learning. “We tried earlier and earlier,” says Ludovic Dickel, who studies cuttlefish at the University of Caen Normandy in France. “In the end, we questioned embryos.”
From this research, a trend is emerging. Birds in the egg are listening to their mothers; lambs, like human babies, can be taught about food before birth; and some embryos watch the world through their still-developing eyes. And because these are all examples of acquired knowledge, not instinct, they can also be manipulated.
Take taste. Stories of human babies developing a preference for certain foods while still in their mother’s womb aren’t uncommon (see “Is my bump wise to the world?“). Perhaps the best illustration of this is that we tend to be more tolerant of spicy food if our pregnant mothers ate a diet full of such cuisine.
Likewise, Konstantinos Fegeros’s team at the Agricultural University of Athens in Greece has shown that if a pregnant sheep is fed oregano, after birth its lamb is more likely to choose food flavoured with the herb than if its mother is fed a regular diet.
Even chicken fetuses locked away inside eggshells get a dose of their mothers’ diet. Aline Bertin
Yellow fever outbreak is killing off rare monkeys in Brazil
Sergio Mendes, Projeto Muriqui-ES.
By Adrian Barnett in São Paulo, Brazil
Rare monkeys in the forests of Brazil are being decimated by yellow fever.
The outbreak started in late 2016 and, as is often the case in South America, it has spread to humans, killing at least 50 since the start of 2017. The authorities have rushed vaccines to hospitals, where long queues await inoculation.
But there is no vaccine for monkeys who are dying en masse in Espírito Santo and Minas Gerais, the two states so far worst hit.
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“Some 80 to 90 per cent of the brown howler monkeys are infected or have already died,” says Sergio Mendes at the Federal University of Espírito Santo in Vitoria, Brazil. “This is a true catastrophe. These outbreaks happen periodically, but this is the worst I’ve ever seen.”
Mendes knows of 400 howler monkey deaths in the state, and he believes this is likely to be only 10 per cent of the total, with the greatest losses happening largely unseen in remote forested areas.
Atlantic titis and geoffroy’s marmosets found dead last week in Espirito Santo are also being tested for yellow fever. Both are unique to the Mata Atlantica, one of the world’s most species-rich and most-endangered tropical forests.
Other endemic primate species affected by the outbreak include the endangered buffy-headed marmoset and crested capuchin, and the critically endangered muriqui. There are only about 1000 muriqui individuals left in the wild, and their slow breeding time means numbers would take a long time to recover from yellow-fever deaths.
There are also unconfirmed reports of capuchin monkeys dying of suspected yellow fever in neighbouring Minas Gerais and in São Paulo states.
The virus is normally found in several forest-dwelling mammals, from marsupials to monkeys, and is transmitted by Haemagogus and Sabethes mosquitoes.
Marco Almeida, a veterinary epidemiologist from Rio Grande do Sul state’s health agency, says the current outbreak is unlikely to be caused by a new, more virulent form of yellow fever virus, as it is known to mutate very slowly.
Instead, he thinks recent prolonged and torrential rains provided ideal conditions for mosquitoes. Often delivering a week’s rain in a day, the deluges lasted over a month and may have weakened the monkeys by cutting the times when they can feed and challenging their immune systems.
“The mosquitos can disperse across forest for up to 6 kilometres from their breeding point,” says Júlio-César Bicca-Marques, a primatolologist at Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, “but they’ll also get rides in trucks. Plus, infected hunters, tree-cutters and agricultural workers can spread the virus.”
Yellow fever threat: A yellow fever epidemic has hit central Africa. Is Asia next?
It’s well known from lab tests that howlers are the most vulnerable to yellow fever of all of South America’s monkeys. “But with these current high infection levels, the virus could spread to all of the region’s 14 other primates,” says Almeida.
“Part of the problem is forest fragmentation,” says primate conservationist Karen Strier of University of Wisconsin-Madison. “Only 5 per cent of Mata Atlantica remains. So Mata Atlantica primate populations are small and isolated. Wipe one out, and natural recolonization is very difficult.”
With monkeys being key seed-dispersers, the prognosis for both forest and primates is not good. Meanwhile, as the epidemic increases, ill-informed individuals have started attacking the region’s monkeys, in the erroneous belief that they can spread yellow fever to humans directly.
Sunday, January 29, 2017
Trump defends immigration ban in fiery statement, says GOP senators opposing are 'looking to start World War III' Trump defends immigration ban in fiery statement, says GOP senators opposing are 'looking to start World War III'
After top Republican lawmakers harshly criticized President Donald Trump's executive order temporarily barring people from seven Muslim-majority nations from entering the US, he fired back on Sunday in an official statement and in more candid words on Twitter.
Sens. John McCain of Arizona and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina released a joint statement on Sunday calling the ban "a self-inflicted wound in the fight against terrorism." They were just two of the more prominent lawmakers on both sides of the aisle who have come out against Trump's order, which sparked widespread protests across the nation.
The president called out McCain and Graham specifically in two tweets Sunday evening, accusing the veteran senators of "looking to start World War III."
The joint statement of former presidential candidates John McCain & Lindsey Graham is wrong - they are sadly weak on immigration. The two...
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 29, 2017 ...Senators should focus their energies on ISIS, illegal immigration and border security instead of always looking to start World War III.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 29, 2017 Federal judges issued rulings on Saturday and Sunday preventing the deportation of affected travelers stuck in airports across the US, but the long-term effects and legality of the executive order remain unclear.
In a longer, but still fiery, statement, Trump defended the temporary ban, insisting it was "not about religion" but about "protecting our own citizens and border."
The statement followed a long day of defense from Trump's advisers, who criticized the Brooklyn judge who issued the stay, emphasized the "temporary" aspect of the order, and offered "apologies for nothing here."
Leaders around the world came out against the action. German Chancellor Angela Merkel told Trump that the global fight against terrorism was no excuse for banning people from Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States.
Here's the full statement from Trump on the executive order:
"America is a proud nation of immigrants and we will continue to show compassion to those fleeing oppression, but we will do so while protecting our own citizens and border. America has always been the land of the free and home of the brave. We will keep it free and keep it safe, as the media knows, but refuses to say. My policy is similar to what President Obama did in 2011 when he banned visas for refugees from Iraq for six months. The seven countries named in the Executive Order are the same countries previously identified by the Obama administration as sources of terror. To be clear, this is not a Muslim ban, as the media is falsely reporting. This is not about religion — this is about terror and keeping our country safe. There are over 40 different countries worldwide that are majority Muslim that are not affected by this order. We will again be issuing visas to all countries once we are sure we have reviewed and implemented the most secure policies over the next 90 days. I have tremendous feeling for the people involved in this horrific humanitarian crisis in Syria. My first priority will always be to protect and serve our country, but as President I will find ways to help all those who are suffering."
And here's the full statement from McCain and Graham:
"Our government has a responsibility to defend our borders, but we must do so in a way that makes us safer and upholds all that is decent and exceptional about our nation.
It is clear from the confusion at our airports across the nation that President Trump’s executive order was not properly vetted. We are particularly concerned by reports that this order went into effect with little to no consultation with the Departments of State, Defense, Justice, and Homeland Security.
Such a hasty process risks harmful results. We should not stop green-card holders from returning to the country they call home. We should not stop those who have served as interpreters for our military and diplomats from seeking refuge in the country they risked their lives to help. And we should not turn our backs on those refugees who have been shown through extensive vetting to pose no demonstrable threat to our nation, and who have suffered unspeakable horrors, most of them women and children.
Ultimately, we fear this executive order will become a self-inflicted wound in the fight against terrorism. At this very moment, American troops are fighting side-by-side with our Iraqi partners to defeat ISIL. But this executive order bans Iraqi pilots from coming to military bases in Arizona to fight our common enemies. Our most important allies in the fight against ISIL are the vast majority of Muslims who reject its apocalyptic ideology of hatred. This executive order sends a signal, intended or not, that America does not want Muslims coming into our country. That is why we fear this executive order may do more to help terrorist recruitment than improve our security."
Theresa May is at the heart of a political storm over her 'weak' response to Trump's Muslim ban Theresa May is at the heart of a political storm over her 'weak' response to Trump's Muslim ban
LONDON — Theresa May was at the centre of a political storm on Saturday evening after it emerged that US President Donald Trump's ban on Muslims of particular nationalities entering the US will affect Britons, including one of her own MPs.
On Friday, Trump signed off an executive order that officially banned people from seven countries with mostly Muslim populations from entering the US for 90 days. The countries are Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen.
The executive order unleashed chaos in the US overnight as thousands of people were left in legal limbo. Crowds of protesters gathered at airports where affected people already in transit were being detained as a result of Trump's severe crackdown on immigration from Muslim states.
At least seven people were stopped from boarding a flight at from Amsterdam to the US, while in Cairo, Egypt officials said six Iraqis and a Yemeni had been stopped from boarding an EgyptAir flight to New York.
This was all took place just hours after May left Washington having become the first foreign leader to meet Trump since his inauguration.
The prime minister initially failed to condemn Trump's Muslim ban, but then backtracked, releasing a statement late on Saturday night saying that she "did not agree" with the policy. “We do not agree with this kind of approach and it is not one we will be taking," a spokesperson for Number 10 said.
However, numerous politicians and other leading figures have criticised May for failing to condemn Trump's executive order in much stronger terms, particularly because its remit extends to Brits who have dual nationalities.
Nadhim Zahawi, an MP in May's own Tory party, was born in Iraq but left as a child when Saddam Hussein came to power. His legal representatives had told him he will be affected by the ban. British Olympic hero Mo Farrah could also be banned as he has a British-Somalian passport.
I'm a British citizen & so proud to have been welcomed to this country. Sad to hear ill be banned from the USA based on my country of birth
— Nadhim Zahawi (@nadhimzahawi) January 28, 2017 Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn released a statement condemning May for failing to stand up for British values. He said:
He said: "President Trump's executive order against refugees and Muslims should shock and appal us all.
"Theresa May should have stood up for Britain and our values by condemning his actions. It should sadden our country that she chose not to. After Trump's hideous actions and May's weak failure to condemn them, it's more important than ever for us to say to refugees seeking a place of safety, that they will always be welcome in Britain."
Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron was absolutely scathing in his criticism of May, accusing the prime minister of humiliating the country's reputation on the world stage. In a statement, Farron said:
"Theresa May has failed to criticise President Trump for turning away and banning refugees whose only crime is to believe in a different religion.
"Not only is this shocking even by her standards, it cannot be allowed to stand. The President's actions have horrified the world, and this is a moment when she has to show what side she is on.
"Perhaps she feels in a weak position on Syrian refugees because her own record on this is so lamentable.
"More likely it is because she is so desperate for a trade deal at any price after her decision to haul Britain out of the world's largest market that she will turn a blind eye to anything.
"At the press conference she contrived to make the Turkish government look liberal. They said it was wrong to build walls. Rather than fighting to build a world that is open, tolerant and united, Theresa May is dividing the world in a very dangerous way.
"If Theresa May would stay in the Single Market none of this humiliation would be necessary."
Conservative MP Sarah Wollaston said that Trump should be disinvited from addressing the Houses of Parliament when he visits the UK later this year. It is common practice for visiting US Presidents to deliver a speech in Westminster Hall to MPs and Lords alike. However, Wollaston has called on Parliament to snub the President in response to his highly-contentious immigration policy.
She tweeted on Saturday evening: "On his forthcoming State visit I don't think Trump should be invited to address both Houses of Parliament from Westminster Hall.Westminster Hall has great significance & should be reserved for leaders who have made an outstanding positive difference in the world. That doesn't include Mr Trump. Those who wish to fawn over him should be free to do so in the Royal Gallery as normal. Not Westminster Hall, thanks."
Prior to visiting the White House this week, May had vowed to "stand up" to Trump on his inflammatory policies and comments. But she is now accused of cosying up to the divisive President in a way that reflects negatively on her office and the country, in what is the most difficult moment she has faced since succeeding becoming prime minister.
How Serena Williams won a record 23rd Grand Slam titles with victory at the Australian Open
The great Serena Williams made history in Melbourne
We look back at the career of Serena Williams as she rewrote history to land a record-breaking 23rd Grand Slam title at the Australian Open on Saturday.
Williams has now won 23 Grand Slam singles titles, a fortune in prize money and honours, and if she lifted the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup on Saturday to close to within one of Australian legend, Margaret Court.
Serena beats Venus to Oz title
Serena Williams beats Venus Williams to win Australian Open
The dominant American swept past her sister Venus 6-4 6-4 on Rod Laver Arena for her seventh Melbourne Park crown to finally clinch the record for Open-era major titles, nearly 18 years after winning her first at the 1999 US Open.
Here, we look back at how 35-year-old Serena has dominated the women's landscape in the Open era.
First Grand Slam title
Serena collected her first major back in 1999, winning the US Open with a 6-3 7-6 (7-4) victory over Martina Hingis.
A first on clay
After losing the 2001 US Open final, she gained revenge in the 2002 French Open final, beating her sister Venus 7-5 6-3 to the delight of the Philippe Chatrier crowd.
The Wimbledon dynasty begins....
Again, she beat Venus to win her first Wimbledon title in 2002, prevailing 7-6 (7-4) 6-3.
Venus on the receiving end
And she beat Venus yet again in the 2002 US Open final at Flushing Meadows.
Four in a row
She won her fourth Grand Slam in a row - and her first Australian Open - with a 7-6 (7-4) 3-6 6-4 victory over Venus in 2003.
Queen on grass
And beat Venus once more, winning 4-6 6-4 6-2 to lift her second Wimbledon crown in 2003.
Two year gap
She then had to wait until 2005 for her next title, coming from behind to beat Lindsay Davenport 2-6 6-3 6-0 to win in Melbourne.
Relief Down Under
A two year gap then followed to her next title, beating Maria Sharapova 6-1 6-2 in the 2007 Australian Open final.
Three 'n easy
She collected her third US Open in 2008 and celebrated winning championship point against Jelena Jankovic in some style on Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Melbourne monopoly
Two more titles followed in 2009 - here playing a double-handed backhand return during her victory over surprise finalist Dinara Safina to win her fourth Australian Open title.
The last meeting
While she defeated sister Venus in a Grand Slam final for the last time to win her third Wimbledon title in the summer.
Same again for Serena
She won the same two Grand Slams in 2010, beating Justine Henin 6-4 3-6 6-2 to win her fifth Australian Open.
Vera vanquished
While seeing off Vera Zvonareva 6-3 6-2 at the All England Club in west London.
Fifth Slam on grass
Her fifth title at Wimbledon came in 2012, when she beat Agnieszka Radwanska 6-1 5-7 6-2.
Feeling at home in the Big Apple
She also became champion for the fourth time in New York in 2012, beating Victoria Azarenka 6-2 2-6 7-5.
Still got it
The evergreen star picked up her second French Open - 11 years after her first - with a 6-4 6-4 win over Maria Sharapova in 2013.
Fifth major in New York
Williams holds the trophy as she celebrates her fifth US Open title in 2013 after beating Victoria Azarenka 7-5 6-7 (6-8) 6-1 in the final.
Three in a row
Serena defeated Caroline Wozniacki 6-3 6-3 to claim her third consecutive US Open title and 18th Grand Slam a year later.
Magic in Melbourne
Serena lifted the Australian Open trophy for a sixth time after beating Maria Sharapova 6-3 7-6 (7-5) to land another major title and 19th major overall, tying with Helen Wills Moody.
Parisian comforts
Williams poses with the Suzanne Lenglen trophy after beating Lucie Safarova in Paris to claim her 20th Grand Slam title.
Full circle
She beat Spain's Garbine Muguruza to land her sixth Wimbledon title and complete a second 'Serena Slam' of her career.
Level with Steffi
Serena equalled Steffi Graf's Open era record of 22 Grand Slam titles after beating Angelique Kerber to lift her seventh crown at the All England Club.
History-maker
Serena beat her sister Venus 6-4 6-4 in the Australian Open final to win her 23rd Grand Slam singles title and become the most successful tennis player in the open era.
The 35-year-old American's victory gave her a seventh Melbourne Park crown and sent her clear of Germany's Graf at the top of the list of most prolific major winners since the game turned professional in 1968.
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