- World Report 2024: Niger (hrw.org)
The July 26 military coup drew global attention to the human rights situation in Niger, including restrictions on freedom of expression and the erosion of civic space. On that day, army officers of the self-proclaimed National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland (Conseil national pour la sauvegarde de la patrie, CNSP) announced on national television the overthrow of the government of President Mohamed Bazoum. They dissolved the constitution, suspended all institutions, and closed the country’s borders. They arrested Bazoum, his wife and son, and several other state officials, arguing that they were taking action because of Niger’s deteriorating security situation. On July 27, Gen. Abdourahamane “Omar” Tiani, head of Niger’s presidential guard, appointed himself head of the country’s new military government.
- Panthalassa (Wikipedia)
Panthalassa, also known as the Panthalassic Ocean or Panthalassan Ocean (from Greek πᾶν “all” and θάλασσα “sea”), was the superocean that surrounded the supercontinent Pangaea, the latest in a series of supercontinents in the history of Earth. During the Paleozoic–Mesozoic transition c. 250 Ma it occupied almost 70% of Earth’s surface. Its ocean floor has completely disappeared because of the continuous subduction along the continental margins on its circumference. Panthalassa is also referred to as the Paleo-Pacific (“old Pacific”) or Proto-Pacific because the Pacific Ocean is a direct continuation of Panthalassa.
