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The BRICS nations on Tuesday adopted the Guwahati Declaration, reaffirming their commitment to strengthen cooperation to prevent and combat illicit drug trafficking and related transnational organised crime.Concluding the two-day BRICS Heads of Anti-Drug Agencies meeting here, the grouping nations adopted the joint declaration, underscoring the need to enhance the timely exchange of information, intelligence and best practices, consistent with national laws and international obligations.The declaration also emphasised the promotion of innovative technologies, digital tools and data-driven approaches to strengthen law enforcement and regulatory efforts against illicit drug trafficking.The BRICS countries also expressed concern over the evolving nature of illicit drug…

Dr. Bibhab Kumar Talukdar, founder Secretary General & Executive Director of Aaranyak and a globally recognised conservation biologist, has been elected as a Fellow of the Linnean Society of London (FLS).FLS is one of the highest international recognitions in the field of natural history and biological sciences.The Linnean Society of London, founded in 1788, is the world’s oldest active biological society. It is dedicated to the study and dissemination of knowledge on natural history, evolution, and taxonomy.Past Fellows include luminaries such as Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace.Fellows (FLS) are elected based on their significant contributions to these fields. Election…

Assam Education Minister Ranoj Pegu has dismissed allegations by Raijor Dal chief Akhil Gogoi that government schools in Assam had lost 2,12,768 students over the past two years and 25,67,793 students between 2021-22 and 2024-25.The Education Minister termed the claims misleading, attributing the decline to demographic changes and ongoing data cleansing.“Assam has around 50 lakh students. If 25 lakh students had disappeared, it would mean a 50 percent decline. Anyone applying common sense would realise that such a claim is unrealistic,” he said, responding to a media query.Throwing light on the trends, Pegu said the enrolment of students in government…

Renowned conservation biologist Bibhab Kumar Talukdar has been elected a Fellow of the Linnean Society of London (FLS), one of the world's oldest and most respected scientific societies dedicated to natural history and biological sciences.The honour recognises Talukdar's decades-long contribution to wildlife conservation, particularly his work to protect the endangered one-horned rhinoceros and preserve biodiversity across Northeast India.Talukdar is the founder Secretary General and Executive Director of Assam-based biodiversity organisation Aaranyak. The recognition was announced by the organisation on Monday, describing it as an important international acknowledgement of his work in conservation. Founded in 1788, the Linnean Society of London…

A new digital platform dedicated to documenting Assam's rich birdlife has been launched, offering bird enthusiasts, researchers, students and the general public a single source of information on hundreds of bird species found across the state.Named Pokkhi, the freely accessible website has been developed to showcase Assam's avian diversity while preserving and promoting Assamese bird names alongside English names. The platform is available online and currently features detailed information on 372 bird species recorded in the state.The repository includes carefully curated Assamese and English common names, high-quality field photographs, identification guides, species descriptions and their conservation status based on the…

Hindi has been included in the official proceedings of the Assam Assembly. From Monday, the start of the budget session, the state government has decided to include Hindi along with Assamese, English and Bodo in the House proceedings. With this decision, Hindi has for the first time received recognition as an official language of the Assam Assembly proceedings. The proposal was unanimously adopted at the General Purposes Committee meeting held on Saturday. Assembly Speaker Ranjit Kumar Das informed that Parliamentary Affairs Minister Piyush Hazarika, Minister Keshab Mahanta, Leader of Opposition Wajed Ali Choudhury and other members from both the ruling…

The Bharatiya Janata Party, Assam Pradesh today commemorated the 125th birth anniversary of Dr. Shyama Prasad Mookherjee, one of modern India's foremost nationalist thinkers, distinguished educationists, parliamentarians, and the founder of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, with solemnity and reverence at the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Bhawan in Guwahati.The commemorative programme was led by the President of BJP Assam Pradesh, Dilip Saikia, in the presence of senior party leaders and karyakartas, who offered floral tributes and reaffirmed their unwavering commitment to the ideals of cultural nationalism, constitutional unity, national integration, and selfless public service championed by Dr. Mookherjee.Addressing the gathering, Saikia stated…