The India-US relationship recently took a gem-studded twist with the presentation of an eco-friendly lab-grown diamond (LGD) to US First Lady, Jill Biden. This synthetic jewel, manufactured in Surat, India–a city renowned for its diamond industry, represents not just the expertise of Indian diamond producers but also an evolution toward sustainable and eco-conscious gemstone production methods.
‘Made-in-Surat’ Lab-Grown Diamond
This novel piece of technology, the lab-grown diamond (LGD), is an exact equivalent of a natural diamond, possessing identical physical properties and chemical composition. However, as opposed to a diamond that’s mined from the earth, an LGD is produced in a laboratory through either High Pressure, High Temperature (HPHT) or Chemical Vapour Deposition (CVD) methods. In this process, a seed diamond, essentially a slice of another diamond, is used as the starting point. Lab-grown diamonds find extensive applications in industrial tools and machinery due to their remarkable hardness. Additionally, pure synthetic diamonds play an essential role as heat spreaders in electronics.
Summer Solstice: The Longest Day of the Year
Apart from the glitter of diamonds, another major celestial event captivates the world every year on June 21st. Known as the summer solstice, it marks the longest day in the Northern Hemisphere, a phenomenon brought about by Earth’s tilt on its axis. At an unchanging angle of 23.5 degrees in relation to the sun, this tilt produces what we experience as the solstice. The name is derived from the Latin phrase for “sun stands still.” Between March and September, the Northern Hemisphere receives more direct sunlight, leading to the summer season. However, the duration of sunlight during the summer solstice is determined by geographical latitude. The further north you go, the more daylight you get–at the Arctic Circle, for instance, the sun remains visible throughout the entire day during the solstice. Conversely, in the Southern Hemisphere, the most sunlight is received between December 21 and 23, marking the winter solstice when the northern hemisphere experiences its longest nights.
National Florence Nightingale Award: Honouring Nursing Excellence
The National Florence Nightingale Award is a prestigious recognition given by the Government of India to nurses and nursing professionals for their outstanding services to society. Recently, the President of India presented these awards for the years 2022 and 2023 at a function held at Rashtrapati Bhavan. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare established the honour in 1973.
Legal Counsel Challenges ED’s Authority in PMLA Arrest Case
In a recent hearing in the Madras High Court, a senior counsel representing a petitioner questioned the jurisdiction of the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) in a case related to the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The main challenge was the insistence of the ED on custodial interrogation without the powers of a Station House Officer (SHO), making their demand for custody of the arrested person questionable from a legal standpoint. The counsel also referenced a Supreme Court ruling that restricts custodial interrogation beyond 15 days from the date of arrest, regardless of circumstances. The ED is a multi-disciplinary organisation tasked with investigating offences of money laundering and violations of foreign exchange laws, functioning under the Department of Revenue of the Ministry of Finance.
Last Modified: February 20, 2024