The U.S. Senate voted 69 to 27 Monday in favor of a bill that gives states the option to require the collection of sales and use taxes already owed under state law by out-of-state online retailers.

A guide to complying with the “conflict” minerals provision of the Dodd Frank Act is now available online free of charge from the Jewelers Vigilance Committee (JVC).

The Federal Trade Commission will hold a public roundtable on June 19 in Washington to discuss possible revisions to the jewelry industry marketing guides.

Suzan Flamm of the Jewelers vigilance Committee reviews the Federal Trade Commission's new ".com" guidelines for online advertising.

Jewelers Vigilance Committee President and CEO Cecilia Gardner discusses the organization’s recent decision to maintain its relationship with the World Diamond Council.

The Diamond Empowerment Fund (DEF) has launched an online newsletter called The Good Report to help communicate its activities and relevant stories to the industry.

Tiffany & Co. and Leo Schachter Diamonds will be recognized for global leadership in helping empower people in Africa at the Diamond Empowerment Fund’s (DEF) second annual GOOD Awards, scheduled to take place here on Jan. 10.

PwC has published two documents that coincide with the Conflict-Free Gold Standard recently released by the World Gold Council (WGC).

On Thursday, the chairwoman of the Kimberley Process, U.S. Ambassador Gillian A. Milovanovic, will host an online conversation on conflict diamonds and KP reform.

The World Gold Council has published its Conflict-Free Gold Standard, an industry-led approach to combat the potential misuse of mined gold to fund armed conflict.

A recent call for a Diamond Source Warranty Protocol faced tough criticism at the World Diamond Congress in Mumbai that brought together diamond miners and manufacturers from around the world.

A group of U.S.-based industry organizations have developed a diamond sourcing protocol designed to go beyond the scope of the Kimberley Process to help companies ensure their diamonds do not originate from questionable sources.

Jewelers of America has issued a letter calling for diamond jewelry manufacturers--both inside the U.S. and overseas--to express support for the proposed changes to the Kimberley Process, changes that could be voted on as soon as the KP plenary meeting in November.

Platinum Guild International CEO James Courage will succeed Matt Runci as chairman of the Responsible Jewellery Council, the organization announced this week.

The Diamond Empowerment Fund presented a check for $75,000 to leaders of the Republic of Botswana on Monday, money that will go a long way toward the educational goals of that nation’s top students.

Ten individuals have joined the Jewelers for Children board of directors and will serve three-year terms as well as participate on the organization’s committees and assist in fundraising and program development.

Katey Brunini Marotta of jewelry brand K. Brunini Jewels was recognized with the Ambassador of Hope Award for 2012 at the City of Hope’s 10th Annual Taste of Hope benefit on Sept. 23.

An online seller of watches in Russia has been ordered to pay a record 3 million rubles (about $92,300) to Swatch Group brand Longines for selling watches that were not imported into the country through the proper channels.

The Gemological Institute of America will hold its Jewelry Career Fair here on Oct. 5 with a panel of industry leaders, an expert session on jewelry trends and one-on-one career coaching and hiring opportunities in gems and jewelry.

A law passed here last year requiring businesses to hold precious metals and gems for 14 days is adversely affecting local jewelry retailers.

A Hong Kong-based jewelry company was ordered to pay the U.S. government nearly $2 million in fines and restitution for using false invoices to avoid paying full customs duties on gold jewelry being shipped into the United States.

The Securities and Exchange Commission voted 3-2 on Wednesday morning to implement the “conflict” minerals provision of the Dodd-Frank Act. The provision requires publicly traded companies to determine and disclose if they use minerals, including gold and tungsten, that originated in the Democratic Republic of the Congo or one of nine neighboring countries and financed or benefitted armed groups there.

The Diamond Empowerment Fund will hold the second Annual Good Awards on Jan. 10 here, honoring individuals and corporations within the jewelry industry.

The Diamond Empowerment Fund, the industry charity co-founded by Russell Simmons, recently announced that it will give half of the proceeds of a recent raffle to Jewelers for Children.

CIBJO, the World Jewellery Confederation, is to work closely with the U.K.-based Company of Master Jewellers on strategies relating to corporate social responsibility throughout the global jewelry industry.