2013 CURRENT AFFAIRS-SEPTEMBER

• The Gambia is to withdraw from the Commonwealth, 48 years after joining the 54-member grouping, which includes the United Kingdom and most of its former colonies. President Yahya Jammeh, a despot who seized power in the West African state almost 20 years ago, became the first leader to pull out of the Commonwealth unilaterally since President Robert Mugabe chose to withdraw Zimbabwe in 2003. 
• The Eight Core Industries have a combined weight of 37.90% in the Index of Industrial Production (IIP). The combined Index of Eight Core Industries stands at 156.4 in July, 2013, which was 3.1% higher compared to the index of July, 2012. 
• India’s advanced multi-band communication satellite GSAT-7, launched from Kourou, French Guiana in the early hours of August 30, 2013. 
• The 2013 G-20 Russia summit was the eighth meeting of the G-20 heads of government. The hosting venue was the Constantine Palace in Saint Petersburg, Russia, 5–6 September 2013.