UPSC CURRENT AFFAIRS

7,200 CBI CASES UNDER PC ACT PENDING TRIAL: CVC REPORT 📊⚖️ ■ According to the annual report of the CVC, more than 7,200 cases probed by the CBI under the Prevention of Corruption (PC) Act were pending trial as on Dec 31, 2025. o   Of these, more than 400 cases were pending for over 20 years 🕰️ ■ Apart from these there were over 14,000 appeals, revisions, and writ petitions pending under the Act in the High Courts and the Supreme Court. 🏛️ ■ During 2025, the conviction rate in CBI cases was 71.71% against 69.14% for 2024. 📈 ■ Last year, the agency had 755 corruption-related cases pending investigation. During the year, the CBI registered: o    797 regular cases, o   177 preliminary enquiries, and o   recorded 31 Lokpal references. 📝 VACANCY IN CBI 👮‍♂️ ■ As of Dec 31, 2025, sanctioned strength of the CBI was 7,300. However, there were 1,088 vacant positions.

CENTRE DEFERS CENSUS IN MANIPUR 📝 ■ The Centre has deferred the Census operations in Manipur, which was scheduled to begin on September 1. 📅 ■ The decision followed a high-level review meeting headed by the Union Home Minister in New Delhi to assess the current situation in the State. The meeting was attended by the Manipur Governor, Chief Minister, Union Home secretary, and other officials. 🏛️ ■ The demand was raised by the people of Manipur, specifically Meitei, Pangals (Meitei Muslims), and Nagas, to update the National Register of Citizens (NRC) before conducting the Census. 👥 ■ Earlier, the influential Kuki-Zo Council dismissed the NRC demand, calling it “premature and unjustified,” and welcomed the Census exercise. 🗣️ ■ The High Court of Manipur also directed that the Census exercise in the State remain deferred until further orders. ⚖️ no    Two separate petitions, one filed by the Kangleipak Students’ Association and the other by Shanta Nahakpam, the convener of the 14 civil society groups. no    The petitions sought directions to update the NRC using 1951 as the base year and to address concerns over illegal migration from Myanmar before the Census is carried out. 🛑

FAMOUS SUPERGIANT STAR BETELGEUSE MAY NOT BE ALONE 🌟 ■ Astronomers have found strong evidence that Betelgeuse, the famous red supergiant star, has a close companion, now called Betelgeuse B. ■ It seems to be a young star around 2.6-3.1-times as heavy as our sun. ☀️ ■ And it could explain why Betelgeuse’s brightness changes in a six-year cycle: that is likely caused by the companion periodically blocking some of Betelgeuse’s light.