Current affairs 01 March 2023

Radio telescope "ALMA" is set to get software and hardware upgrades.

• Radio telescope, the Atacama Large Millimetre/submillimetre Array (ALMA) is set to get software and hardware upgrades.
• Reason: To collect more data and produce sharper images than ever before.
• ALMA is a radio telescope comprising 66 antennas located in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile.
• The upgradation would take around five years to finish.
• It is operated under a partnership between the US, and 16 countries in Europe, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and Chile.

Meta launches LLaMA model, a mightier research tool than OpenAI's GPT-3.

• After OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Google BARD, now Meta Platforms, Inc. has introduced a new research tool that will soon aid in building AI-based chatbots.
• The company has publicly released its Large Language Model Meta AI (LLaMA).
• LLaMA is a state-of-the-art foundational language model.
• It is developed to assist researchers in their work in the subfield of AI.
• This would be Meta’s third LLM after Glactica and Blender Bot 3 that were shut down immediately after incorrect results.

Lionel Messi wins Best Men's Player 2022 at the FIFA awards.

• Lionel Messi (35) won FIFA's best men's player of the year for 2022 after winning his maiden World Cup title with Argentina in December 2022 in Qatar.
• While Alexia Putellas (Spain) was awarded the best women's player for a second straight year.
• Other awardees:
• Best fans award: Argentina
• Fairplay award: Luka Lochoshvili (Georgia)
• Best men's coach: Lionel Scaloni (Argentina)
• Best women's coach: Sarina Wiegman
• Best goal (Puskas award): Marcin Oleksy

Shailesh Pathak appointed FICCI secretary general.

• The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) has confirmed the appointment of former bureaucrat Shailesh Pathak as its secretary general, with effect from 1 March 2023.
• FICCI also announced that director general, Arun Chawla will be superannuated on June 30, 2023, and transition to an advisory role.
• He has worked with the government as an IAS officer as well as helmed large companies in the private sector.
• FICCI President: Shubhrakant panda.

Karnataka's Byndoor to get country's 1st marina.

• Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai has confirmed, that state will get India's 1st Marina which will be constructed at Byndoor in the Udupi district.
• Aim: To promote coastal tourism in the state.
• The state government has received permission from the Government of India for the relaxation of Coastal Regulation Zone rules.
• The government also proposed to build a corridor of ancient temples like Madhukeshwara (Banavasi) and Dattatreya (Ganagapura) and promote Yatra tourism.