Prime Minister Narendra Modi wished the nation today on Dussehra, celebrated every year at the end of Navaratri. 

“Best wishes to my family members across the country on Vijayadashami. This holy festival brings the message of ending negative forces as well as adopting goodness in life. Wishing you all a Happy Vijaya Dashami!” the PM posted on X.

देशभर के मेरे परिवारजनों को विजयादशमी की हार्दिक शुभकामनाएं। यह पावन पर्व नकारात्मक शक्तियों के अंत के साथ ही जीवन में अच्छाई को अपनाने का संदेश लेकर आता है।

Wishing you all a Happy Vijaya Dashami!

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 24, 2023

Home Minister Amit Shah also extended his greetings and said: “Best wishes to all on ‘Vijayadashami’. No matter how dense the darkness of unrighteousness is, the victory of the light of righteousness based on truth is eternal. Symbolic of the victory of virtue over sin, ‘Vijayadashami’ is a festival that inspires and teaches us to always follow the path of wisdom and truth. May Lord Shri Ram bless everyone. Jai Shri Ram!”

समस्त देशवासियों को ‘विजयादशमी’ की हार्दिक शुभकामनाएं।
अधर्म का अंधकार चाहे कितना भी घना क्यों न हो, सत्य के आधार पर धर्म के उजाले की विजय शाश्वत है। पाप पर पुण्य की विजय का प्रतीक ‘विजयादशमी’ हमें सदैव विवेक और सत्य के मार्ग पर चलने की प्रेरणा व शिक्षा देने वाला पर्व है।
प्रभु… pic.twitter.com/FX8bcVnNle

— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) October 24, 2023

The festival of Dussehra will be celebrated across the country today, with effigies of Ravana being burned to mark the victory of good over evil.

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) will hold its annual Vijaydashmi Utsav in Nagpur today. The customary Dussehra gathering will be addressed by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat at the Reshimbaug ground – an integral part of the organisation’s event calendar, a release said.

Microsoft announced Tuesday a Aus$5 billion (US$3.2 billion) investment in Australia focused on cloud computing and artificial intelligence, saying it would boost the country’s economy and cyber defences.

Details of the deal were outlined by bosses at the US tech giant and by Australia’s prime minister, Anthony Albanese, who is on a four-day official visit to the United States.

It represents Microsoft’s largest investment in Australia in its 40-year history in the country, the company said in a statement.

Microsoft will expand its “hyperscale” cloud computing and AI infrastructure in Australia over the next two years, adding nine data centres to the 20 already in Canberra, Sydney and Melbourne, it said. 

The tech giant said it would also work with Australia’s cyber spy agency, the Australian Signals Directorate, on a “cyber shield” to protect the country from threats.

Albanese welcomed the investment during a news conference at the Australian embassy in Washington.

Microsoft’s partnership with the signals directorate would improve Australia’s capacity to identify, prevent and respond to cyber threats, he said. 

“We know that this is having an impact on all companies. We know as well, that this is about individuals and the protection of who they are,” the prime minister told reporters.

“We need to get this right.”

There were 76,000 cybercrimes reported to the Australian Cyber Security Centre last year, although experts warn many more go unreported.

Late last year, more than nine million people had personal data stolen during a cyber attack on phone company Optus and up to 9.7 million had their details leaked onto the dark web after health insurer Medibank was targeted.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is set to visit Washington for a three-day visit, where he will meet with Secretary of State Antony Blinken and national security adviser Jake Sullivan to discuss various issues. This visit comes as both countries aim to keep high-level talks open despite strained relations. The trip is described as reciprocal to Blinken’s visit to Beijing in June. The officials did not confirm whether a meeting between President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping would take place at the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit.