North Korea has been beefing up security for its leader Kim Jong-Un due to fears of a possible assassination attempt, South Korea's spy agency told lawmakers on Tuesday.

The National Intelligence Service (NIS) made the assessment during a parliamentary audit session, according to Rep. Lee Seong-kweun of the ruling People Power Party and Rep. Park Sun-won of the main opposition Democratic Party, news agency reported.

The NIS told lawmakers that the country has raised the level of security around Kim due to possible attempts on his life by operating communications jamming vehicles and drone detection equipment, as it noted that Kim's public activities this year reached 110 times, up about 60 per cent from last year.

The agency also said the reclusive country stopped using the "juche," or self-reliance, calendar -- a system of year numbering symbolising its late founder Kim Il-sung -- this month and is strengthening efforts to reinforce Kim Jong-un's position as the nation's sole leader.

High-quality disaster-related statistics are urgently needed as the African continent and the world at large are increasingly confronted with climate change-induced and other disasters, a senior official of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) has said.

The statement was made by Oliver Chinganya, director of the African Center for Statistics at the UNECA, on Monday while addressing the opening session of the Fourth Global Expert Forum for Producers and Users of Disaster-Related Statistics, which is held from October 28 to November 1 at the UN Conference Center in Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital, as reported by news agency.

"Our world faces an increasing frequency and intensity of disasters, exacerbated by climate change, urbanisation, and other socio-economic factors. These events not only claim lives but also disrupt communities, economies, and the fabric of our societies," he said.

The total capital outlay of top 18 states is projected to grow 7-9 per cent (year-on-year) to Rs 7.2 lakh crore this fiscal, building on a high base from last fiscal when it grew 27 per cent to Rs 6.7 lakh crore, a report showed on Tuesday.

The Centre raised the allocation for interest-free capex loans to all states to Rs 1.5 lakh crore this fiscal from Rs 1.3 lakh crore last fiscal.

Last fiscal, 80 per cent of the allocated amount was transferred to state governments and we expect the proportion to be similar this fiscal, too, said a Crisil Ratings report.

“Key segments which will drive the growth are transport, water supply and sanitation (including housing and urban development). Irrigation is expected to see a modest growth,” it added.

Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) on Tuesday announced a 15-year deal with Ireland’s Department of Social Protection (DSP) to provide digital solutions for the automatic enrolment of nearly 800,000 workers in that country.

Building on its experience of delivering similar national programmes, TCS will partner with the DSP to launch Ireland’s 'Auto Enrolment Pensions Scheme’, providing workers with a retirement savings platform.

“TCS has a wealth of relevant experience, having provided similar services in other countries. My officials and I will be working hard alongside TCS, the Revenue Commissioners and payroll software developers to make sure that My Future Fund is delivered on time and to the highest standard,” said Heather Humphreys, Minister for Social Protection.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for effort to cease hostilities and protect civilians in war-torn Sudan, but said conditions do not exist currently for the successful deployment of a UN force.

"Eighteen months have passed since brutal fighting erupted between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces. The suffering is growing by the day, with almost 25 million people now requiring assistance," Guterres said in briefing the Security Council on the situation in Sudan on Monday.

"The people of Sudan are living through a nightmare of violence," with thousands of civilians killed, and countless others facing unspeakable atrocities, including widespread rape and sexual assaults, the UN chief noted.

The Sudanese people "are also enduring a nightmare of hunger," with more than 750,000 people facing catastrophic food insecurity, famine conditions taking hold in displacement sites in North Darfur, and millions struggling to feed themselves every day, he said.

Yemen's Houthi group said in a statement that it carried out three attacks targeting three ships in the Arabian Sea and the Red Sea, as well as in the Bab al-Mandab Strait.

"In support of the Palestinian and Lebanese resistances, we carried out three military operations as part of the continuation of imposing a naval blockade on the Israeli enemy. The first operation targeted the ship SC Montreal in the Arabian Sea with two drones, and the hit was accurate," Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Sarea said in a statement aired by Houthi-run al-Masirah TV on Monday.

"The second operation targeted the ship Maersk Kowloon in the Arabian Sea using a cruise missile," he said, adding "the third operation targeted the ship Motaro in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab Strait with several ballistic missiles, and the hits were accurate."

Hungarian President Tamas Sulyok has reaffirmed Hungary's strong support for Serbia's European Union (EU) accession during an official visit to Belgrade. He also emphasised the importance of energy and infrastructure cooperation between the two countries.

"Serbia is not only a strategic partner for us but a true friend," Sulyok said at a joint press conference with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic on Monday. "We will do all we can to support Serbia's path to full EU membership, and we are committed to contributing to this shared goal."

Meanwhile, Sulyok highlighted that it is time to fulfill the two-decade-old promise of EU membership for the Western Balkans. Energy security and infrastructure emerged as key topics, with both leaders underscoring their countries' strategic alignment, news agency reported.

Samsung Electronics, facing a challenging market environment and weaker-than-expected third quarter earnings, is preparing new strategies to drive recovery in early 2025, analysts said on Tuesday.

The world's largest memory chip maker reported a preliminary operating profit of 9.1 trillion won ($6.8 billion) for the third quarter, missing market expectations of over 10 trillion won.

Its operating profit more than trebled compared with the same period a year ago, but retreated 12.8 per cent from three months earlier, reports news agency.

The disappointing earnings guidance has weighed on Samsung Electronics' stock, which fell by 30 percent over the past six months. Foreign investors led the sharp downfall.

The real estate sector in India raised nearly Rs 13,500 crore via initial public offerings (IPOs) from the markets this year to date, almost double the amount raised in 2023, according to a report on Tuesday.

With 123 fresh issues (As of October 20) across multiple sectors, 2024 has already surpassed the total number of IPOs witnessed in 2023, according to a report by Colliers India.

Since 2021, the bourses have witnessed 21 real estate IPOs, significantly higher than the 11 listings in the previous four years, during 2017-2020.

In the post-pandemic era, 21 real estate companies have raised Rs 31,900 crore through IPOs, more than double the funds raised in the preceding four-year period (2017-2020).

Australian wicketkeeper-batter Mathew Wade has announced his retirement from international cricket and will step into an assistant coaching role with the national side.

Wade calls time on a 13-year international career having appeared for Australia on more than 200 occasions, with the majority of those coming via the two white-ball formats. A T20 World Cup 2021 winner, Wade finishes up having played 36 Test matches, 97 ODIs and 92 T20Is for Australia, having also captained the ODI and T20 sides.

The wicketkeeper-batter, however, will continue to play white-ball cricket for Tasmania and the Hobart Hurricanes, as well as in some overseas leagues. Plans for his post-playing career are already in train with the 36-year-old set to be Australia's wicketkeeping and fielding coach for next month's T20 series against Pakistan.