KINI ROUNDUP Here are the key headlines you may have missed yesterday, in brief.

Chemical weapon used on Jong-nam

The Chemistry Department of Malaysia's preliminary analysis has established that VX nerve agent, a banned chemical weapon, was used in the murder of Kim Jong-nam, the estranged half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

Inspector-general of police Khalid Abu Bakar said one of the suspects in the murder had suffered from vomiting, a result of exposure to the highly toxic chemical.

Police and the Atomic Energy Licensing Board (AELB) will sweep locations visited by the suspects at KL International Airport 2 for traces of the nerve agent following this revelation.

Malaysiakini takes a look at VX nerve agent in a KiniGuide, including its use during the Iran-Iraq war.

On a related matter, Khalid denied Jong-nam's kin would be visiting Malaysia, claiming that his deputy was misquoted.

Meanwhile, the North Korean embassy insisted it did not receive any request from the police to question two of its citizens, one of them a diplomatic staff, in relation to the murder.

Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi ordered a review of Malaysia's relations with North Korea while Foreign Minister Anifah Aman described the North Korean ambassador as "delusional" for his scathing comments against the country.

Siti Hasmah jumps to Dr M's defence

Dr Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali came to her husband Dr Mahathir Mohamad's defence, recounting his cordial relationship with the late Johor ruler Sultan Iskandar Sultan Ismail after the latter's successor attacked the former prime minister.

Pakatan Harapan Youth lodged a police report against Sungai Besar Umno chief Jamal Md Yunos for abusing mosque assets after the Selangor sultan expressed his unhappiness over Jamal’s wrongful use of hearses at a protest.

Selangor Umno deputy information chief Mat Nazri Ahmad Dahlan said it would be Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak's call if Umno would cooperate with PAS in the bid to recapture Selangor at the next general election.

Another sister-in-law weighs in

Former Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) special operations division director Bahri Mohd Zin's sister-in-law said it was she who had lodged an MACC complaint against another sister-in-law that led to a raid.

PKR deputy president Azmin Ali defended his statement alluding that a federal minister was about to quit, stating that the reaction from Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak reflected Najib’s weak position.

He also claimed that his father “rose from the dead” to vote at the 2004 general election.

Other Kinibites

The planned execution of two brothers, B Rames, 45, and B Suthar, 40, both convicted of murder, was halted at the 11th hour following a clemency appeal.

Police have been criticised for the continued remand of two teens who are witnesses in the custodial death of S Balamurugan.

The Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd will provide facilities for National Higher Education Fund (PTPTN) borrowers who are blacklisted from travelling to settle their loans at airports.

The National Union of Flight Attendants Malaysia called on authorities to act against airlines that have yet to pay Employees' Provident Fund (EPF) and Social Security Organisation (Socso) contributions to former employees.

Looking ahead

The various groups formed in the wake of the Reformasi movement in the late 1990s will be holding a Konvesyen Reformis in Shah Alam.

PAS members are submitting a memorandum in support of their leader Abdul Hadi Awang against DAP at the party headquarters this afternoon.