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

PM returns to hero's welcome

About 1,000 people greeted Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak at the Kaula Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) upon his return from a working trip to the US and the UK.

His pledges at the White House to help the US economy made him the subject of ridicule at home, but upon disembarking, he got down to brass tacks and took aim at his chief critic – former premier Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

According to the PM, he was invited to the White House, while Mahathir allegedly had to pay lobbyists to do the same in 2003.

He also told his supporters that Mahathir had also once endorsed efforts by the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) to venture into equity investments abroad.

But most importantly, he drove home the point that he, unlike those before him, was now a "friend" of the most powerful country in the world.

From KLIA, his next stop was the Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah at Kampung Datuk Keramat, Kuala Lumpur where he announced that Putrajaya would channel RM30 million to similar schools nationwide to be used for infrastructure works.

Treasury-general Mohd Irwan Serigar Abdullah denied claims that the objective of Najib's trip to the White House was to strengthen the US economy.

Selangor Menteri Besar Mohamed Azmin Ali said he was disappointed that Najib was trying to bring investments to the US while his administration was working to attract US investors.

PKR vice-president Rafizi Ramli pointed out that Najib has forgotten that EPF has already reached its foreign spending cap.

However, the EPF assured Malaysians that any investment abroad will be subjected to due processes.

Fire victims laid to rest

Those who died at the Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah religious school fire were buried in various cemeteries across the Klang Valley.

Mahathir's wife Dr Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali, upon visiting the scene, said she was angry with those claiming that the children had died as "martyrs" and that this was "God's will".

Housing and Local Government Minister Noh Omar has ordered fire safety checks in all tahfiz schools across the country.

Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the federal government doesn't have jurisdiction over private tahfiz schools or state-owned Sekolah Agama Rakyat as they come under state religious authorities.

The G25 advocacy group said they support Zahid’s suggestions to set up a special committee to probe the accident.

Johor ruler Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar urged the Fire and Rescue Department to immediately identify schools - including madrasah, tuition centres, boarding schools and primary and secondary schools - that are a fire hazard.

Other Kinibites

China's Zhejiang Geely Holding Group (Geely) has been given the right to appoint the new chief executive officer of the manufacturing arm of national carmaker Proton, Perusahaan Otomobil Nasional Sdn Bhd (PONSB).

Several hours of rain wreaked havoc in Penang prompted MCA to remind Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng of his promise to resolve flood woes back in 2013.

Twenty-two people were injured after a bomb went off at the Parsons Green underground station in West London.

Mahathir told Malaysiakini in an exclusive interview that if Pakatan Harapan compelled him to contest during the next general election, he would prefer standing in Langkawi or Putrajaya.

Looking ahead

Najib is scheduled to attend a patriotic rally with the Chinese community at PWTC in the morning.