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CHURCH: In Malaysia, the two women accused of murdering North Korean Leader Kim Jong-Un's half-brother have pleaded not guilty. They arrived earlier for the first day of their trial in Kuala Lumpur. Authorities say the women killed Kim Jong-Nam at the city's airport back in February by rubbing VX nerve agent on his face. Our Nic Robertson is in Kuala Lumpur and joins me with the very latest. Nic, you were there when these two women were brought into court. How did they look? What is expected out of today's proceedings?</s>NIC ROBERTSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATIC EDITOR: Sure. I mean, they arrived in saloon vehicles, not in some big heavily armored trucks, but they did have flap jackets on. They were whisked up the stairs into the court building. Saw them just a few seconds. I could see the women, they weren't really showing any emotion. But from their lawyers they feel confident that they can win this case, that the claims of being innocent, not guilty, that they can get that across in this courtroom. But this has a huge amount of interest in the region and it has potentially huge international diplomatic implications.</s>ROBERTSON (voice-over): Caught on security camera, a brazen daylight murder in public. Two women sneak up behind a man at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, one of Asia's busiest transport hubs, and wipe a cloth in his face. The man asked airport staff for help, but minutes later, he was dead. The victim is Kim Jong-Nam, the estranged and exiled half-brother of North Koreas leader, Kim Jong-Un. Investigators concluded the substance that killed him was VX nerve agent, a chemical weapon. Kim's murder drew international attention and sparked diplomatic row between Malaysia and North Korea. Within days, police arrested two women. But South Korean intelligence and, later, Malaysian officials pointed the finger to Kim Jong-Un for ordering a hit on his half- brother. South Korea's intelligence service believes the women were recruited by two assassination groups. The women say they were duped and thought they had been hired to take part in a TV prank show. But Malaysia's prosecutors allege they were well aware of what they were actually doing. One key question though is why North Korea may have wanted Kim Jong- Nam dead. Theories range from the regime's desire to send a warning to North Korean defectors to stay silent, to Kim Jong-Un feeling threatened that his half-brother may be a challenge to his rule and line of succession. North Korea strenuously denies any involvement in the murder. Malaysian police named several North Korean citizens they want to question about the case. Four of them left the country the day after Kim's murder. The others were sent back to Pyongyang after questioning. That leaves the two women as the only people charged in this most high-profile murder mystery. If found guilty of murder, both women face death by hanging.</s>ROBERTSON: So already the trial has gotten contentious. The prosecution laid out that these women individually, with four unnamed others, perpetrated this crime. Now, the defense said to the prosecution, they asked the judge to get the prosecution to name these four others. The judge, after a couple of hours of deliberation, said, no, they didn't have to be named, which has left the defense feeling the case against them is prejudiced, that they are disadvantaged by this. They say they will fight back. But it raises the question in their mind, because these four individuals are known to be North Koreans, is there an attempt to keep North Korea out of central focus in this trial of these two women, who claim they are innocent -- Rosemary?</s>CHURCH: All right. Out Nic Robertson, in Kuala Lumpur, where it is 1:45 p.m., covering this trial. Many thanks to you, Nic. It is a favorite vacation getaway. But the seamy side of the Dominican Republic puts it on a disturbing list. The battle against human trafficking. That's ahead.