Showdown before the big one

River of tears: The by-elections for Kuala Kangsar and Sungai Besar will happen during the fasting month following the deaths of (from bottom left) Wan Mohammad Khair-il and Noriah who is pictured here with her husband Asmuni Abdullah. Inset: Azmin at an open air market in Parit.

The twin by-elections in Kuala Kangsar and Sungai Besar will test the strengths and weaknesses of the parties that have a stake in the next general election.

A HELICOPTER journey that ended in a river with six people onboard. Two of them were MPs whose constituencies are typified by rivers.