Water

Too hazardous to touch in some places, China’s Yellow River has been choked by pollution and sediment. Joe Lamar reports on officials’ struggles to clean up the ‘Mother River’ and stem demand from the country’s ever thirstier provinces.

The Citarum River is Indonesia’s lifeline. But polluted and poisoned, it now poses serious health risks. Elise Potaka investigates the problem–and possible solutions.

Pushing the long grass aside, Phorn pointed to a marker stone. ‘The Chinese workers came and put this here,’ he said.