In the fall of 2005, editors enjoyed a free hand to report on a catastrophic chemical leak in the Songhua River.

NEWYORKER: The Forbidden Zone

Hundreds of gigantic, intricate ice and snow sculptures line both sides of the banks of the frozen Songhua River, which cuts through Harbin.

BBC: Chill out in China: Harbin��s Ice and Snow Festival

China's best ski slopes are at the nearby Yabuli Ski Resort, while in Harbin itself the Songhua River provides space for ice skaters and ice hockey games.

BBC: Chill out in China: Harbin��s Ice and Snow Festival

What is unclear in the case of the Songhua River incident is whether the central authorities were aware of the extent of the problem before it was finally revealed last week.

ECONOMIST: China’s reluctance to come clean | The

As the slick moved along the Songhua river towards Harbin, it passed through Songyuan, a big city in Jilin, without a word of warning being issued to the public (though water supplies were suspended).

ECONOMIST: China’s reluctance to come clean | The