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As a chemical spill in the Songhua River heads toward Russia's Far East, the nearly 4 million people of Harbin, China, do without running water for a fourth day. The BBC's Louisa Lim tells Scott Simon that Chinese newspapers are criticizing the central government's slow response to the disaster.

Four adults died on a water ride at Dreamworld amusement park in Queensland state. The attraction — "Thunder River Rapids" — was reportedly a fairly mild ride.

Playlist: Bob Dylan "Things Have Changed" The Wonderboy CD single — Bonnie Raitt "Two Lights in the Nighttime" Souls Alike — Taj Mahal "Corrina Corrina" Best Of Taj Mahal — Special Live on World Cafe: Dar Williams "Two Sides of the River" My Better Self

With each beautiful and jarring chord change, Paul Simon and unlikely collaborator Brian Eno evoke raging rivers metaphorical and literal. It's easy to imagine this song — one of his best — carrying on for hours, an index of torments natural and manmade.

The singer and guitarist found fame with a band that exemplified the psychedelic '60s: Jefferson Airplane. Years after living the life of a rock star, Kaukonen is returning to his roots — blues and folk music — on his new album, River of Time.

On his debut EP, Get to the River Before It Runs Too Low, Sea Wolf's Alex Brown Church puts his skills to good use on a collection of delicate, timeless pop songs. At times, the disc recalls classic '70s and '80s songwriters like Mark Knopfler and Tom Petty.

Jon-Rae Fletcher may be Canada's finest indie-gospel-country-soul songwriter, and his backing band The River — a rotating cast of friends who occasionally include members of a gospel choir — accompanies his charismatic odes to sex, drinking, rock 'n' roll and God.

In "Red River," the muddy bass and lean drums aren't flashy, but they make a sturdy soapbox for singer-songwriter Rocky Votolato and his guitar. Smoky vocals place a sedate mask on his words, making them easy to swallow.

Whitmore has been called a folk singer, a roots troubadour and an heir to Pete Seeger and Bruce Springsteen. He grew up on the fertile land between the Mississippi and Des Moines Rivers, on a horse farm in Iowa. Whitmore's new album, Field Songs, is an ode to family farmers.

In "Sare Mabo," Sorry Bamba adds a colorful new piece to the splendid puzzle that is Malian music.