Controversial dam
The week's news at a glance.
Wuhan, China
China blew up a temporary dam along the Yangtze River this week and released the waters to the Three Gorges Dam. The latter is now holding back the river, but its other function, generating electricity, won’t be running for another two years. Three Gorges is intended to control the Yangtze’s annual floods, which have killed 300,000 in the past century. The project drew opposition from environmentalists and historic preservationists worldwide. More than 1 million people were relocated and hundreds of villages destroyed for the construction of the $25 billion dam.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
July 13 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Sunday's political cartoons include new TSA rules, FEMA cuts, and Volodymyr Zelenskyy complimenting Donald Trump's new wardrobe
-
5 weather-beaten cartoons about the Texas floods
Cartoons Artists take on funding cuts, politicizing tragedy, and more
-
What has the Dalai Lama achieved?
The Explainer Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader has just turned 90, and he has been clarifying his reincarnation plans