Chinese staff returned to work after meeting with project officials.
But rights groups dismiss his remarks as propaganda and call him a traitor to the Uyghur community.
A California lawmaker meanwhile calls for the release of a US citizen jailed in Vietnam in a case described by one defense lawyer as a sham.
Some see hypocrisy in purportedly reformist Aung San Suu Kyi government’s silencing of social media in conflict zones.
Authorities investigate to expose rebellious elements among the rare group of no-shows.
Rights groups say the charges are too light, given the severity of their crimes and number of casualties.
Li Xin, husband of detained vaccine campaigner He Fangmei, says the collusion of government and vaccine producers needs to be addressed.
The government cancels a scheduled cabinet meeting as professional and religious groups join the chorus of calls for an independent inquiry.
Civil society, legal experts, and opposition members demand an independent probe of the incident.
The latest eruption of hostilities occurs as parts of the state grapple with an internet service shutdown by the government.
