Peshawar, Pakistan - One of two Chinese engineers kidnapped by Islamic militants in Pakistan's north-west escaped from captivity on Friday and reached a security post, but his colleague was recaptured, officials and a Taliban spokesman said.

The two abductees managed to slip away when they were being transported by Taliban militants in a vehicle from the Piochar area in the restive Swat district to the neighbouring Dir region in the North West Frontier Province (NWFP).

They were chased by the Taliban in the wooded mountains and one of them was caught after he received injuries due to a fall, the militants said.

Berlin - German Chancellor Angela Merkel is to visit Beijing next week for the scheduled Asia-Europe summit ASEM, her deputy spokesman Thomas Steg said Friday in Berlin.

The October 24-25 meeting would give 43 nations an opportunity to discuss the financial crisis, the world economy and environmental issues, according to Steg.

Merkel, who has been pushing for stricter global regulation of financial markets, would meet beforehand with Chinese President Hu Jintao and Prime Minister Wen Jiabao.

Beijing - Thousands of workers were made redundant in southern China after the global recession and rising costs forced more than 3,000 toy makers out of business, state media said on Friday.

More than 6,000 workers at two plants lost their jobs this week when Hong Kong-based company Smart Union closed two toy factories in Dongguan, Guangdong province, the official China Daily said.

"The main reason for the closure is that we are too dependent on the US market, which has become sluggish," the newspaper quoted Xu Xiaofang, a Smart Union personnel officer, as saying.

Bangkok - Made-in-China explosive tear-gas canisters were blamed Friday for death and mayhem at an anti-government protest last week in Bangkok.

A group of policemen and their friends submitted a letter to China's ambassador to Thailand, demanding an investigation of the components of tear-gas containers used to disperse protests on October 7.

The death of two protestors and the maiming and wounding of hundreds of others have been blamed on the government. The police acted to lift a siege of Parliament by protestors attempting to prevent its formal opening under new Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat.

Beijing, Oct. 17 : China will launch a telecommunication satellite “PakSat-1R” for Pakistan in 2011. Contracts for the satellite deal were sealed on Wednesday in the presence of presidents from both countries. Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari is in Beijing on his first four-day state visit.

This is the third time China has delivered a satellite to another country. In 2007, two satellites were sent to Nigeria.

The satellite''s chief contractor, the China Great Wall Industry Corporation (CGWIC) said that a “Long March 3B” rocket will be used to put the satellite into the orbit. The company said ground control facilities for the satellite will be delivered to the Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission after it enters orbit.

Beijing, Oct 17: During Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari’s ongoing four-day state visit, China has promised its long time ally (Pakistan) to help it come out of the financial crunch. Pakistan is currently facing an inflation rate of 25 percent, and said to be having a budget that could not last more than a month.

“As a long friend of Pakistan, China understands it is facing some financial difficulties. We’re ready to support and help Pakistan within our capability,” the Daily Times quoted Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang as telling reporters at a media briefing.

He said that China would extend all possible help to Pakistan “within its capability” to help it avert the looming financial disaster.