WASHINGTON/NEW YORK - THE US Federal Reserve hiked its support for insurer American International Group Inc to about $150 billion (S$223 billion) on Monday after an initial bailout attempt failed to stem massive losses.

Under the new plan, the government is putting $150 billion at AIG's disposal, $27 billion more than it extended previously. But the new package will leave the government exposed to billions of dollars of potential losses.

JAKARTA - INDONESIA'S handling of the executions of three militants for the 2002 Bali bombings caused unnecessary suffering for victims of the blasts and helped fan domestic passions, Indonesian media said on Monday.

The three men from the militant Islamist group Jemaah Islamiah - Imam Samudra, Mukhlas, and Amrozi - were executed by firing squad on Sunday for the 2002 nightclub attacks that killed 202 people, including 88 Australians and 38 Indonesians.

BEIJING - INVESTORS welcomed China's multibillion-dollar stimulus package but analysts said on Monday the plan will depend on Chinese companies to supply a big share of the spending.

Stock markets in Japan, Hong Kong and mainland China soared after Sunday's announcement of the 4 trillion yuan, or $586 billion (S$872 billion), package as Beijing joined moves by governments around the world to cushion the blow of the global slowdown.

NEW rules designed to make air travel advertisements transparent have killed off those '$1' flights to Bangkok, but the actual prices of package holidays still remain anyone's guess.

A scan of travel advertisements shows that most travel agents and airlines now include other fees such as fuel surcharges and airport taxes in the cost of a ticket.