Reuters World News Highlights at 0145 GMT, Mar 15

BRUSSELS - Finance ministers from countries using the euro hope to agree on Monday on a way of providing heavily indebted Greece with financial aid, despite French and German doubts that a deal will be reached.

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PARIS - French President Nicolas Sarkozy's UMP party was beaten by the Socialists in the first round of regional elections on Sunday, according to early results which also showed a resurgence for the far-right.

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BANGKOK - Thousands of anti-government protesters in Bangkok plan to march to a military base on Monday to step up pressure on Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to dissolve parliament and call fresh elections.

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BEIJING - Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on Sunday spurned foreign calls for the yuan to rise and showed no let up in scolding the United States over recent bilateral tensions.

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MELBOURNE - Australia on Monday welcomed a report by China clearing Rio Tinto and the Australian government of blame for the collapse of a $19.5 billion tie-up between Chinalco and Rio Tinto last June.

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WASHINGTON - U.S. Senate Banking Committee Chairman Christopher Dodd told Reuters he will unveil revised financial regulation reform legislation on Monday and threw down a challenge to Republican lawmakers.

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WASHINGTON - White House officials on Sunday confidently predicted quick final passage of healthcare reform but a top Democratic vote-counter said the party still needs to line up more support in the House of Representatives.

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BAGHDAD - Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki pulled ahead on Sunday in early results of an election Iraqis hoped would end years of sectarian strife, but a divided vote suggested long and fraught talks to form a government are ahead.

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MOSCOW - Support for Russia's ruling party fell sharply in regional elections on Sunday amid growing anger at price rises and high unemployment after the global economic crisis halted years of rapid growth.

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JERUSALEM - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu voiced regret on Sunday for the announcement of a Jewish settlement plan that has strained ties with Washington and threatens the revival of Middle East peace talks.

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BOGOTA - Colombian President Alvaro Uribe's governing party and allied Conservative Party took an early lead in congressional elections on Sunday in a barometer of May's presidential ballot to replace the Washington ally.