Benghazi - Libyan leader Moamer Gaddafi has said that in the coming year every Libyan family will receive directly a small portion of the country's oil income, in a bid to prevent funds from falling into the hands of corrupt government officials, the Libyan state news agency has reported on Monday.

Speaking on the 39th anniversary of the military coup that brought the colonel to power, Gaddafi said that "each Libyan will get directly his share of the oil money."

Libya currently produces around 1.8 million barrels a day of crude oil.

Beirut  - Lebanon has indicted Libyan leader Moamer Gaddafi and is seeking his arrest for his alleged role in the disappearance of a Lebanese Shi'ite Muslim leader in 1978, according to Lebanese local radio Wednesday.

Lebanese Shiite leaders have long accused Libya of kidnapping Imam Musa al-Sadr and two of his aides during a visit to the North African country. Libya has denied such a charge on several occasions.

Lebanon's public prosecutor said in August 2004 he would open the investigation after looking into new evidence.

"We decided ... to accuse Moamer Gaddafi ... of inciting the kidnapping ... of Imam Musa al-Sadr," radio stations quoted court documents.

Tripoli - Libyan Prime Minister al-Baghdadi al-Mahmoudi was expected to arrive in Russia on Thursday for talks with Premier Vladimir Putin over economic cooperation and potential lucrative gas projects, according to media reports.

With estimated gas reserves of about 1.5 trillion cubic metres, Libya is a major gas exporter with an ambitious plan for a gas pipeline to Europe.

Russia's gas firm Gazprom is eyeing opportunities in Libya and hopes through its strategic partnership with Italian oil company Eni to secure a share in Libya's lucrative gas market.

Eni and Libya's National Oil Corporation co-own a pipeline that takes Libya's gas exports to Italy's southern island of Sicily.

Tripoli  - Leaders from Arab countries bordering the Mediterranean sea were due to meet Tuesday in the Libyan capital to discuss a French-proposed Euro-Mediterranean union amid concerns over Israel

Washington  - Libyan and US officials held two days of talks in London this week to begin negotiations on terrorism-related claims that are standing in the way of full relations between the two cou