CARACAS, Venezuela — Venezuela has seized control of oil fields from France's Total SA and Italy's Eni SPA in a show of force against those resisting President Hugo Chavez's efforts to pry more profits from the industry at a time of high oil prices.

The move signals that Chavez's government is ready to send top oil companies packing unless they play by Caracas' new rules, but experts say the tactic could backfire by spooking partners Venezuela needs to develop potentially some of the world's largest untapped reserves.

Oil Minister Rafael Ramirez announced Monday that state oil company Petroleos de. Venezuela SA, or PDVSA, had taken control of Total's Jusepin field and Eni's Dacion field, which together produced 115,000 barrels a day, after the two companies refused to turn operations over to state-controlled joint ventures.

In challenging the government, they join Exxon Mobil Corp., which earlier sold off its stake in the 15,000-barrel-a-day Quiamare-La Ceiba field rather than submit to tightened terms.

The seized properties were among 32 oil fields the government has reclaimed from private companies by voiding their oil-pumping contracts and replacing them with so-called "mixed companies" that give PDVSA a 60 percent to 80 percent stake and sharply raise royalties and taxes, among other measures.

KUWAIT CITY — Kuwaiti women voted and ran as candidates for the first time Tuesday in a municipal election in the conservative country's capital, but light turnout for the municipal by-election showed that persuading women to practice their newly won political rights was a difficult challenge.The vote to fill a seat in the city's Municipal Council came almost a year after parliament passed a bill enfranchising women and enabling them to run for office.Judge Fawzi al-Wheib, a supervisor at a polling station, told The Associated Press he was disappointed by the "very light" turnout among women voters.