Caracas, Mar 17 (EFE).- Venezuela and Belarus agreed to create a joint enterprise to extract natural gas in the Andean nation for shipment to the former Soviet republic, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said here Wednesday.

Fira, Greece, Mar 17 (EFE).- Spanish writer Javier Negrete explores people's fascination with natural disasters in "Atlantida" (Atlantis), a novel that transplants the tale of that mythical submerged civilization to the modern day.

Havana, Mar 17 (EFE).- Cuban State Security agents broke up a march here Wednesday by relatives of political prisoners, pushing and dragging some 30 members of the Ladies in White group onto buses.

Mexico City, Mar 17 (EFE).- French aerospace and communications group Safran on Wednesday inaugurated two aircraft component plants in the central Mexican state of Queretaro.

Veracruz, Mexico, Mar 17 (EFE).- Mexican army troops and Veracruz state police completely dismantled the municipal police department in Tierra Blanca, a city of 95,000, due to allegations that nearly 100 officers were involved in criminal wrongdoing, state officials said.