Oct 9 (Reuters) - Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado called for elections next year and said there was "more than enough time" to prepare for a vote by July, the Financial Times reported on Friday.

Companies and investors are eager to hire those with recent access to the White House and knowledge of the administration’s Venezuela policy or contacts.

Venezuela's acting president Delcy Rodríguez said 44 more oil and gas deals are in talks and about US$12 billion in financing is expected.

CARACAS, Oct 8 (Reuters) - Venezuela's economy is projected to expand 6.5% in the third quarter this year, acting President Delcy Rodriguez said on Thursday, highlighting recovery in both oil and non-oil sectors after devastating twin earthquakes struck the country in June.

More than nine months after the capture of Nicolás Maduro, CSIS Americas Program Acting Director and Senior Fellow Christpher Hernandez-Roy and Antonella Navarro assess Venezuela's progress towards political transition.

Representatives of the Belén Clarisa Velutini Trust, established by the founder of Trasnocho Cultural, announced an estimated US$40 million real estate investment over the next 36 months aimed at comprehensively modernizing one of Venezuela's most promising independent cultural centers,

Venezuela's Cardon refinery, the country's second largest, has been halted ​amid a fire at one of ‌its units, three sources with knowledge of the matter said on Tuesday.