Ricardo Alarcon, president of the National Assembly of the People’s Power (Parliament) met on Thursday with his Colombian counterpart, Juan Manuel Corzo, at the end of his three-day official visit.»

Colombia´s foreign minister Maria Angela Holguin said on Thursday in Bogotá that Cuba will be on the agenda of the upcoming Summit of the Americas, to be held next April in Cartagena, upon the request of other Latin American countries.»

The Cuba-made medication Heberprot-P, used in the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers, has entered the second phase of clinical trials in Europe.»

Cuba Thursday considered unacceptable and unjustifiable the US position of excluding Cuba from the next Summit of the Americas, stance in tune with the traditional hostility of the White House against the Caribbean country.»

Cuban President Raul Castro received his Colombian counterpart Juan Manuel Santos, who came on a brief working visit to Cuba on Wednesday. The talks were also attended by foreign ministers Maria Angela Holguin and Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla.»

Women from the central Cuban province of Sancti Spiritus welcomed the International Women’s Day with the satisfaction of accounting for the 47,5% of the state civilian labour force in the territory.»

The International Congress Biotechnology 2012 is on its third working day on Wednesday, in Cuba, with a session on Hepatitis B and C. The event’s scientific agenda also includes papers on pharmacogenomics, cancer treatment and neurogenerative diseases, among other important issues.»

Cuban cinematography will be well represented at the Latino Film Festival of San Diego, where five motion pictures, including “Habanastation”, by Ian Padrón, will be screened. Over 20,000 people are expected to attend the festival.»

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos is on a working visit to Cuba to meet with his Cuban peer, Raul Castro, and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. Santos, 60, will talk separately with Raul Castro and Chavez, who is in Havana recovering from surgery.»

Although 2012 has just begun, figures show encouraging signs so far: the 18 children who required mechanical ventilation during their admission in the neonatal ward of the Provincial Hospital Camilo Cienfuegos, in Sancti Spiritus, central Cuba, have been saved.»