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.»

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.»

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.»

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navy Pillay met in Geneva with Adriana Perez, the wife of Gerardo Hernandez, one of the five Cuban antiterrorists “internationally known as the Cuban Five” who were arrested and condemned in the United States more than a decade ago.»

After 15 years as Cuba’s minister of culture, Abel Prieto was appointed as advisor to Cuban President Raul Castro, according to an official communiqué made public by local media. Rafael Bernal, deputy minister of culture since 1997, will replace Abel Prieto.»

Two symposia on therapeutic vaccines against HIV/AIDS and dengue, and a session on genomics will open debates on Monday at the Biotechnology Conference Havana-2012, the inauguration of which will take place at the end of the day.»

With a warm reception from the audience, the XV National Amateur Theatre Festival Olga Alonso ended Sunday in Fomento, Sancti Spiritus, in central Cuba. Two projects shared the Grand Prix of the drama fete attended by six provinces.»

The XXI International Book Fair came to a close in esatern Cuba after 25 days in which printed letters took over major cities, since the opening in Havana on February 9.»

Central Electoral Commission (CEC) Head Vladimir Churov on Monday announced the extra-official result of the presidential elections, in which Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin won 63.75 percent of votes.»