Nelson Mandela's memorial service Tuesday brought together -- briefly -- the leaders of two long-estranged countries: The United States and Cuba. President Obama shook hands with Cuban President Raul Castro during the service at which both spoke.
NEWS: South Africans mourn, celebrate Madiba
The United States and Cuba have not had diplomatic relations with Cuba since the communist revolution led by Castro's brother Fidel more than 50 years ago. Obama could be seen chatting with a variety of world leaders, including Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai.
From the Associated Press:
"Obama was greeting a line of world leaders and heads of state attending the memorial in Johannesburg. He also shook hands with Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, who has clashed with Obama over alleged National Security Agency spying. "The U.S. and Cuba have recently taken small steps toward rapprochement, raising hopes the two nations could be on the verge of a breakthrough in relations. But skeptics caution that the two countries have shown signs of a thaw in the past, only to fall back into old recriminations."