US President Barack Obama and Cuba’s Raul Castro stood near each other at a historic Summit of the Americas on Friday, marking a major milestone in their efforts to end decades of animosity. Obama and Castro, separated by the presidents of Ecuador and El Salvador, stood in the second of three rows at a Panama City convention center as the country’s national anthem was sung. The sight of Obama and Castro in the same room instantly became a potent symbol of their bid to renew diplomatic ties that were severed in 1961. It was the first time that a Cuban leader attended the summit in its 21-year history.