Obama, Castro meet at UN

US President Barack Obama met his Cuban counterpart Raul Castro on Tuesday at the United Nations - all smiles after both renewed their calls for an end to the US trade embargo against Havana.

The leaders of the former Cold War rivals shook hands at the start of what was their second meeting, after an historic encounter in April at the Summit of the Americas in Panama.

Close neighbors but long-time foes, the United States and Cuba restored diplomatic ties in July after a five-decade stand-off, and now must turn their attention to economic relations.