Miami

LITTLE Havana, the neighbourhood that is the heart and soul of Miami's Cuban diaspora, was named a US "national treasure" on Friday.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation, a private organisation, added the neighbourhood to its list of sites it believes should be protected from developers, saying in a statement that it "stands as a testament to the immigrant spirit that built America". Little Havana is home to the Versailles, a historic cafe that pulses with Cuban music and sometimes offers free Cuban pastries to exiles who gather there to protest or celebrate events on their home island.