AP

Cuba has allowed the launch of the island's first known free, public Internet service at a Havana cultural center that quietly began offering open Wi-Fi in recent weeks.

Dozens of youths have been flocking each day to the center run by famed artist Kcho, whose spokeswoman said state telecom Etecsa approved the move in a small but unprecedented loosening of Cuba's strict Internet regulations.

The service is slow compared with what Internet users are accustomed to in much of the world. But connectivity-starved islanders said it's a boon that lets them access Facebook, read news of the world and communicate with friends and family overseas...