Reuters

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee will hold a May 15 hearing on the federal government's response to the collapse of a Baltimore bridge.

The Dali cargo ship crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge on March 26, killing six people.

The hearing will include Federal Highway Administrator Shailen Bhatt, National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy and senior officials with the... (continue reading...)

(Reuters) - T-Mobile and Verizon Communications are in talks to buy parts of United States Cellular in separate transactions, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday.

Shares of the regional wireless carrier jumped about 8.6% to $39.08.

T-Mobile is closing in on a deal to buy a chunk of U.S. Cellular for more than $2 billion, taking over some operations and wireless spectrum licenses, the report said citing people familiar with the... (continue reading...)

By Marc Frank

HAVANA (Reuters) - The Cuban sugar harvest is winding down at the lowest tonnage since 1900, forcing the government to import and putting more pressure on its domestic rum, soft drink and pharmaceutical industries, according to official reports, two economists and a rum industry source.

President Miguel Diaz-Canel said at the end of April that the state-run industry had produced 71% of the 412,000 metric tons planned, or... (continue reading...)

By John Kruzel

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday reinforced the power of law enforcement authorities to retain seized property belonging to people not charged with a crime, ruling in favor of Alabama officials who were sued by two women whose cars were held for more than a year.

In a 6-3 ruling powered by its conservative majority, the justices affirmed a lower court's dismissal of the lawsuits by the two... (continue reading...)

LONDON (Reuters) - Bank of England Chief Economist Huw Pill said on Thursday that members of the central bank's Monetary Policy Committee were more confident that they would soon be able to cut interest rates, although they needed more evidence.

"I think we're growing more and more confident that we can begin to reduce the restriction that monetary policy is putting in the economy and start to cut interest rates," Pill said at a question and answer... (continue reading...)