WASHINGTON - Chairman Ben Bernanke ended weeks of speculation Wednesday by saying the Federal Reserve will likely slow its bond-buying program later this year and end it next year if the economy continues to improve.

The Fed's bond purchases have helped keep long-term interest rates at record lows.

WASHINGTON - The Justice Department violated its own rules when it secretly seized records for thousands of phone calls to and from journalists for The Associated Press as part of a leak investigation, the head of the company said Wednesday.

AP President and CEO Gary Pruitt told a luncheon gathering of journalists and others that the seizure was not only excessively broad, but that the department failed to notify AP in advance of the subpoena, as normally required. Department rules say a delay in notification is justified only if needed to protect the integrity of its investigation. Pruitt said that justification was unfathomable in this case.

TORONTO - An anticipated financial recovery south of the border is likely to help economic growth in Canada, economists said Wednesday, although the U.S. is likely to outpace its neighbour for the first time in years.

RBC Economics raised its estimate for Canada's 2013 economic growth to 1.9 per cent, from 1.8 per cent in March, citing an improving picture on trade and the strength of corporate balance sheets.

BURLINGTON, Ont. - Bank of Canada Governor Stephen Poloz says Canadian consumers did their part for the economy by borrowing the country through the worst recession since the Great Depression and now it is the turn of businesses to start spending.

In his first major speech since taking over from former governor Mark Carney earlier this month, Poloz preached the virtues of "stability and patience," noting the central bank's long-standing target of low, stable inflation remains "sacrosanct."

WASHINGTON - White House officials will be at the Canadian embassy on Thursday to discuss a joint Canada-U.S. initiative feared to be on life support in recent months — the Regulatory Co-operation Council, aimed at harmonizing trade regulations to ease cross-border trade between the world's two biggest trading partners.

Both Canadian and American stakeholders and business representatives, many of whom will be in attendance at 501 Pennsylvania Avenue, have been complaining for months about the slow pace of progress on behalf of American officials, and have questioned the U.S. commitment to the two-year-old initiative.

WASHINGTON - Homeowners trying to avoid foreclosure must wait too long for their loan modification applications to be reviewed by some of the nation's top mortgage servicers, according to a report released Wednesday. Such delays can plunge borrowers deeper in debt.

Joseph A. Smith Jr., the independent monitor of last year's national mortgage settlement, said that while the banks are doing a better job complying with new mortgage servicing rules, more needs to be done.

OTTAWA - Homelessness in Canada affects about 200,000 people every year and comes with a $7 billion price tag, the first-ever national report on the issue has found.

The results paint a picture of a disaster in communities across the country, said Tim Richter, one of the report's authors and the president of the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness.

NEW ORLEANS - Justice Department prosecutors secured new indictments Wednesday against a former BP engineer and a former BP executive charged separately with obstructing probes of the company's 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

The new indictment of former BP executive David Rainey adds language alleging that he knew of the pending congressional investigation he is charged with obstructing. A federal judge had dismissed the obstruction of Congress charge from Rainey's original indictment, in part because it didn't contain that allegation.

OTTAWA - Zoe Yujnovich, president and CEO of the Iron Ore Co. of Canada, has been named chair of the Mining Association of Canada, the association announced Wednesday.

Yujnovich, the first woman to hold the position in the association's 78-year history, replaces Ian Pearce, former CEO of Xstrata Nickel.

NEW ORLEANS - Federal prosecutors have secured new indictments against a former BP engineer and a former BP executive charged separately with obstructing investigations of the company's 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

Wednesday's indictment of former BP executive David Rainey adds language alleging that he knew of the pending congressional investigation he is charged with obstructing. A federal judge had dismissed the obstruction of Congress charge from Rainey's original indictment, in part because it didn't contain that allegation.

PORTLAND, Maine - Maine's blunt-spoken governor doesn't mince words when opponents dare to cross him but he's saved some of his harshest criticism for newspapers, once telling schoolchildren he isn't a fan of papers and another time saying that reading one is "like paying somebody to tell you lies."

Now it's gone to an extreme, with Republican Gov. Paul LePage and his administration cutting off comments to three newspapers including one serving the state's biggest city.

WASHINGTON - Illegal immigration into the United States would decrease by only 25 per cent under a far-reaching Senate immigration bill, according to an analysis by the Congressional Budget Office that also finds the measure reduces federal deficits by billions.

Supporters of the legislation moving toward a vote on the Senate floor seized on the deficit-reduction findings by Congress' nonpartisan scorekeeping agency, along with the agency's forecast that the immigration measure would boost economic growth as millions of workers join the workforce and begin to pay taxes.

Many small business owners would like to export, but don't know much about selling overseas, or where to get help. Lack of knowledge is the biggest barrier to exporting, according to a survey by two trade groups, the National Small Business Association and the Small Business Exporters Association.

Here are some tips for owners who are new to exporting:

WASHINGTON - Ben Bernanke declined Wednesday to address speculation that he will step down as chairman of the Federal Reserve in January when his term ends, saying he wanted to keep the attention on Fed policy.

During a news conference after the Fed's meeting, Bernanke was asked to respond to comments President Barack Obama made Monday. Obama said Bernanke had already stayed longer than he planned, adding to speculation that Bernanke would leave in January.

LONDON - Britain's Supreme Court quashed sanctions against an Iranian bank penalized over its alleged links to Iran's nuclear weapons program, saying Wednesday that Bank Mellat had been arbitrarily singled out.

Bank Mellat, a privately owned commercial bank, was seeking to overturn a 2009 order by the British Treasury barring it from operating in the country. That order, made under counterterrorism laws, shut the bank out of the British financial sector because it allegedly helped finance Tehran's nuclear program.

WASHINGTON - Already reeling from a pair of scandals, the Internal Revenue Service is drawing new criticism over plans to hand out millions of dollars in employee bonuses.

The Obama administration has ordered agencies to cancel discretionary bonuses because of automatic spending cuts, but the IRS says it's merely following legal obligations under a union contract.

WASHINGTON - A comparison of the Federal Reserve's statements from its two-day meeting that ended Wednesday and its meeting on April 30-May 1:

ECONOMY:

TORONTO - The Toronto stock market was lower Wednesday as the U.S. Federal Reserve said it doesn't plan on cutting back on a key stimulus program right now.

The S&P/TSX composite index declined 36.99 points to 12,330.47 as the Fed said after its two-day meeting on interest rates that it will continue buying Treasury bills and mortgage backed securities to the tune of US$85 billion a month.

BANGKOK - Thailand will pay farmers 20 per cent less for rice to stem losses from a much-criticized subsidy program that dislodged the country from its spot as the world's No. 1 exporter of the grain, a government minister said Wednesday.

Cabinet minister Warathep Rattanakorn said the government will pay 12,000 baht ($389) per ton of rice, compared to the current price of 15,000 baht ($486), to reduce the losses from the 2011-12 subsidy program.

WASHINGTON - Prospects for House passage of a new farm bill could turn on the level of food stamp cuts as key backers scrambled Wednesday to secure support for the five-year, half-trillion dollar measure.

The House planned to begin voting Wednesday on 103 amendments to the bill, including a Democratic proposal to eliminate $2 billion in cuts in the $80 billion-a-year food stamp program, now called the Supplemental Assistance Program, or SNAP.

VANCOUVER - A great-grandmother who has waited 56 years to get her high school diploma says she can finally cross that dream off her bucket list after her grad ceremony today in Agassiz (aga-SEE), B.C.

Maureen Baker says she has attended several high school reunions with her classmates from the 1950s but felt like an outsider because she never finished school.

CALGARY - Billions of dollars could be saved in Canada's health-care system with the introduction of preventative programs that focus on those individuals in poor health, says a study by the School of Public Policy at the University of Calgary.

"Canadian medicare with its focus on illness treatment has made illness and disease a growth industry," lead author Herb Emery told reporters Wednesday.

OTTAWA - Bob Rae, a fixture on Canada's political scene for more than three decades, is giving up his seat in the House of Commons in order to devote himself to work on behalf of First Nations in northern Ontario.

Rae said he is leaving politics so he can focus on his new role as chief negotiator for First Nations in talks with the province about development of the Ring of Fire mining development in northern Ontario.

TORONTO - An anticipated financial recovery south of the border is likely to help economic growth in Canada, economists said Wednesday, although the U.S. is likely to outpace its neighbour for the first time in years.

RBC Economics raised its estimate for Canada's 2013 economic growth to 1.9 per cent, from 1.8 per cent in March, citing an improving picture on trade and the strength of corporate balance sheets.

BURLINGTON, Ont. - Bank of Canada Governor Stephen Poloz says Canadian consumers did their part for the economy by borrowing the country through the worst recession since the Great Depression and now it is the turn of businesses to start spending.

In his first major speech since taking over from former governor Mark Carney earlier this month, Poloz preached the virtues of "stability and patience," noting the central bank's long-standing target of low, stable inflation remains "sacrosanct."

TORONTO - Half of Canada's First Nations children are living in poverty, triple the national average, according to a new analysis of census statistics that pegs the cost of easing the problem at $580-million a year.

The study by the left-leaning Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives being released Wednesday also paints a grim picture of Metis, Inuit, and non-status Indian children, as well as of children of immigrants and visible minorities.

WASHINGTON - White House officials will be at the Canadian embassy on Thursday to discuss a joint Canada-U.S. initiative feared to be on life support in recent months — the Regulatory Co-operation Council, aimed at harmonizing trade regulations to ease cross-border trade between the world's two biggest trading partners.

Both Canadian and American stakeholders and business representatives, many of whom will be in attendance at 501 Pennsylvania Avenue, have been complaining for months about the slow pace of progress on behalf of American officials, and have questioned the U.S. commitment to the two-year-old initiative.

OTTAWA - Homelessness in Canada affects about 200,000 people every year and comes with a $7 billion price tag, the first-ever national report on the issue has found.

The results paint a picture of a disaster in communities across the country, said Tim Richter, one of the report's authors and the president of the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness.

WATERLOO, Ont. - High school may improve young people's minds, but it does the opposite for their bodies.

A new study out of the University of Waterloo shows Canadian students in Grade 12 are in worse health than their younger high school peers.

MONTREAL - Quebec's upstart pro-independence party has lost its founding leader.

Jean-Martin Aussant — who created, led, and was the public face of Option nationale — has announced he's leaving politics, placing his party before an uncertain future.

TORONTO - A campaign that raised $200,000 to purchase an alleged video appearing to show Toronto Mayor Rob Ford smoking crack was a "beautiful example" of the fundraising power of the Internet, says the website that hosted the controversial crusade.

"That campaign really just speaks to what crowdfunding is about, which is giving the power to people to decide what matters to them and to fund what matters to them," said Danae Ringelmann, co-founder of crowdfunding website Indiegogo.

The Wayne Gretzky of Wayne Gretzky collectors has netted some big bucks in an auction of many of his choicest memorabilia pieces.

Shawn Chaulk of Fort McMurray, Alta., received hundreds of thousands of dollars for jerseys, skates, helmets, gloves and pucks used in action by the Great One.

PRINCE RUPERT, B.C. - A First Nations grandmother living on B.C.'s north coast is literally diving into the fight against cancer, with a 60 kilometre swim through frigid ocean waters between Prince Rupert and her village of Lax Kw'alaams (lacks-qwah-lambs).

Dayna McKay is no stranger to the challenging currents, powerful tides and unpredictable swells of the North Pacific, because she swam the route last summer, but in reverse.

VANCOUVER - The trial of an RCMP officer charged with perjury for his testimony at the public inquiry into the Robert Dziekanski case is hearing from witnesses who saw the Polish immigrant's fatal confrontation with police at Vancouver's airport.

The Crown alleges Const. Bill Bentley lied to the inquiry when he attempted to explain discrepancies between his initial accounts of what happened in October 2007 and an amateur video of the incident that emerged later.

KAMLOOPS, B.C. - Mounties in Kamloops, B.C., are investigating the sexual assault of a teenager at a bush party last night involving as many as 1,000 high schools graduates.

Police say the 17-year-old girl became separated from her friends, was approached by a male she didn't know, and was taken into a wooded area where the male sexually assaulted her.

OTTAWA - The last legislative fight of the spring session in the Commons appears to have been won by the New Democrats.

The decision by the House to adjourn for the summer a few days early nixed Conservative efforts to amend a private member's bill to strip Canadian citizenship from dual nationals convicted of terrorist acts.

HALIFAX - A Nova Scotia politician who has pleaded guilty to fraud vowed Wednesday to fight his possible expulsion from the legislature upon hearing his colleagues had been recalled to decide his fate as a sitting member.

House Speaker Gordie Gosse said the Nova Scotia legislature would reconvene Thursday at noon to deal with the potential removal of Trevor Zinck.

WINNIPEG - Buzz around the possible return of a significant Metis artifact has Manitoba's Metis leader fuming.

David Chartrand, president of the Manitoba Metis Federation, says thieves stole the bell of Batoche over 20 years ago and have tried to sell it to the highest bidder ever since.

QUEBEC - The Quebec government is now open to imposing a back-to-work law during Quebec's first construction strike in over a quarter-century.

Premier Pauline Marois appears to be hardening her government's position.

TORONTO - Senior managers agreed that intervening every time a teen inmate tied a ligature around her neck was unnecessary because she was not always in immediate danger, an inquest into her death heard Wednesday.

Michelle Bridgen, who was a manager at the Grand Valley Institution in Kitchener, Ont., said management also wanted to give Ashley Smith the chance to hand over the ligatures voluntarily.

DETROIT - The Detroit Red Wings and city officials on Wednesday announced a $650 million plan for a new arena development for the NHL team in Detroit's downtown entertainment and sports district.

Plans for the 18,000-seat arena were announced Wednesday at a meeting of economic development officials to approve the deal. Red Wings owner Mike Ilitch has long said he wanted a replacement for the 32-year-old Joe Louis Arena.

A person familiar with discussions confirms Danny Briere is set to become a free agent after the Philadelphia Flyers informed the veteran forward they intend to buy out the final two years of his contract.

The person spoke on the condition of anonymity Wednesday because the Flyers have not announced their decision. ESPN.com first reported Briere's pending buyout Tuesday evening.

Tiger Woods' sore left elbow will keep him out of competition until the British Open.

Woods said Wednesday on his website that doctors found a strain in his left elbow and advised that he take a few weeks off for rest and treatment. That means he will miss the AT&T National next week at Congressional, where he is the defending champion. The tournament benefits the Tiger Woods Foundation.

The Wayne Gretzky of Wayne Gretzky collectors has netted some big bucks in an auction of many of his choicest memorabilia pieces.

Shawn Chaulk of Fort McMurray, Alta., received hundreds of thousands of dollars for jerseys, skates, helmets, gloves and pucks used in action by the Great One.

FORTALEZA, Brazil - The historic wave of protests that has swept across Brazil in recent days has gained some important allies — the players of the Brazilian national football team.

Brazil is hosting the Confederations Cup, a tournament of continental champions which serves as a warm-up for next year's World Cup, but the Brazilian players' focus has turned to the demonstrations which have taken over a country fighting for improvements in basic services such as public transportation, schools and hospitals.

CALGARY - Max Gartner is leaving Alpine Canada.

The president and CEO of Canada's national ski organization says he plans to step down once a successor can be found.

TORONTO - Dwane Casey will remain as the Toronto Raptors head coach, holding onto his job amid a major front office overhaul.

There had been some question regarding Casey's future in Toronto following the hiring of new GM Masai Ujiri. But Ujiri said Wednesday that Casey will be back with the Raptors for the upcoming season.

It looks like Georges St-Pierre will defend his UFC welterweight title on Nov. 16 in Las Vegas against No. 1 contender Johny (Bigg Rigg) Hendricks.

The UFC had no official comment on the fight and nothing has been signed yet. But a source confirmed the news, saying: "Seriously it looks like it." UFC president Dana White has said that November was the likely time.

TORONTO - Pat Watkins is back with the Toronto Argonauts.

The all-star cornerback rejoined the defending Grey Cup champions Wednesday and was with his teammates for the first time since the start of training camp.

PADERBORN, Germany - Leonie Maier scored the lone goal of the game to lead Germany's women's soccer team to a 1-0 win over Canada on Wednesday.

Maier launched a shot from the right side in the 53rd minute to beat Canadian 'keeper Erin McLeod.

CALGARY - Jonathan Hefney holds no grudges against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.

The veteran defensive back is now with the Calgary Stampeders after being released by the Bombers following four seasons with the CFL club.

LONDON - The doping case involving Jamaican sprint star Veronica Campbell-Brown appears to involve a "lesser" offence of unintentional use of a banned substance, the sport's world governing body said Wednesday.

The reigning 200-meter world champion and three-time Olympic gold medallist was suspended by Jamaica's national federation on Tuesday pending an investigation into a positive drug test.

BOSTON - The Chicago Blackhawks say Marian Hossa will be back in the lineup for Game 4 of the Stanley Cup final and that the line of Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane and Bryan Bickell will likely be reunited.

Hossa was a surprise scratch Monday, sidelined with an upper body injury.

Serena Williams says she's reaching out to the family of the victim in the Steubenville rape case after the tennis star was quoted in a Rolling Stone article saying "she shouldn't have put herself in that position."

"I am currently reaching out to the girl's family to let her know that I am deeply sorry for what was written in the Rolling Stone article," Williams said in a statement released through her agent Wednesday. "What was written — what I supposedly said — is insensitive and hurtful, and I by no means would say or insinuate that she was at all to blame."

NORTH ATTLEBOROUGH, Mass. - State police returned to the home of New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez on Wednesday, two days after a body was found about a mile away.

Two troopers knocked on the door of Hernandez's sprawling house in an upscale subdivision Wednesday morning, but no one answered. The night before, police spent hours there as another group of officers searched an industrial park where the body was found Monday. No more details about the body have been released.

REGINA - It didn't take Daryl Stephenson long to land with another CFL team.

The former Hec Crighton Trophy-winning running back signed Wednesday with the Saskatchewan Roughriders after being released earlier this week by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.

EASTBOURNE, England - It wasn't quite the Wimbledon warmup Canadian Milos Raonic was hoping for.

The top seed from Thornhill, Ont., dropped his second-round match Wednesday at the Eastbourne grass-court tournament, falling 6-2, 7-6 (7) decision to Croatian Ivan Dodig.

BOSTON - It's just a game, but maybe this Stanley Cup final can heal as well as entertain.

The Boston Bruins know nothing can take away the pain of the Boston Marathon bombings that ravaged their city. Still they know that stringing together wins in the NHL post-season is bringing a smile to their sports-crazy home town.

BOSTON - Jonny Gomes hit a two-run homer in the ninth inning to lift the Boston Red Sox to a 3-1 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday night, completing a doubleheader sweep.

Daniel Nava was aboard on a leadoff walk when Gomes followed with a towering shot off Joel Peralta (1-3) that cleared the Green Monster and bounced off the sign just to the right of the foul pole.

ATLANTA - Zack Wheeler lived up the hype in his major league debut, pitching six scoreless innings to lead the New York Mets to a 6-1 victory over the first-place Atlanta Braves and a doubleheader sweep on Tuesday.

Wheeler gave up only four hits and struck out seven while consistently reaching the upper 90s on the radar gun. He struggled a bit with his control, walking five, but got out of every jam.