美联社新闻一分钟 AP 2013-04-15（在线收听）

 　　1. Two key senators have announced a bipartisan deal on expanding background checks as the Senate prepares to debate gun control legislation. Senators, Democrat Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Republican Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania, say their proposal would help keep firearms from criminals and the mentally ill.  

　　2. President Obama is sending Congress a $3.8 trillion spending blueprint. It will raise taxes on the wealthy and trim popular benefit programs including Medicare and Social Security.

 　　3. North Korea's capital Pyongyang was strangely calm Wednesday even as the world braces for a possible provocative missile launch by the communist country. The focus in Pyongyang was less on preparing for war and more on beautifying the capital ahead of the April 15 birthday of the country's founder Kim Il Sung.

 　　4. Stocks rose sharply on Wall Street Wednesday, pushing the Standard & Poor's 500 index to an all-time high.