**韩国一艘渡轮沉没 两人死290人失踪**
韩国海岸警卫队说，一艘渡轮星期三在韩国南部沿海沉没，两人死亡，至少290人失踪。
这艘载有470多人的渡轮在驶往旅游胜地济州岛途中沉没，大多数乘客是学生。当时海面没有什么风浪。
有关官员最初宣布只有大约1百人下落不明，但后来大幅增加了失踪人数。原因没有说明。
几乎整个船体都被水淹没，很多人可能被困在渡轮中。有关官员说，一些被认为失踪的乘客可能已被附近的商船救起。
韩国有关当局说，目前正在进行大规模的营救行动。
韩国海军一支海豹突击队参与了营救行动。
美国海军说，将派遣两栖突击舰“好人理查德号”参加搜救行动。
这艘渡轮上的大多数乘客是前往济州岛参加学校组织的旅游的高中生。
**2 Dead, 290 Missing After South Korea Ferry Sinks**
South Korea's coast guard says two people are dead and at least 290 missing after a passenger boat sank off the country's southern coast Wednesday.
The ferry was carrying more than 470 people, mostly students, to the resort island of Jeju when it sank in what appeared to be calm conditions.
Officials initially announced only around 100 people were unaccounted for. But they later drastically increased that number for unknown reasons.
Many could be trapped inside the almost completely submerged ship, though officials say some missing passengers may have been rescued by nearby commercial vessels.
South Korean Vice Minister of Security and Public Information Lee Gyeong-og said a massive rescue effort is under way.
A team of South Korean navy SEALS is also participating in the rescue.
The U.S. Navy said it is sending an amphibious assault ship, the USS Bonhome Richard, to join the search and rescue operation.
Most of the passengers were high school students headed to Jeju island on a school outing.
**中国经济增长放缓: 增长速度为7.4%**
中国经济今年第一季度的增长速度为7.4%，这是世界第二大经济大国18个月来的最低点。
这一增长速度超过经济学家们的预期，但低于2013年第四季度7.7%的增长速度。
北京为2014年的经济增长速度设定为略为保守的7.5%。目前中国正转向基于国内消费的可持续经济发展模式。
中国领导人目前看来可以接受目前较缓慢的经济增长速度，并排除了采取任何重大刺激手段的可能性。
但本月早些时候，中国出台了一个温和的刺激方案，增加铁路项目和低成本住房建设的开支。
**China Growth Slows to 7.4 Percent**
China's economy grew 7.4 percent in the first quarter of this year, the slowest rate in 18 months for the world's second biggest economy.
The growth rate exceeded what economists were expecting. But still, it was down from the 7.7 percent growth rate in the last three months of 2013.
Beijing set a modest target of 7.5 percent growth for 2014, as it transitions toward a more sustainable economy based on domestic consumption.
Chinese leaders appear for the moment to be tolerating the current pace of weaker growth, and have ruled out any major stimulus.
Earlier this month, though, China unveiled a modest stimulus package, ramping up spending on a railway project and low-cost housing.
China's economy is attempting to rebound from a prolonged slowdown, which follows three decades of staggering growth.