Around the Nation

Army ends year’s recruiting off mark

The Army closed the books yesterday on one of the leanest recruiting years since it became an all-volunteer service, missing its enlistment target by the widest margin since 1979 and raising questions about its plans for growth.

Many in Congress believe the Army needs to get bigger — perhaps by 50,000 soldiers over its current 1 million — in order to meet its overseas commitments, including the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Army has not published official figures yet, but according to data provided by the U.S. Army Recruiting Command, it finished the 12-month counting period with about 73,000 recruits. Its goal was 80,000. A gap of 7,000 enlistees would be the largest — in absolute number as well as in percentage terms — since 1979.

University to house stem-cell bank

MADISON, Wis. — The University of Wisconsin-Madison will house the nation’s first bank of embryonic stem cells, Gov. James E. Doyle’s office said yesterday .

The National Institutes of Health picked the school as the site for the National Stem Cell Bank, which will house all lines of embryonic stem cells available for federally funded research.

The bank will acquire, store and distribute the lines to researchers around the world, Mr. Doyle’s office said.

Five Hispanics killed in trailer-park attacks

TIFTON, Ga. — Five men were killed and at least six persons were wounded in what appeared to be a string of robberies targeting Hispanic immigrants at trailer parks in and around the city early yesterday , authorities said.

Two suspects were being sought.

Some of the victims were beaten with an aluminum baseball bat found at one of the scenes, and at least one victim was shot, Colquitt County Sheriff Al Whittington said.

All the dead were immigrants from Mexico, and all but one belonged to the same family, according to Francisco Dominguez, who said his uncle and a cousin were killed in their trailer on the outskirts of town.

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