USA

Incidents in which a plane, vehicle, or person intruded on airport space reserved for takeoffs or landings spiked during fiscal 2007 with 6.05 incursions per 1 million air-traffic operations, according to a Government Accountability Office study released Wednesday. The Federal Aviation Administration has taken steps to address the problem, including better runway markings.

Roughly a third of 1,268 children's products tested by a coalition of environmental groups contained lead, many above federal recall levels, the Michigan-based Ecology Center said in a report Wednesday.

Having jump-started Israeli and Palestinian peace talks last week in Annapolis, Md., President Bush now will travel to the Middle East in early January, the White House said Tuesday.

Two US companies, DuPont and Dow Chemical, were among five fined Wednesday by European Union regulators for running a price-fixing rubber cartel. DuPont must pay $87.4 million, Dow Chemical $71.8 million.

Sports Illustrated named Green Bay Packer quarterback Brett Favre its Sportsman of the Year. The 17-year veteran has thrown an NFL career record 436 TD passes and started 249 consecutive games.

The number of immigration fugitives tracked downed by federal agents during fiscal 2007 nearly doubled to 30,000, US officials said Tuesday.

Penn State alumnus Patrick Malloy and his wife, Candace, have committed $5 million to endow the school's football head coaching position, held by Joe Paterno (above), in Paterno's name. The arrangement is thought to be the first of its kind at any university. Paterno was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame Tuesday in New York during his 42nd season on the job.