A former chief executive of the construction company KBR Inc. pleaded guilty to federal bribery and kickback charges in connection with work done in Nigeria from 1995 to 2004.

Everybody likes free music but nobody likes to be sued. For people seeking free music online, therein lies the rub.

American Airlines rejected claims that a proposed alliance with British Airways would create a monopoly on trans-Atlantic service from London’s Heathrow Airport.

The world’s largest office products retailer said that second-quarter profit fell to $150.2 million as customers cut back on spending.

G.M. said that it was seeing signs of an economic rebound, though its U.S. sales fell 20 percent last month. Ford reported a 26 percent decline in sales.

Everybody likes free music but nobody likes to be sued. For people seeking free music online, therein lies the rub.

The nation’s economy failed to pick up speed in August, as Americans cut back on spending, shopped at discount stores and watched prices rise, the Federal Reserve said.

The job cuts at GMAC’s Residential Capital mortgage unit will affect about 57 percent of ResCap’s work force. GMAC also said it will close all 200 GMAC Mortgage retail offices.

Slow economic growth and high prices continue to weigh on consumers and businesses, and the problems are expected to persist into next year, the Federal Reserve said.

Members of the machinists’ union began voting on whether to accept a new contract, or strike Boeing at a crucial moment in the development of its new plane, the Dreamliner.