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.

HOUSTON (AP) — Engineering and construction services provider KBR says its second-quarter profit fell sharply from a year-ago period boosted by asset sale gains, and also says results were hurt by hefty project charges and a jury award on a 2003 subcontract.

A top Democratic senator accused an Army general of misleading Congress about problems with a major defense contractor in Iraq, and said he had asked for an investigation.

The three-way division of the largest Pentagon contract in Iraq ends the monopoly held by KBR, which has been accused of mismanagement and exploiting its political ties to Vice President Dick Cheney.