A veteran Volkswagen employee has pleaded guilty to federal charges related to the carmaker's use of so-called "clean diesel" engines that actually cheated on U.S. emissions tests. As part of the plea deal, James Robert Liang faces a mutually agreed-upon sentencing guideline that sets a maximum of five years in prison.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission says owners of the Galaxy Note 7 smartphones should turn them off and stop using them because of the risk that their batteries can explode. The agency also says it's working with Samsung on an official recall of the phones "as soon as possible."

A jury has awarded a South Carolina woman more than $4.6 million after she was stuck by a needle picked up in a Target parking lot. Before Carla Denise Garrison's lawsuit against Target Corp. went to trial, her lawyer offered to settle with the retailer for $12,000, but the offer was rejected. Target is considering post-trial motions and appeal options.

How brands choose which causes to support says a lot about the brand. In the case of Pizza Hut, its long association with promoting children's literacy was inspired by the personal interest of one of its past presidents. The global pizza chain is launching the next chapter in that commitment with The Literacy Project.

Liberty Media Corp., whose global investments include the Atlanta Braves, Live Nation and SiriusXM, has acquired Formula One, the venerable international racing circuit. Financial terms were not revealed, but the price was put at $4.4 billion in cash, stock and convertible debt by industry analysts and investors.

Capital One announced a partnership with HotelTonight that gives Venture and VentureOne cardholders an extra 10% discount on top of other deals. Many who use the app are Millennials and spontaneous travelers. Studies show that mobile bookings, Millennials' purchasing power, and last-minute trips are all on the rise.

Apple introduced a range of new Apple Watches this week, including the new Series 2, a new Series 1, and a Nike+ model, but one thing Apple didn't do was keep its gold model alive. It appears the gold Apple Watch Edition, which started at $10,000, was either too expensive or too gaudy, keeping people from buying it and Apple from continuing the model.

Alexander Wang gave a preview of the fall campaign to come with Polaroids debuting the new faces of his collection, including Kylie Jenner, and her rapper boyfriend, Tyga. Jenner also stars in campaigns for her own collections with Puma. Wang launched a social media-focused campaign last spring introducing Kaia Gerber on Instagram.

The shadow of an American Airlines plane appears over gorgeous natural landscapes as a text-over spells out what makes a great air traveler. While it seems like American's ad was designed to thank their best customers and acknowledge fliers who improve the experience for everyone else on board, many travelers are finding the message ineffective and tone-deaf.

Texas-based Miracle Mattress is facing criticism for an ad promoting its sale connected to the anniversary of Sept. 11, 2001. The TV spot features a woman flanked by two men, standing in front of two towers of mattresses. When the woman says all mattresses will be on sale for the price of a twin mattress, the two men fall back into the stacks, causing them to collapse.