AP Business Briefs - Oct. 10, 2026

Trump says US to get diesel from Russia, relaxing pressure on Moscow to ease prices before midterms

WASHINGTON (AP) — Trump says the U.S. will obtain diesel from Russia, relaxing years of US pressure on Moscow to combat prices ahead of midterms. Trump said on social media on Friday that he struck the deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin in a phone call. Trump announced that Russia will immediately supply more than 300,000 tons of diesel, followed by 500,000 tons more in November and 1 million tons "immediately thereafter." Russia will deliver another 3 million tons "within a short period of time" after that, he wrote. The announcement comes after Trump signed a sweeping sanctions law against Russia last month to clamp down on Russia's energy economy.

Americans 75 and older are wealthiest age group, Fed survey finds

WASHINGTON (AP) — Bolstered by steady gains in the stock market, families headed by someone aged 75 or older are now America's wealthiest, while the youngest families saw their wealth decline in the past three years, a government report released Friday said. The finding from the Federal Reserve's Survey of Consumer Finances underscores how robust stock market gains have made wealthier American families even richer since the survey, conducted every three years, was last completed in 2022.

The Trump administration is suspending Microsoft from a green card program, alleging fraud

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration is suspending tech giant Microsoft from a program to apply for green cards for workers who come to the U.S. to live and work using H-1B visas, accusing the company of fraud. Vice President JD Vance said Thursday, "If you do the math, for every worker that Microsoft laid off, they replaced that worker with one and a half foreign indentured servants." Vance spoke in a White House news conference announcing the decision. The H-1B program has long been a target of President Donald Trump's supporters who say the program undercuts American workers and is rife with abuse. Redmond, Washington-based Microsoft hasn't responded to a request for comment.

OpenAI fires 3 safety researchers in dispute over AI risks

LONDON (AP) — OpenAI has fired three safety researchers for a "breach of trust," defending the decision after the trio accused the company of prioritizing corporate interests over safety. The company stated on Friday that the researchers violated policies on handling sensitive information. The researchers, Tomek Korbak, Jasmine Wang, and Mikita Balesni, expressed concerns about the impact of their dismissals on OpenAI's culture of open dialogue about safety. They urged the company to allow third-party safety monitors. The firings, first reported by the Wall Street Journal, highlight ongoing turmoil in AI companies over technology safety. OpenAI disputed the researchers' claims, emphasizing the need for trust.

EU and China strike interim trade deal that could cut Chinese hybrid exports, EU envoy says

HONG KONG (AP) — China and the European Union have reached a broad initial agreement to ease trade tensions. The EU trade commissioner announced Friday that the deal includes lower tariffs for some European goods and measures to stabilize rare earth supply chains. The agreement could cut up to 50% of Chinese electric and plug-in hybrid vehicle imports to the EU. The talks, which concluded Friday, aimed to address growing trade imbalances. Both sides plan to meet again in January by video and in person in March. The EU has been limiting imports of Chinese-made electric vehicles and other products, while China has launched investigations into EU imports.

The fish behind America's fish sticks is fueling a fight over trawling in Alaska

THE BERING SEA (AP) — The nets for Alaska's massive pollock fishery also catch salmon and other marine life. As salmon runs collapse across western Alaska, Indigenous communities and smaller commercial fishers say they're bearing the costs. Scientists blame warming waters for the decline. Critics argue bycatch is a controllable factor. Alaska pollock is the fish inside U.S. McDonald's Filet-O-Fish sandwiches and is also turned into fish sticks and imitation crab. The fish is at the center of a growing political and cultural fight over industrial trawling in Alaska. It's become a major issue in Alaska's Senate and governor races.