Plus: Trump put his Trump Media stock in a trust. Good morning, Quartz readers! The biggest banks in the U.S. are being sued for fraud happening on Zelle. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is bringing the legal action. American Airlines settled a racial discrimination suit from three black passengers. The passengers said they were singled out for removal from a flight under the guise of an odor complaint. Donald Trump moved all his Trump Media shares into a revocable trust. The stock is worth about $4 billion.
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An empty conference room inside the Presidential Palace in Damascus, Syria
Photo: Getty Images (Ali Haj Suleiman)
Good morning, Quartz readers!

The biggest banks in the U.S. are being sued for fraud happening on Zelle. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is bringing the legal action.
American Airlines settled a racial discrimination suit from three black passengers. The passengers said they were singled out for removal from a flight under the guise of an odor complaint.
Donald Trump moved all his Trump Media shares into a revocable trust. The stock is worth about $4 billion.
Starbucks workers in three cities started a strike just before Christmas. They’re demanding the company present a “comprehensive economic package” and clear up myriad unfair labor practice charges.
A next-gen Ozempic falls short in a drug trial. Novo Nordisk stock plunged after its planned Ozempic successor, CagriSema, missed a key weight loss projection.

America’s c-suites had a swiftly revolving door this year. A record number of CEOs quit or got fired in 2024, with nearly 2,000 of them exiting their companies.
Many of them left their jobs amid difficult business environments for their employers. Others retired or sought better gigs elsewhere; at least one was “replaced” by an AI chatbot.
Just how many CEO jobs were vacated this year? Quartz’s William Gavin looks over the figures.

The Walton family is one of America’s richest dynasties. Their wealth is synonymous with the massive retail footprint of Walmart.
But now the clan is preparing its next generation to take over the empire. Eight of Walmart founder Sam Walton’s grandchildren will be joining a key decisionmaking group for the company.
What does this development mean for the future of Walmart? Quartz’s Francisco Velasquez explains how the family’s succession plans are unfolding.