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Prada Group Finalizes $1.4B Purchase of Versace

Indira Zaldivar
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Prada Group Finalizes $1.4B Purchase of Versace

A Landmark Deal in Italian Fashion

The Prada Group has officially acquired Milan rival Versace in a $1.375 billion cash deal, bringing together Prada’s minimalist “ugly chic,” Miu Miu’s youthful edge, and Versace’s bold glamour under one luxury umbrella. The acquisition follows all required regulatory approvals.

Versace Set for a Relaunch

The deal is expected to revive Versace after years of uneven performance under Capri Holdings, which will use the sale proceeds to pay down debt. Donatella Versace celebrated the announcement on Instagram, posting a tribute to her late brother, Gianni Versace, and welcoming the brand’s new chapter with Prada.

Leadership and Creative Direction

Prada heir Lorenzo Bertelli will guide Versace as executive chairman while maintaining his group roles in marketing and sustainability. He has no immediate plans for major leadership changes but acknowledged Versace has long underperformed despite being one of the world’s most recognized fashion brands.

Versace is currently undergoing a creative reset under designer Dario Vitale, who debuted his first collection in September during Milan Fashion Week.

Market Impact and Revenue Breakdown

Capri Holdings originally bought Versace for $2 billion in 2018. Versace accounted for 20% of Capri’s 2024 revenue. Under the Prada Group, the brand is expected to make up 13% of combined pro-forma revenues, while Prada accounts for 64% and Miu Miu for 22%.

Expanding Italian Manufacturing

Prada has already begun integrating Versace into its Italian production network, emphasizing shared craftsmanship across brands. The group continues to invest heavily in its manufacturing base, including new leather goods and knitwear factories and an expanded artisan training academy that has produced hundreds of skilled workers.

With the acquisition now complete, Prada aims to unlock what it calls Versace’s “significant untapped growth potential” and usher the iconic brand into a new era.

For more on this story, stay tuned to Que Onda Magazine.

Mangione’s Defense Pushes to Block Key Evidence as Hearing Continues

Michael Esparza
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Mangione’s Defense Pushes to Block Key Evidence as Hearing Continues

Second Day of Suppression Hearing

Luigi Mangione returns to a New York City courtroom Tuesday morning for the second day of a crucial pre-trial suppression hearing. Mangione, 27, has pleaded not guilty to fatally shooting UnitedHealthCare CEO Brian Thompson on a Midtown Manhattan sidewalk in December 2024.

Prosecutors are expected to call first responders from the day of Mangione’s arrest, though they have not disclosed the order of witnesses.

Defense Challenges Backpack Search

Mangione’s lawyers are fighting to prevent prosecutors from using what they call unlawfully obtained evidence — including the alleged murder weapon and writings prosecutors say resemble a confession. They argue police searched Mangione’s backpack without a warrant when he was arrested inside a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, five days after the shooting.

Defense attorneys say officers questioned Mangione for nearly 20 minutes before reading him his rights and searched his bag hours before a warrant was requested.

Prosecutors Present 911 Call and Video

During Monday’s hearing, prosecutors played surveillance footage from the McDonald’s, dispatch audio, and the 911 call from the store manager who reported that Mangione “looked like the NYC shooter.”

Body camera footage, they say, supports that police acted lawfully and that the evidence strongly ties Mangione to the killing.

High Stakes for Both Sides

If the judge suppresses the backpack contents or Mangione’s statements, it could significantly weaken the prosecution’s case. For now, the hearing continues as both sides battle over what evidence will ultimately be allowed at trial.

For more on this story, stay tuned to Que Onda Magazine.

White House ‘Very Optimistic’ Ahead of High-Stakes Russia–U.S. Peace Meeting

Edward Saenz
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White House ‘Very Optimistic’ Ahead of High-Stakes Russia–U.S. Peace Meeting

Witkoff and Kushner Head to Moscow

The White House says it is “very optimistic” as special envoy Steve Witkoff travels to Moscow for a Tuesday meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Jared Kushner is also expected to attend, marking the latest U.S. push to end Russia’s war in Ukraine. The Kremlin said talks were set to begin around 5 p.m. local time.

Progress in Florida Talks

The Moscow meeting follows intensive discussions in Florida between U.S. officials — including Witkoff, Kushner, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio — and a Ukrainian delegation. They worked on refining the Trump administration’s peace proposal after Ukraine raised concerns about the original draft.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the administration feels “very optimistic,” citing “very good talks with the Ukrainians.”

Mixed Signals From Moscow

Despite diplomatic movement, expectations for a breakthrough remain low. Putin recently doubled down on demands that Ukraine withdraw from territories he claims as Russian and said negotiating with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was “pointless.” Russian officials also claimed — without evidence — that their forces seized two contested Ukrainian cities.

Putin spent recent days meeting with military commanders and regional leaders ahead of the talks.

Ukraine Seeks Unity and Security Guarantees

Zelenskyy, not directly involved in the Florida meeting, met with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris and later traveled to Dublin for discussions with Irish leaders. He said European unity remains essential, noting several “tough issues” remain unresolved in negotiations.

Rustem Umerov, head of Ukraine’s delegation, reported “significant progress” in the U.S. meetings but added that some points still need refinement.

Refining the Peace Plan

The weekend talks focused on a revised 19-point proposal crafted after earlier meetings in Geneva. The new draft is a rework of a 28-point plan that alarmed Kyiv and European allies for heavily favoring Russia. Officials have not disclosed whether additional revisions were made before the Moscow visit.

What Comes Next

Tuesday’s meeting marks the sixth Witkoff–Putin encounter this year. While the White House declined to preview expected outcomes, Leavitt said U.S. negotiators have “refined” their proposals and remain hopeful that progress toward a peace agreement can be achieved.

“We feel quite good,” she said, “and we’re hopeful this work can finally come to an end.”

For more on this story, stay tuned to Que Onda Magazine.

Robbery Suspect Uses Employee as Human Shield, Shot by HPD

Que Onda Editorial
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Robbery Suspect Uses Employee as Human Shield, Shot by HPD

Incident at North Houston Check-Cashing Business

A robbery attempt at an Ace Cash Express in north Houston turned violent Monday morning when a suspect held an employee at gunpoint and used her as a human shield, according to the Houston Police Department. The incident happened around 8:30 a.m. off West Greens Road near I-45.

Rapid Police Response

HPD Sgt. Luis Menendez-Sierra told our news partner ABC13 Houston that officers responded within minutes to a panic hold-up alarm. When the first patrol unit arrived, the officer saw a male suspect and a female employee inside the business.

Confrontation Outside the Store

Police said the suspect forced the woman outside with a gun pressed to her back. An officer fired at the suspect, striking him multiple times. Once he fell, officers moved in and secured the scene. The suspect was taken to a nearby hospital.

Employee Unharmed

The employee, who had just arrived to open the store, was not injured. “She’s an innocent bystander in this whole situation,” Sgt. Menendez-Sierra said.

Robbery Trends in the Area

HPD crime data shows 21 commercial robberies within a five-mile radius over the past month, slightly fewer than the 25 reported during the same period last year.

Suspect Not Yet Identified

Police have not released the suspect’s name and say it appears he did not steal anything during the attempted robbery.

For more on this story, stay tuned to Que Onda Magazine.

A chilly and dry Tuesday before our next rainmaker moves in Wednesday

ABC13 Houston
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A chilly and dry Tuesday before our next rainmaker moves in Wednesday

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — After a cold and wet Monday, we are expecting the rain clouds to clear out overnight making way for even colder weather Tuesday morning. And while we do get the sunshine back Tuesday, it won’t stick around for long as the next rainy weather system blows in Wednesday through Friday.

Temperatures this morning will begin in the mid-to-upper 30s across most of Southeast Texas, and with the breeze it will feel about 5-10 degrees colder than the thermometer reads around sunrise. Patchy frost is even possible north of Houston where the wind settles down enough for frost to form. We should get a healthy dose of sunshine Tuesday afternoon to warm temperatures back into the low-to-mid 50s, but that’s still about 15 degrees cooler than normal.

How long will the cold air stick around?

We are in for another round of cold temperatures in the upper 30s and low 40s Wednesday morning, then a warm front will push temperatures back into the mid 60s Wednesday. This little warm up will be short-lived as the next rainmaker rolls in Wednesday night and a cold front arrives on Thursday. That will make for two more days of cloudy, chilly, and wet weather to round out the work week.

When else could it rain this week?

Another rainmaker looks to blow in Wednesday afternoon and depart on Friday. For now we have a 30% chance of rain Wednesday afternoon, climbing to 60-70% Wednesday night and Thursday, then dropping to a 40% chance of showers on Friday. And while this might seem like a lot of rain over the next few days, we’re only expected around an inch or two to fall across the region by Friday. The exception is along the coast where we could see a few heavier thunderstorms Wednesday night into Thursday.

When could we get our first freeze?

We have no freezing weather in forecast over the next 10 days, and long range signals indicate we probably have to wait until mid December at the earliest for a chance of freezing weather in Houston. On average, Houston historically gets its first freeze during the second week of December.

13 ALERT RADAR MAPS:
Southeast Texas
Houston
Harris County
Galveston County
Montgomery/Walker/San Jacinto/Polk/Grimes Counties
Fort Bend/Wharton/Colorado Counties
Brazoria/Matagorda Counties

This story comes from our news partner ABC13 Houston.

For more Houston headlines, stay tuned to Que Onda Magazine!

Sen. Kelly Demands Investigation into Caribbean Strikes, Criticizes Hegseth

Indira Zaldivar
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Sen. Kelly Demands Investigation into Caribbean Strikes, Criticizes Hegseth

Refusing Intimidation

Democratic Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona said Monday he will not be silenced by President Donald Trump or Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, even after the Department of Defense announced a “thorough review” of Kelly following reports of alleged misconduct.

“I will not be intimidated by this president. I am not going to be silenced by this president or the people around because I’ve given too much in service to the country to back down,” Kelly said.

Call for Accountability

Kelly criticized Hegseth as “unqualified for this position” and called for him to testify about the Caribbean Sea boat strikes in September, where two survivors were reportedly killed after a second strike on a drug-smuggling vessel.

“There needs to be an investigation into these strikes,” Kelly said. “If there is anyone who needs to answer questions in public and under oath, it is Pete Hegseth.”

Legal Concerns

Kelly emphasized the importance of following international law, including the Law of the Sea and the Geneva Conventions. He expressed concern that targeting survivors clinging to a damaged vessel could cross a legal line: “I hope what we are hearing is not accurate,” he said.

Political Tensions

The senator also addressed the broader context of political pressure, responding to Trump’s social media posts calling Democrats “traitors” for posting a video telling service members they could refuse illegal orders. Kelly argued the president’s statements aim to intimidate Americans from speaking out:

“This isn’t about me and it’s not about the others in that video. They’re trying to send a message to retired service members, government employees, military members, and elected officials: ‘You better keep your mouth shut, or else,’” Kelly said.

Commitment to Lawful Process

When asked if he would cooperate with the FBI or Defense Department investigations, Kelly affirmed: “I will follow the law.” He also urged Trump to help reduce political tensions rather than inflame them, citing past attacks on his wife, former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, as a reminder of the consequences of violent rhetoric.

For more on this story, stay tuned to Que Onda Magazine.

Putin Claims Control of Ukrainian Cities; Ukraine Denies

Que Onda Editorial
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Putin Claims Control of Ukrainian Cities; Ukraine Denies

Unverified Claims

Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed without evidence that Russian forces have taken Pokrovsk and Vovchansk, two cities in eastern Ukraine experiencing intense fighting. The claims came a day before his meeting in Moscow with U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff to discuss a peace plan, seemingly aimed at projecting Russian strength and minimizing the need to compromise.

Ukraine Rejects Claims

The Ukrainian military denied Putin’s statements. The 7th Rapid Response Corps of the Air Assault Forces said Ukrainian troops continue to hold back Russian advances in Pokrovsk. Despite heavy fighting and significant destruction, key areas remain under Ukrainian control.

Vovchansk and the Kharkiv Front

Vovchansk, near the Russian border, has also seen months of conflict without a decisive Russian capture. Viktor Tregubov, Head of Communications for the Ukrainian Joint Forces, said the city “has not been taken, but it effectively no longer exists.” Russian forces control much of the ruins, but Ukrainian troops still defend the southern areas.

Pattern of Premature Claims

This is not the first time Russia has made such claims. Putin previously said Kupiansk had fallen, yet Ukraine now reports progress in reclaiming it. A video posted by the Russian Ministry of Defense showing a soldier raising a Russian flag in Pokrovsk does not reflect full control, as the city remains contested.

On the Ground

Ukrainian forces continue to hold key positions, and independent analysts confirm that neither Pokrovsk nor Vovchansk has fully fallen. Putin’s statements appear intended more for political messaging than reflecting the reality on the frontlines.

For more on this story, stay tuned to Que Onda Magazine.

METRO Updates IAH 500 Downtown Direct Service for Holiday Travelers

Edward Saenz
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METRO Updates IAH 500 Downtown Direct Service for Holiday Travelers

New Terminal Location

Starting Dec. 7, METRO’s IAH 500 Downtown Direct bus will operate from Terminal E at George Bush Intercontinental Airport, moving from Terminal C. This change provides easier access for both international and domestic travelers, connecting directly to baggage claim and arrival areas.

Improved Accessibility and Convenience

Terminal E offers a covered driveway, dedicated bus lane, and clear signage, making it simpler for visitors to locate the bus, even during busy holiday periods. The wider roadway and dedicated bus space also reduce congestion and improve traffic flow.

Service Highlights

While the terminal location has changed, all other service features remain:

  • Buses run every 30 minutes
  • $4.50 one-way fare
  • Comfortable buses with Wi-Fi and luggage storage
  • Reliable and affordable travel between IAH and Downtown Houston

Stay Informed

Travelers are encouraged to visit RideMETRO.org for updated terminal maps and additional information.

METRO thanks partners for helping share this update, ensuring a smooth travel experience for visitors this holiday season.

For more on this story, stay tuned to Que Onda Magazine.

BARC Houston Launches Reduced-Fee Holiday Adoptions Through Empty the Shelters Event

Indira Zaldivar
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0
BARC Houston Launches Reduced-Fee Holiday Adoptions Through Empty the Shelters Event

Holiday Hope for Houston’s Shelter Pets

BARC, the City of Houston’s Animal Shelter and Adoption Center, is joining the BISSELL Pet Foundation’s national Empty the Shelters – Holiday Hope event from Dec. 1–15, 2025. The initiative aims to help more pets find homes during a time when shelters nationwide are stretched to capacity.

Reduced Adoption Fees

Thanks to BISSELL Pet Foundation’s sponsorship, BARC is offering significantly lowered fees during the two-week event:

  • $50 for puppies four months or younger
  • $20 for dogs five months and older
  • $10 for all cats and kittens

All adoptions include spay/neuter surgery, vaccinations, dewormer, flea prevention, a microchip and a one-year City of Houston pet registration.

Extended Adoption Hours

To give more families a chance to adopt, BARC will open on Mondays during the event—typically a closed day. Adoption hours will run 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. daily at 3300 Carr St.

Helping Pets During a Challenging Year

Shelters nationwide have experienced increased surrenders due to financial strain and housing instability, said Cathy Bissell, founder of BISSELL Pet Foundation. She emphasized that adopting a shelter pet offers families an affordable, meaningful alternative to buying from breeders or pet stores.

BARC Shelter Director Jarrad Mears added that reducing fees and expanding hours makes adoption possible for more households: “A loving home is the greatest gift a pet can receive.”

National Impact

Empty the Shelters is the largest funded adoption event in the country, helping more than 374,000 pets find homes since 2016. Participating shelters set their own adoption procedures, and all pets come spayed/neutered, vaccinated and microchipped.

Houston families interested in adopting are encouraged to contact BARC directly for details.

For more on animal welfare, stay tuned to Que Onda Magazine.

TSA to Charge $45 for Travelers Without REAL ID Starting Feb. 1

Edward Saenz
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0
TSA to Charge $45 for Travelers Without REAL ID Starting Feb. 1

New Fee for Non-Compliant IDs

Beginning Feb. 1, travelers who arrive at airport security without a REAL ID or passport will be required to pay a $45 identity-verification fee, the Transportation Security Administration announced Monday. The amount is significantly higher than the previously proposed $18 fee.

Part of REAL ID Implementation

The fee supports the next phase of the REAL ID rollout. Travelers without compliant identification will need to verify their identity through TSA’s biometric or biographic system before being allowed through security.

TSA official Steve Lorincz said the fee helps modernize and secure the verification system and ensures costs are covered by travelers rather than taxpayers.

How the Process Works

Individuals can visit TSA.gov to complete the online verification steps and submit payment. Afterward, they’ll receive an email confirmation to show officers at the checkpoint. The process typically takes 10–15 minutes but may take up to 30 minutes or longer.

TSA warns that verification isn’t guaranteed—travelers may still be denied if their identity can’t be confirmed.

Impact on Travelers at Airports

Anyone who reaches the checkpoint without acceptable ID will be removed from the line to complete the online process. Those with a lost or stolen REAL ID or passport must also pay the fee.

Once approved, the verification is valid for up to 10 days. If travelers fly again without a REAL ID after that window, the fee must be paid again.

Most Travelers Already Compliant

According to TSA, roughly 94% of passengers already use a REAL ID or another approved form of identification.

For more updates on travel guidelines, stay tuned to Que Onda Magazine.

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