Subway closed 729 stores across the U.S. in 2025, marking its 10th straight year of decline, according to a report.

The sandwich chain peaked in 2015 with over 27,000 stores — a number that dropped to 18,733 as of the end of last year, according to QSR.

Despite the closures, more of which are expected in 2026, Subway remains the largest chain in the U.S. in terms of store count. The chain hopes to draw back customers with a new value platform, featuring 15 menu items that each cost less than $5.

The closures are part of a “rightsizing” strategy, a business buzzword that means reducing a workforce to the optimal size, according to the report.

“In the U.S., Subway is focused on ensuring restaurants are in the right locations with the real estate, visibility and operations that set franchisees up to succeed long-term,” a Subway spokesperson told QSR. “That work is paying off. Operational improvements are showing up across the system, with restaurant evaluation scores and Google review scores both climbing to their highest levels in two years.”

Subway expects to open 100 U.S. franchised locations in 2026, according to Franchise Disclosure Documents. All of the chain’s locations are franchises.

The documents do not say how many locations are expected to close this year, though the brand has consistently closed several hundred locations each year over the past decade, according to the report.

The Independent has contacted Subway for comment.

The brand recently rolled out a value menu with 15 items priced under $5, shifting away from limited-time deals as it takes on value-focused rivals like McDonald’s and KFC.

While Subway works to lure back American customers, the chain has been thriving overseas. Subway opened more than 1,000 locations worldwide in 2025 and has agreements in place for more than 12,000 more units.

Last year, the number of Subway locations across the U.S. dropped below 20,000 for the first time in 20 years.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer star Nicholas Brendon’s cause of death has been revealed following his sad death at the age of 54

Buffy the Vampire Slayer star Nicholas Brendon’s cause of death has been revealed.

The sad news of Nicholas’ death was announced by his family in a statement shared on social media earlier this year. Nicholas was best known for playing Xander Harris on the hit show between 1997 and 2003, where he starred as Buffy’s best friend.

His family announced last month that he had died of natural causes. It had been confirmed he was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect after suffering a heart attack back in 2023.

He also suffered from cauda equina syndrome, which causes severe back pain, and had undergone surgery in the hope of treating the cauda equina. TMZ reports that Brendon died of atherosclerotic and hypertensive cardiovascular disease.

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A report from the Putnam County Coroner said that the actor had a 90 per cent blockage on his right coronary artery, with acute pneumonia and a previous heart attack as contributing factors in his sad death.

A friend had been living with Brendon in the days before his death to help him with his health. The friend told the coroner that Brendon had chest pains but didn’t want to visit the hospital, and was “apprehensive” about doing so.

CCTV from his home showed Brendon was struggling with a cough and had a “raspy” voice in the lead up to his death.

In a statement at the time, Brendon’s family said: “We are heartbroken to share the passing of our brother and son, Nicholas Brendon. He passed in his sleep of natural causes. Most people know Nicky for his work as an actor and for the characters he brought to life over the years. In recent years Nicky has found his passion in painting and art.

“Nicky loved to share his enthusiastic talent with his family, friends and fans. He was passionate, sensitive, and endlessly driven to create. Those who truly knew him understood that his art was one of the purest reflections of who he was.

“While it’s no secret that Nicholas had struggles in the past, he was on medications and treatment to manage his diagnosis and he was optimistic about the future at the time of his passing. Our family asks for privacy during this time as we grieve his loss and celebrate the life of a man who lived with intensity, imagination, and heart. Thank you to everyone who has shown love and support.”

Nicholas was married twice, first to Tressa DiFiglia from 2001 until 2007 and then to Moonda Tee from 2014 until 2015. Nicholas and Moonda were married for five months before their split. The actor proposed a week before they married in Las Vegas in October 2014.

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Marcus Rashford may not be competing at Manchester United right now, but the Reds academy graduate made it clear his former side isn’t far away from his thoughts

Marcus Rashford has tweeted “congratulations” to Manchester United after his former club secured their place in next season’s Champions League. Michael Carrick’s side overcame Liverpool 3-2 on Sunday to ensure the Reds will be in Europe’s elite competition next season.

United have not kicked a ball in the Champions League since Erik ten Hag’s second season and they also haven’t featured within it’s new controversial restructure. However, United’s triumph over the Merseysiders ensured they will finish in the top five.

Meanwhile, Rashford is closing in on his first league title as a player at Barcelona. Nevertheless, he made it clear his childhood club are still within his thoughts.

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After a member of United’s social media team uploaded a social media video commemorating the club’s return to the Champions League next season, Rashford retweeted it and wrote “Congratulations” alongside a red love heart emoji.

It demonstrated how the England international is still keeping tabs on his former club and team-mates. When it comes to his future at United, there is a lot of uncertainty.

It’s understood Rashford’s desire is to remain at the Camp Nou, but several reports have also claimed Barcelona are reluctant to fork out for the £26 million clause required to sign him permanently. United will not accept a lower fee for Rashford, while Sky Germany have also claimed the Catalans would like to loan him for another season.

Rashford has enjoyed a strong season in Catalunya. In all competitions, he has contributed 13 goals and 14 assists in 46 appearances; an impressive return since many of his appearances have come from the bench.

In April, Flick outlined his satisfaction with Rashford’s performances, saying: “I’m very happy with Marcus. He has shown his quality and he scored an important goal. I can’t say anything about his future, we have to focus on the matches until the end of the season.”

However, in the same month, Carrick appeared to prop the door open for Rashford, if he ever decided to return to the club. The ex-United midfielder said: “There’s decisions to be made on certain things, and obviously Marcus is in that situation.

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“But at this point in time, nothing’s been decided. It will be, because it has to be at a certain point, but at this stage, there’s nothing to say.”

At Barcelona, Rashford and his team-mates are one win away from wrapping up the La Liga title. With four matches left to play, they are 11 points in front of fierce rivals Real Madrid.

Meanwhile, United are one victory away from ensuring they will finish in third place at the end of the season. This would represent their highest league finish since Erik ten Hag’s debut campaign in the 2021-22 campaign.

Sky Sports, HBO Max, Netflix and Disney+ with Ultimate TV package

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Sky has upgraded its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle to now include HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, discovery+ and Hayu, as well as 135 channels and full Sky coverage of the Premier League and EFL.

Sky broadcasts more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more with at least 215 live from the top flight alongside Formula 1, darts and golf.

England’s final World Cup squad must be submitted by Saturday, 30 May.

However, the Three Lions have no friendlies lined up before then, so Gibbs-White has the remainder of the season at club level to prove his worth to Tuchel.

Forest have Premier League games against Newcastle, Manchester United and Bournemouth remaining, and at least one more fixture in the Europa League as they take on Aston Villa in the semi-finals of the Europa League on Thursday.

If Gibbs-White can play a key role in Forest winning a European trophy, then that will surely boost his international hopes.

However, he was taken off 20 minutes after coming on against Chelsea following a clash of heads with Blues goalkeeper Robert Sanchez that left him with a nasty wound which required stitches.

He now faces a race against time to be fit for the semi-final second leg against Villa – with Forest leading 1-0 on aggregate.

“I don’t know if it is a bit late for him to get a call-up now but in my eyes he deserves it,” Perch added.

“All he can do is perform for his club – and that is what he is doing – and Tuchel can’t ignore him for too much longer.”

Ahead of its own midnight ceasefire on Wednesday (Tuesday 22:00 GMT), Ukraine also launched a series of aerial attacks on Russia, hitting an industrial area in Kirishi in the Leningrad region and a factory that produces military components in Cheboksary, in the Chuvash Republic.

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The installation of a new 5G electronic communications base station on the rooftop of the Scarborough Telephone Exchange building has been given the go-ahead by North Yorkshire Council.

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A 3.75m extension will be added to the existing rooftop mast to accommodate nine replacement antennas and other radio equipment.

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Cellnex UK, which applied for permission to upgrade the equipment, operates part of the site for Virgin Media O2.

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The building currently accommodates an existing five-metre rooftop stub mast. The proposed works involve an extension to this structure to hold the new and upgraded equipment, resulting in an increase in overall height.

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“Unlike earlier generations of mobile connectivity, 5G has more significant technical and operational requirements, and this has implications on the amount, height, position and design of the new base station apparatus on the rooftop of the building,” according to submitted plans.

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Scarborough Current Mast And Proposed 5g Mast. Cellnex.

Cellnex described the telephone exchange as a utilitarian, three-storey building with a flat roof, which currently accommodates a telecommunications base station including the established stub mast and associated telecommunications apparatus.

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It said: “In visual terms, the change will be perceived in the context of the existing rooftop installation, where the design of the headframe remains as existing.

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“The upgrade does not give rise to any unacceptable additional visual impact.”

The company added that the number of antennas and dishes and their size had been kept “to the minimum necessary” to provide 4G and 5G coverage and to link the site back into the operator’s network.

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The application was approved by North Yorkshire Council on Friday, May 1, subject to conditions.

“Water is kept up on a ledge where some children cannot reach”

A Rochdale pre-school has denied its children don’t all have access to drinking water, following a damning Ofsted report.

Little Stars Pre-school has been told they need to make urgent improvements in all categories by the education watchdog. Bosses at the pre-school said they have implemented an improvement plan to address the issues raised by Ofsted.

During a visit to the Fieldhouse Industrial Estate facility at the end of January, the inspector noted how a lack of positive culture around safeguarding left ‘children at significant risk of harm’.

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The recently published report read: “Children do not have their own water cups and instead pour water into universal cups which others then use. Water is kept up on a ledge where some children cannot reach. Therefore, those children who do not speak are unable to request a drink. Leaders do not make certain that staff follow good hygiene procedures.

“For instance, staff do not consistently intervene to wipe children’s extremely runny noses. On the occasions that staff do intervene, they do not wash their own or children’s hands afterwards.

“This does not help to teach children about their own health and wellbeing and puts them at risk of illness.”

Management at Little Stars denied this claim, saying all children have access to drinking water. The pre-school also pointed out they had been closed to children for the first few weeks of January due to disruption caused by burst pipes and flooding.

They had only just reopened when the inspection took place and feel the inspection report doesn’t accurately reflect the running of the nursery.

The report went on to criticise the pre-school’s curriculum; leadership; and support for those with special educational needs and disabilities. Not all staff can recognise the signs and symptoms of abuse and neglect and don’t know the procedures to follow if they do have concerns about a child, according to the report. Concerns over welfare were also raised by inspector Kayte Farrell.

In response, a spokesperson for Little Stars said: “We are extremely disappointed with the outcome of the recent Ofsted inspection, and we have formally challenged aspects of the report. Following this, I also held a conversation with an inspector in March to raise concerns that the findings do not fully reflect the day-to-day reality of our setting.

“Little Stars Pre-School is a nurturing environment where children make strong progress and where we have consistently received positive feedback from families. We are proud of the relationships we have built with our children and parents, this remains at the heart of our practice.

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“In relation to the point raised about access to drinking water, children do have access to water in both rooms. It is provided on trays at an appropriate height within reach, staff actively encourage and support all children, including quieter or non-verbal children, to drink regularly.

“Nevertheless, we have reviewed this further strengthened our approach to ensure accessibility is consistently clear and visible at all times. We take all feedback seriously and have already implemented a detailed improvement plan, including enhanced staff support, strengthened monitoring, and a renewed focus on consistency across practice.

“We are also working closely with the local authority and other external support networks to ensure sustained and measurable improvement.

“Our priority remains the safety, wellbeing and development of every child in our care, as well as continuing to support local working families through our nursery, after-school and holiday provision.

“We remain fully committed to ongoing improvement and would welcome the opportunity to demonstrate the progress made.”

Ofsted have issued the pre-school a Welfare Requirements Notice – requiring the provider to take specific actions in order to improve.

NASA scientist Ingrid Honkala, 55, claims to have had three near-death experiences throughout her life and says each time she encountered the exact same afterlife vision

A NASA scientist who claims to have died three times says she witnessed the exact same afterlife on each occasion. Ingrid Honkala, 55, says she has experienced three near-death episodes at the ages of two, 25, and 52.

The first near-death experience occurred when she tumbled into a tank of icy water at home, the second during a motorcycle accident, and the third when her blood pressure plummeted while undergoing surgery.

Yet for Ingrid, who went on to earn a PhD in Marine Science and work for both NASA and the US Navy, it was that very first experience at just two years old that left the most profound mark on her. She recalled how, as she fell into the water, rather than panic setting in, an extraordinary sense of calm washed over her.

Ingrid, originally from Bogotá, explained: “Instead of fear, a deep calm came over me. The panic disappeared and was replaced by an overwhelming sense of peace and stillness. It felt as if my awareness separated from my body. My next memories are not of the physical world, but of an expanded state of awareness.

“I remember seeing my small body floating lifeless in the water. At that moment, I no longer felt like a child in a body but like pure consciousness, a field of awareness and light.

“There was no sense of time, no fear, and no thoughts. Instead, there was a deep knowing that everything was interconnected. I felt completely unified with life itself, as if the boundaries that normally define who we are had dissolved. It felt like being immersed in a vast intelligence filled with love, clarity, and peace.”

Ingrid went on to reveal that during this moment she also sensed she was somehow able to reach her mother several blocks away, something which prompted her mum to turn back.

She recalled: “Even though I was only two years old, that experience left a profound imprint on my consciousness. During the experience, my awareness seemed to move beyond my body. I remember seeing my mother several blocks away from our home as she was walking to her first day at a new job.

“I remember recognising her and thinking ‘that’s my mum’. At that moment there seemed to be a form of communication between us, not through spoken words, but through awareness.”

Ingrid later revealed that when she brought up the incident with her mother years afterwards, their recollections aligned. She said: “When she arrived, she found my body in the water tank where I had drowned.

“The maid who was supposed to be watching us was in another room listening to the radio and had no idea what had happened.”

Remarkably, Ingrid insists she has had two further near-death experiences since — one during a motorcycle accident at 25 and another when her blood pressure plummeted unexpectedly during an operation aged 52. On each occasion, she maintains, she found herself back in that same tranquil state.

A profound consequence of Ingrid’s experiences has been the loss of any fear surrounding death, which she now sees not as something separate from life, but as a different realm of understanding. As the years passed, she began having encounters with what she described as “Beings of Light” who communicated with her, though not through conventional speech.

She said: “From that moment forward, I no longer feared death. The experience showed me that what we call the afterlife did not feel like a distant place at all. Instead, it felt like entering a deeper layer of reality that exists beyond our physical senses. In that state, consciousness felt vast, intelligent, and interconnected.

“To me, the experience suggested that consciousness may not be produced solely by the brain — it may be something more fundamental. As I grew older, I continued to have unusual spiritual experiences, including encounters with what I later described as Beings of Light, luminous presences that communicated through awareness rather than spoken language.”

Ingrid has partly credited these encounters with steering her towards a career in science. She said: “In many ways, my experiences also led me toward science. I wanted to understand the nature of reality through observation and research.

“For many years I focused almost entirely on my scientific career and rarely spoke publicly about my spiritual experiences. Over time, however, I came to see that science and spirituality may not necessarily be in conflict — they may simply be exploring the same mystery from different perspectives.”

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While some sceptics have suggested Ingrid’s encounters might have been triggered by her body enduring extreme stress, she insisted what she went through ran much deeper.

She said: “These experiences transformed my understanding of life itself. Instead of seeing ourselves as isolated individuals struggling to survive, I began to understand that we may be expressions of consciousness experiencing life through a physical form.

“From that perspective, death does not feel like the end of existence, it feels more like a transition in the continuum of consciousness. Through these experiences I also came to feel that, at the deepest level, life never truly ends, consciousness continues.”

​A Whitby town councillor has resigned from the authority, leaving a seat vacant in the parish council’s West Cliff Ward.

​The seat was held by Sarah Blackwell, who recently resigned.

​If ten residents write to North Yorkshire Council by the set deadline, an election will be held to fill the vacancy.

​If an election is called, it will take place not later than Thursday, July 23.

​Otherwise, a town councillor will be appointed through a process known as co-option.

Whitby Town Council. Courtesy Numminen/LDRS

​Residents who wish to see an election held should contact North Yorkshire Council by Wednesday, May 20.

​Requests for an election to fill the vacancy should be made in writing to the Proper Officer at North Yorkshire Council’s Civic Centre, St Lukes Avenue, Harrogate, HG1 2AE.

​They can also be contacted via email at elections@northyorks.gov.uk.

The costs associated with a potential election would be borne by Whitby Town Council.

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