BELOVED casual dining chain Hooters has taken diners by surprise, shutting down dozens of restaurants across several states without warning.

Hooters put the 30 spots on the chopping block to the dismay of fans following its Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing in March.

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Hooters has been a staple among foodies for over 40 years[/caption]

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Following its Chapter 11 filing, Hooters suddenly closed down 30 locations[/caption]

The iconic American chain, known for its sports bar staples, conducted the surprising shutdowns on Wednesday.

It was a “difficult decision” to turn off the lights at the wave of company-owned locations, a Hooters spokesperson told The U.S. Sun.

“Importantly, Hooters is here to stay, and by optimizing our business in support of our long-term goals, Hooters will be well-positioned to continue our iconic legacy under a pure franchise business model.

“We are committed to supporting our impacted team members throughout this process and are incredibly grateful to our valued customers for their loyalty and dedication to the Hooters brand.”

The closures came somewhat as a shock to fans, as the restaurant chain had not hinted at any potential shutdowns despite its financial challenges.

When Hooters filed for bankruptcy protection this spring, it did not disclose any closure plans as a result of the filing.

However, the closures were not entirely a surprise, as Hooters had revealed it was “evaluating the company’s operational footprint” for its company-owned restaurants.

The chain also shut down a handful of spots in early 2024 before its bankruptcy filing.

Although Hooters has yet to release an exact list of the locations that were axed, local reports revealed that roughly 30 restaurants were impacted.

The closures spanned the country, affecting diners across states such as Florida, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas.

BIG BUST

Hooters has been a staple in the American restaurant scene since its founding in 1983, but has been hit hard by the evolving restaurant landscape.

Shifting diner preferences and rising competition from newer and more inclusive restaurants have weighed down on the chain, as have legal issues regarding Hooters’ hiring practices.

The company has likewise faced a drop in customer visits and sales, coupled with increased food and labor costs as well as high inflation.

Hooters also had nearly $400 million in debt, pushing the chain’s Chapter 11 filing in late March.

The chain announced it would sell off its over 100 company-owned locations to two franchise groups backed by the Hooters founders.

Hooters is not the only popular chain struggling in the current restaurant landscape.

Factors such as inflation and rising competition have forced a handful of bankruptcy filings, among iconic restaurants such as:

• Red Lobster
• TGI Fridays
• Rubio’s
• Buca di Beppo
• Tijuana Flats
• On the Border
• Sticky’s Finger Joint
• Roti

Others are similarly struggling, shutting down a number of locations due to mounting pressures.

For example, Jack In the Box, Applebee’s, and Denny’s are dominating closures in 2025 as restaurants struggle to stay afloat.

Another beloved restaurant chain abruptly shut down 15 stores – and diners were met with an ominous sign on the door.

MEGHAN Markle received a “brutal” put-down by Beyonce’s mum Tina Knowles on her podcast episode, according to experts. 

The Duchess of Sussex, 43, spoke to the iconic singer’s mum on a bonus episode of her Confessions of a Female Founder show, which was released on June 3.

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Meghan Markle hosted Beyonce’s mum Tina Knowles on her podcast this week[/caption]

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Tina opened up about family disputes and working with daughter Beyonce[/caption]

During the episode, Tina opened up about doing business with Beyonce and gave Meghan some advice about family disputes.

She shared: “We have disagreements about things, but it’s her business. 

“I’m helping with the business because I just want to leave this earth knowing that she, other than entertainment, is going to be okay.

“Otherwise, we get along really well. If we have a disagreement, it’s her business, so she gets to win.”

Tina added that when it comes to disagreements, she always gives in and apologises. 

Speaking on The Sun’s Royal Exclusive show, Royal Correspondent Sarah Hewson said that Tina was sharing some valuable advice with Meghan, who famously doesn’t speak to her dad Thomas Markle.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex also have strained relations with the Prince and Princess of Wales, following them stepping down as senior working royals in 2020.

Sarah shared on this week’s show: “There was one particular line that stood out for me when Tina said, ‘of course we disagree as family, and when we’re in business together and we’re working together, there will be disagreements. 

“‘But I don’t let them kind of sit. I can’t.’

“‘I pick up the phone and I make up because I don’t want to miss that time’. 

“Oh, wow, ok, because, you’re talking to someone who is no longer speaking to her father and whose husband is no longer speaking to his father.

“And a lot of time is passing.”

‘WASTED TIME’

This week’s Royal Exclusive host Bronte Coy added: “It really stood out because she used the phrase wasted time and Meghan agreed and said, ‘yes, it’s wasted time’. 

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Meghan and Harry currently have strained relations with the Prince and Princess of Wales[/caption]

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The Sussexes currently live in Montecito, California, with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet[/caption]

“Surely she had that reflection of, well, there’s a lot of people around in our lives.”

The Sun’s former Royal Correspondent and author Charles Rae agreed and said: “I agree with Sarah. That put down of ‘you’ve got to not have arguments within the family and everything else’. 

“I bet she forgets that bit.”

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The Sussexes with Beyonce at the Lion King premiere in 2019[/caption]

ROYAL RIFTS

Meghan is currently estranged from her father Thomas Markle over drama surrounding her wedding with Prince Harry in 2018.

Her shocking claims surrounding the Royal Family since quitting the UK in 2020, from her Oprah interview to Netflix documentary, have also seen her alienated from her in-laws.

Prince Harry is also not speaking to King Charles and Prince William – although insists he wants a reconciliation, despite releasing his damning Spare memoir.

Speaking to BBC in May, the Duke of Sussex said: “Of course some members of my family will never forgive me for writing a book. 

“Of course they will never forgive me for lots of things.

“But I would love reconciliation with my family.”

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This comes as Meghan shared a video of her dancing with Harry in hospital before Lilibet’s birth[/caption]

The Duke said “life is precious” and admitted he doesn’t know “how much longer” his father, King Charles, has to live.

“He won’t speak to me because of this security stuff,” he added.

Prince Harry recently lost his publicly-funded security appeal in a humiliating blow after his round-the-clock royal protection was axed in the wake of Megxit.

THE US Department of Agriculture just recalled a popular snack after it was discovered it contains a potentially life-threatening ingredient.

The USDA announced that the snack misbranded itself and contains a hidden ingredient that the company previously claimed it didn’t use.

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Springville Meat & Cold Storage Co., Inc., is recalling over 15,000 pounds of its beloved beef jerky.

The heat-treated shelf-stable ready-to-eat beef sticks contained a hidden fish ingredient that isn’t mentioned on the label.

FSIS inspectors discovered that the Worcestershire sauce used in the jerky contains anchovies.

Not labeling the fish product could cause those with an anchovy allergy to go into anaphylaxis shock, which may lead to death.

So far, there has been no reported adverse reactions to the product.

Anyone who has eaten the product and is concerned about the allergen should contact a healthcare provider.

Those who have purchased beef sticks from the Springville Meat & Storage Co., should check to see if their product has “EST. 20528”  inside the USDA mark of inspection.

If it has the mark, then the USDA urges customers to throw it away or return it.

Those who have purchased the product are encouraged not to consume it.

No specific retailer has been identified as carrying the recalled product; however, the beef jerky can be purchased directly from the Utah-based business’s website.

Springville Meat & Cold Storage Co., Inc. did not immediately reply to The U.S. Sun’s request for comment.

The announcement comes just days after the USDA recalled a primary ingredient: tomatoes.

More to follow… For the latest news on this story, keep checking back at The U.S. Sun, your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, sports news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures, and must-see videos.

Like us on Facebook at TheSunUS and follow us on X at @TheUSSun

THE remains of a roughly 1,200-year-old woman found on the shores of the River Thames have exposed the brutal punishment practices of early Medieval Britain.

London between 600 to 800 AD, or Lundenwic as it was then known, was a very different place than it is today.

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The woman, whose remains have been categorised as UPT90 sk 1278 in museum records, was between the ages of 28 and 40 when she died[/caption]

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The River Thames near Blackfriars Bridge, London[/caption]

The settlement, which covered the area of modern-day Covent Garden, was made up of narrow, winding streets and buildings made of timber and straw.

It had a population of roughly 8,000 people – a far cry from the 9.26million residents that live there today.

The remains of one Londoner, believed to have lived during the early medieval period between 680 and 810 AD, act as an example of these practices.

Lawbreakers appeared to be executed in the streets, according to experts, and their bodies were left to decompose for all to see as a warning to others.

The woman, whose remains have been categorised as UPT90 sk 1278 in museum records, was between the ages of 28 and 40 when she died.

She was not buried, but rather sandwiched between two sheets of bark, lying on a mat of reeds with moss pads placed on her face, pelvis, and knees.

When the woman was first excavated in 1991, archaeologists noted that she was likely placed on the foreshore of the Thames where her remains were in public view.

“The burial treatment of UPT90 sk 1278 lets us know that her body was meant to be visible on the landscape, which could be interpreted as a warning to witnesses,” said Dr. Madeline Mant, who studied the remains once they were moved to the London Museum.

Dr. Mant and her colleagues published their findings in the journal World Archaeology.

“We can tell from the osteobiography of this individual and their burial treatment that they were executed, but the specific offense is impossible to know for certain,” she added.

“We can only infer from the law codes of the period.”

Just two weeks before her death, the woman was subject to torturous beatings and an eventual execution, researchers wrote.

Her body was laden with over 50 individual signs of injury, with fractures on her shoulders and spine resembling that of a car accident victim, according to experts.

The researchers believe the 9th-century woman may have been beaten or flogged – where a victim is repeatedly hit with a whip or a stick.

The second round of injuries on her torso and skull suggest the woman was punched or kicked repeatedly, in what experts have likened to torture beatings.

Her execution was a final blow to the left side of her head.

Dr. Mant said her death was likely a form of capital punishment, which were becoming increasingly common in the period the woman is understood to have lived.

“Early Medieval England was a time of change regarding law codes – the law code of Æthelberht (c. 589–616) did not include corporal punishment, but that of Wihtred of Kent (690–725) outlined specific punishments, for instance, beatings for those who could not pay fines,” explained Dr. Mant.

“Capital punishments were also included when willed by the king.

“As time passed, more crimes were associated with the death penalty under King Alfred (871–899).

“Crimes such as theft, treason, witchcraft, and sorcery could be met with the death penalty, which could be brought about by stoning or drowning.”

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An illustration of London in the early Medieval period[/caption]

The woman’s diet consisted of terrestrial foods, like grains, vegetables, fruits, meat, dairy, and eggs.

However, her remains show a period of increased stable nitrogen values sometime after she turned 5-years-old.

This could mean the woman either began eating more meat, or she suffered a period of starvation, during which her body began breaking down its own fat and protein stores.

Starvation was a significant threat in early Medieval London, particularly for those who migrated to the city.

AIRPOD owners could soon be in for a big free upgrade that allows them to take photos and more with their iPhone.

Camera controls are reportedly being prepared for the upcoming iOS update.

Sean Keach / The Sun

Apple could make an official announcement in days[/caption]

All users will have to do is tap the stem of an AirPod earpiece to trigger the camera, according to 9to5Mac.

This could come in particularly handy when trying to take selfies or big group shots.

But that’s not the only trick Apple apparently has up its sleeve.

It’s rumoured that there will be new sleep detection coming too.

This will turn your AirPods off when the device detects that you’ve nodded off with them in.

That means no more sleep timers – and no waking up with all the battery drained.

However, it’s not clear whether this will work on the AirPods and iPhone, or require an Apple Watch which has built in sleep detecting tech.

Elsewhere, new head gestures could be landing as well.

AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods 4 owners can already nod their head to accept a call or shake from side to side to decline it.

They can do the same with notifications too.

But Apple is rumoured to be planning even more, including an extension to the volume adjustment made with Conversation Awareness, which automatically lowers your audio while you’re talking. 

And there might be a new mic mode to deliver “studio quality” for those listening to you.

The wait for official word from Apple may not be far off either.

Next week the tech giant hosts its annual WWDC conference where it announces all things software and beyond.

It may be the first glimpse we get of the firm’s refreshed iOS update coming to iPhones later this year, which is rumoured to carry a new name.

Reports suggest Apple may be preparing to drop the current numerical structure and align it to the year instead.

This would make the next iOS update iOS 26 instead of iOS 19.

The Sun will be reporting from California next week to give you all the latest updates.

A POPULAR discount warehouse retailer that some shoppers dub better than Costco has slashed its membership prices to just $20.

For the discounted price, you will be able to make use of member-only items and fuel savings, to name a few.

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For the discounted price, you will be able to make use of member-only items and fuel savings, to name a few[/caption]

Sam’s Club has now massively reduced the price of its membership.

It would usually cost $50, but now is priced at $20 for a limited time, per the Daily Mail.

You can get the discounted price right now through June 16, which makes it considerably cheaper than its rivals.

For example, Costco is currently selling a membership for $65 a year as standard and $130 for an executive level membership.

At Sam’s Club, the membership comes with several amazing perks that make your trip to the store much easier.

For the price of a regular membership, you get access to member-only items not available to regular customers.

Members also get savings on fuel, as well as a 100% satisfaction guarantee and two membership cards.

It allows you to share the savings with someone else, namely another member of your household.

Sam’s Club members have the power to skip lines and use a scan and go option in stores, cafes and fuel stations.

As a member, you don’t even need to leave your car if you don’t want to, with free curbside pickup for orders over $100.

MASTERCARD BENEFITS

If you use a Mastercard, you will get access to even more benefits as a Sam’s Club member.

Mastercard holders can earn 5% Sam’s Cash back on gas, 3% on dining, and 1% on other purchases.

It is important to note that Sam’s Cash on gas will only be applied to the first $6,000 spent on fuel.

But to really get the full Mastercard treatment, you really need to be a Sam’s Club plus member.

The retailer is also offering a plus membership for $60 instead of the usual $110 for the year.

Plus members get free curbside pickup and free delivery on orders over $50, along with increased Mastercard benefits.

You can receive 3% back at Sam’s Club instead of 1% on other purchases, for example.

Plus members who are Mastercard holders can also enjoy 2% Sam’s Cash Back on in-club qualifying purchases for up to $500 a year.

On top of this, you will also be able to shop for up to two hours early in stores before everyone else.

If that wasn’t enough, plus members with Mastercard get 50% off off vehicle tire and battery installations.

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Sam’s Club has now massively reduced the price of its membership to $20[/caption]

AN actress from Friends, who is now 62, has resurfaced as a spiritual healer in Hawaii while sharing her inspiring story and how she found her gift.

Decades after leaving Hollywood behind, Jane Sibbett who played Ross Geller’s ex wife Carol Willick on Friends has dipped her toe back into the limelight.

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Jane played the role of Carol in the hit sitcom Friends[/caption]

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Jane is now 62 years of age and works as a spiritual healer[/caption]

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She played Carol who was Ross’ girlfriend in the series[/caption]

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Jane moved to Hawaii 10 years ago[/caption]

Leaving California in 2015, Jane and her then-husband Karl Fink upped sticks and moved to Hawaii.

Before uprooting her life, Jane hosted “goddess circles for women, with groups ranging from 15 to 100 people” before thrusting herself head first into the world of healing a while later.

“They [the women]would come to my home and eventually my ranch, where we did a lot of the work. There was a lot of spiritual activity,” she told People in a new interview shared this week.

When Jane and her ex Karl moved away from LA, they launched a production company called Wild Aloha Studios.

But things for the couple weren’t always hunky dory, with them eventually splitting.

“My husband and I split [when] we were in Hawaii, and I was on my knees because I was really brokenhearted by everything, and part of that was my stuff that I had to deal with,” she explained.

Opening up to the outlet about the heartbreak, which ended up sparking a personal transformation, Jane revealed how she turned to energy healing.

Jane spoke of how she and her now-ex had been producing documentaries for healers.

They worked for one in particular, Abdy Electriciteh, and Jane’s work with him became a part an organization.

CAREER U-TURN

She explained how the healer asked her to go from working on the documentaries to producing live events,

Jane added how “it was a perfect synthesis of my belief in the gift of him [and] what he was doing and me coming off of Friends”.

“I’m really a shy person,” she added, before revealed how she had to introduce him every day to many people.

“Each and every time, I started to feel the way that source energy or God energy was moving through me.

“Then somebody said, ‘Hey, you were so good at that. I know somebody else who needs your help,’ and so I went to one person, and then I did the next person, and I did the next.”

She then soon found herself taking up a career in energy healing.

‘PASSED OUT IN STATE OF BLISS’

Jane told the magazine how the healer she was working with “tapped” her on her third eye before she “passed out into the state of bliss for about an hour”.

While in the state of bliss and in the healing trance, Jane’s hands “started to dance”.

People even went up to her days later and told her that light was coming off her hands.

She woke up one morning with her hands dancing above her head, and she was stunned how they could move without making them herself.

Jane was never formally trained in energy work, with her gift emerging naturally.

“I wouldn’t call it Reiki. [My hands] just started dancing.

“Because I was never trained in Reiki, [so] I wouldn’t even know what that is.

“I believe in it, I trust it [but] it’s just not what I do. This wasn’t trained. This just came in fully fleshed, immediately.”

When Jane shot to fame in Friends, she played the wife – turned ex – of Ross Geller.

Ross and Carol had a son together, Ben, and their marriage ended when Carol came out as lesbian.

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She starred in the hit sitcom Friends[/caption]

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Her character even had a baby with Ross[/caption]

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She has made a complete career U-turn[/caption]

DONALD Trump has hailed Ukraine’s daring “Operation Spiderweb” attack as “strong and badass”.

The US president heaped praise on Volodymyr Zelensky for his calculated drone assault plan – but warned it has only made a raging Vladimir Putin even crazier.

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Donald Trump has hailed Ukraine’s daring ‘Operation Spiderweb’ attack as ‘strong and badass’[/caption]

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Ukraine hit bombers at the Russian Belaya Air Base in Irkutsk[/caption]

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Multiple aircraft were set ablaze at Belaya Air Base[/caption]

The Kremlin dictator held a 75 minute phone call with Trump on Wednesday as they discussed rising tensions in Ukraine.

Top of the agenda was reportedly the 117 drone blitz over the weekend which left four of Russia‘s key airbases up in flames.

The daring Operation Spiderweb saw a fired up Ukraine wreck 41 Russian planes across the strategic airfields.

Putin’s doomsday bomber fleet was crippled with a third of his most prized aircraft lying in smouldering wrecks.

Ukraine said the sneak attack was worth $7bn (£5.2bn) in damage to Russia.

Trump is believed to have been impressed by the cunning plot which took over 18 months to pull off under Zelensky’s watchful eye.

One source revealed to Axios that Trump told him the assault was “pretty strong”.

Another said the president “thought it was badass”.

A third anonymous confidant close to the Trump administration also praised the attack.

They said: “From an international perspective, you’ve got a chihuahua inflicting some real damage on a much bigger dog.”

Despite receiving the impressive plaudits from their American allies, Trump also made it clear it will have only increased Putin’s rage.

Trump reportedly told one source: “We want this war to end. We want it to de-escalate.

“So if Putin goes crazy in response, yeah, the president has concerns.”

A senior White House official has also spoken out since and said Trump won’t be too happy about another escalation in the war.

“He wants the fighting to stop, so it disappoints him whenever there is an attack like that,” they said.

Trump has spent the past few months since he returned to office trying to balance his relationship with both Moscow and Kyiv.

In his latest attempt to draw both sides closer to a ceasefire he spoke with Putin over the phone.

Trump revealed that the despot made it clear he feels he “will have to respond” to the audacious drone assault.

It comes as The Sun laid out the six possible methods Putin may use to respond to the enemy.

The tyrant could retaliate with one of his terrifying tactical nukes, launch a deadly 7,600mph missile or even order a renewed 50,000 troop assault to overpower his enemies.

The Kremlin gave a chilling response earlier today regarding how they may respond.

A spokesperson said: “Russian Federation will respond to the attack on airfields when and in the way that the military deems appropriate.”

And overnight, Vlad already launched his first retaliatory strikes on several residential regions.

The worst saw a baby, their mum and grandma all killed due to a Shahed kamikaze drone blast which caused their home to collapse.

Two others were also found dead in Chernihiv with another 17 seriously wounded in Kharkiv.

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Trump also warned the attack has only made a raging Vladimir Putin even crazier[/caption]

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A satellite picture of the Belaya Airbase shows how a Russian bomber was left smashed to pieces after Ukraine’s strikes[/caption]

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Ukraine released photos of the drones in the crates taken from inside Russia[/caption]

Muling bumagal ang inflation ng bansa noong Mayo dahil sa mas mabagal na pagtaas ng presyo ng kuryente at tubig at patuloy na pagbaba ng presyo ng bigas.

Lusot na sa Kamara ang panukalang dagdagan ng P200 ang arawang sahod ng mga manggagawa sa pribadong sektor na kumikita ng minimum wage.