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PET owners can finally talk to their dogs thanks to a bizarre AI-powered collar much like Disney movie Up.

The Shazam pet band speaks back to owners in real-time with human-like responses – and even cracks jokes.

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Collar responds with more than 8,000 pre-recorded lines[/caption]

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Device can also be used on cats[/caption]

Disney

Device is eerily like the one worn by Dug in Disney’s Up movie[/caption]

It’s available for cat lovers too.

But the gadget doesn’t have the power to read your pet’s thoughts.

Instead, the device uses advanced tech to combine sensors, machine learning and data that interpret a pet’s emotions, health needs, and reasoning, according to Personifi AI, the company behind the wild idea.

And the lines aren’t quite as intelligent as you may think, as they’re all pre-recorded.

Some 8,000 lines of dialogue have been recorded and there are plans to add more.

Users can choose from 27 personas for their dog or cat, including a fast-talking mafia boss, a lovable goofball, or a witty southern belle.

Beyond the fun features there are some pretty handy safety tools.

For example, it can detect dangers such as rattlesnakes by listening for the sound they make and alerting you.

It’ll also listen out for chomping during meals and track when eating times usually happen.

So, if you accidentally forget or miss a meal, the collar will shout out to remind you.

“The Shazam Band is a game-changer for the bond we share with our pets,” explained John McHale, CEO of Personifi AI.

“We’ve always imagined what our pets would say if they could speak—well, imagine no more.

“Shazam makes that dream a reality, bringing joy, empathy, and understanding into every interaction.”

But the gadget – which isn’t associated with the Shazam song-recognition app – doesn’t come cheap, starting from $495 / £380.

And you’ll have to pay a subscription for the best features, at $195 / £150 a year for the feline and “ultra” collars and $295 / £227 a year for the so-called “BrainBoost” service.

There’s no subscription fee for the first year.

LUKE LITTLER could end up worth more than David Beckham, according to darts legend Dennis Priestley. 

Two-time World Champion ‘The Menace’ has backed the 17-year-old sensation to become Becks of the oche in the coming years.

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Luke Littler has been tipped to end up worth more than David Beckham[/caption]

Littler has already become one of darts’ top star despite only making his senior debut at the World Championships last Christmas.

And he’s clocked up a number of top trophy wins, including the Premier League of Darts.

Littler’s net worth is already upwards of £600,000 in such a short space of time.

While football legend Beckham is said to be worth over £360MILLION.

It means Littler has a long way to go to reach those figures, especially with darts’ lower jackpots.

But Priestley reckons its doable if Littler can remain in top form for many years.

Talking to Sky pundit Wayne Mardle on Club 501, he said: “Luke Littler is still so young and his career could go one way or the other. 

“I just hope he’s surrounding himself with the right people who will keep him grounded. 

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Littler has quickly risen to the top of the game[/caption]

“If they can do that and he can remain at the top of his game for 10 or so years, then he’ll be worth more than David Beckham.”

Prisetly, now 74, also warned ‘The Nuke’ that it will be tough to dominate the sport like Phil Taylor, or like Steve Davis and Stephen Hendry in snooker. 

He continued: “It’s hard for any player to remain at the top for that length of time. 

“Steve Davis and Stephen Hendry managed a decade at the top of snooker, but it’s very difficult to go on for longer than that. 

“Phil Taylor dominated darts for nearly 20 years but that is not the norm.”

EVER woken up deeply regretting all those drinks from the previous night? There’s a medicine that might cure that.

The pill – that’s already being hailed as the “Ozempic for drinking” – works by helping people cut down their boozing.

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A £3 pill has been hailed as the ‘Ozempic for drinking’[/caption]

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It works by dulling the euphoric sensation of being drunk[/caption]

Naltrexone, as it’s officially called, rewires the brain by blocking those well-known feelings of euphoria associated with getting drunk, Prof Simon Coulton, from the Unversity of Kent, explains.

“This in turn reduces the amount of craving someone dependent on alcohol experiences.

“Which over time causes a person to stop associating alcohol use with pleasure and reduces their consumption,” he tells the Sun.

If taken before drinking alcohol, the pill can have a high success rate at getting people to drastically reduce how much alcohol they down as it helps fight cravings, studies have shown.

This is good news for the millions of Brits who binge drink, which is defined as more than four pints of beer in a sitting for men and more than three for women.

In 2022, around 60 per cent of adults in the UK reported binge drinking in the previous week, according to health surveys covering England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Some may view binge drinking as harmless because the habit is widespread, and often accepted as part and parcel of British culture.

But it is considered a major risk factor for alcohol-related illness. injuries, and even death.

In a study, published in the American Journal of Psychiatry in 2023, a group of men who drank were given naltrexone, alongside therapy on how to reduce their alcohol use.

Half of the men received naltrexone and half received a placebo.

By the end of the 12-week trial, those given naltrexone reported bingeing less frequently and consuming less alcohol than those who had been given a placebo.

The most commonly reported side effect of naltrexone was nausea, although it was generally mild and resolved itself as people adjusted to taking the drug.

Writing in The Telegraph, journalist Annabel Fenwick Elliott opened up about her experience receiving a treatment programme that involved taking naltrexone to reduce her alcohol intake.

“When I discovered, first through research and then from experimenting with it myself, that this pill works, in such an astoundingly simple way – like ibuprofen for headaches – I was baffled as to why it isn’t common knowledge,” she wrote.

The hack compared it to the effects of Ozempic, the weight loss injection and diabetes medication that can halt a person’s appetite.

Can I get on the NHS?

Naltrexone was first approved in 1984, but it is difficult for GPs to prescribe in the UK due to licensing issues and cost.

It is currently available on the NHS, but only to treat gambling addiction.

To treat alcohol dependence, naltrexone must be prescribed “off-label” by the NHS, which puts GPs at risk of penalties due to tight budgets.

When it is prescribed, it is typically used as part of a broader treatment plan that includes counselling or therapy.

On top of this, medications for heavy drinking, like naltrexone, are typically only given in safe clinical settings, like hospitals, rather than in the community, Prof Simon adds.

This is because the drug is an “opiate antagonist”, which means it blocks opioids so if someone is taking painkillers with opioids, they might go into withdrawal if they also take naltrexone, he said.

Naltrexone, although can help reduce cravings, doesn’t prevent withdrawal symptoms, which can be dangerous, he adds.

People going through withdrawal often need to be monitored in a hospital setting.

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In the UK, naltrexone is tricky for GPs to prescribe thanks to licensing[/caption]

Private access

Naltrexone is also available through private clinics as part of the Sinclair Method.

This approach involves taking the pill before drinking to gradually block the brain’s reward response to alcohol.

The idea is that the drinker keeps drinking while also taking naltrexone, as developed by Dr David Sinclair, who was an expert in alcohol addiction.

It’s also thought that taking naltrexone on an as-needed basis rather than as a daily dose might be better for some because it allows their dopamine levels to recover in between uses. 

The approach could also let people feel more in control of their treatment.

If you’re struggling with your alcohol intake you can contact your local GP for help, use local support services or make use of the NHS Drink Free Days app to help control your drinking.

A MOTHER-OF-ONE was forced to turn to a nomadic lifestyle after a breakup left her struggling to pay rent.

Single mother Beck Wood shared a flat in London with her boyfriend but realised the cost of living was too great once they separated.

Youtube / @liveration

She decided to move into a van full-time after breaking up with her partner[/caption]

Youtube / @liveration

The single mum converted the transit when her son Willow was just eight months old[/caption]

Youtube / @liveration

The pair are now living a cosy rent-free lifestyle[/caption]

After moving into a single room post split and deciding it wasn’t worth the money, the former band member decided to take the motorhome leap full-time.

She welcomed her baby boy Willow to a freshly babyproofed Ford Transit MK6 van in 2022.

Beck told Liveration: “I don’t know how people survive being a single parent living the way you’re meant to live – I just don’t know how you could do that.

“I moved into a property and it was £800 a month in London, and I was like ‘I’m just in a room’ and I can’t justify that.

“I resented spending a lot of money on a flat and it just felt more comfortable to be in a van than in a room, because I could move the van and go out of London at any time.”

Beck spent a lot of time living in vans when she was touring in her band and explains it’s where she feels most comfortable.

After her breakup she lived in an campervan while she was working in the city and later converted a Ford Transit with an eight-month-old baby Willow.

Now the make-do mummy shares pictures to her 7,186 followers under the Instagram handle nomad_mother.

She posts about living a ‘simple lifestyle’ and talks about the benefit of van life compared to renting.

“The best part about living unconventionally is that fact that I don’t stress.

“My outgoings are so minute, I don’t have the stress of ‘oh my god I have to pay this bill’ or ‘the rates are going up.'”

With a 240 volt solar panel fitted to the roof and a self-contained kitchen, she says the savings are incomparable.

By living rent free Beck, who was previously an interior designer, was able to purchase two vans and a boat with all the cash.

In a van tour she takes us round the wooden interior pointing out the garage, which is actually the left front-seat, and the shed, which is under the bed.

“While I was thinking about what I wanted it to look like I also had limited budget so I just thought lets just go cheap, but make it look cool.

“I sort of wanted that Norwegian-Scandi look but I also wanted it to be really cheap.

“I love properties, don’t get me wrong – if someone offered me a farmhouse with loads of land I’d be up for it, but this just suits me and my life.”

With grandmas on both side being Gypsies, Beck thinks the travelling lifestyle is simply in her blood – she said she also couldn’t do it with the emotional support from her parents.

She added: “I don’t know if people think that I’m mad – we’re warm, we’re cosy, we have a great life.”

“There’s a lot more freedom in your lifestyle when you’re living like this – obviously it’s not desirable to everybody, but it’s desirable for me.”

As Willow gets older the nifty nomad plans on upsizing again and has set her sights on a 7.5 tonne horse trailer.

The homely Ford Transit is currently up for sale on Beck’s Instagram with the caption ‘My heart and soul went into this build, she’s truly a beaut.”

Youtube / @liveration

Beck has been able to save up for two vans and a boat with the rent money she’s saved[/caption]

Youtube / @liveration

She is now looking to upsize into a 7.5 tone horse trailer[/caption]

Youtube / @liveration

The small family share their van life experience on Instagram under nomadic_mother[/caption]

DISCOUNT sales are underway at hundreds of home goods stores across the US after a chain with more than 100 years of history filed for bankruptcy.

Conns Home Plus outlets days are numbered, and shoppers can grab a bargain while stocks last.

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Executives filed for bankruptcy in July and attributed the company’s economic downturn to a number of factors.

Sales took a hit during the pandemic but the company had assets and liabilities that ranged from $1 billion to $10 billion.

And, Conn’s bosses owed more than $50 million to five huge creditors combined, per Retail Dive.

Conn’s stores are in the process of closing down, and liquidation sales are being held at stores in Nevada, per The Las Vegas Review-Journal.

The prices of items have been cut by up to 80% as bosses rush to clear the last remaining stock.

But shoppers have been warned that all sales are final.

The chain’s three stores in Nevada will close by October 31.

Meanwhile, stores in El Paso, Texas, are holding their own liquidation sales.

The prices of expensive home goods items such as computers and televisions have been cut by between 50 and 70%, as reported by The El Paso Times.

The store closures are expected to take place by the end of the month and it’s estimated around 4,000 workers could be impacted.

Conn’s bosses bought Badcock in December 2023, and all Badcock locations will close.

At the time of the takeover, chiefs wanted to “catalyze” economic growth for both companies.

Badcock had been part of the American retail scene since 1904.

Throughout its history, the company’s portfolio of stores ballooned to 380 outlets across eight states.

Conn’s and Badcock are not the only chains that have experienced or have experienced store closures.

The U.S. Sun reported how Macy’s chiefs are in the process of trimming their store portfolios.

A total of 150 outlets will go to the wall and the closures are taking place over three years.

Bosses say the decision was taken in a bid to drive economic growth.

A Macy’s store located in a Massachusetts shopping mall will be closing – but shoppers will be able to grab Thanksgiving and Christmas gifts.

The sweeping Macy’s shutdowns come just years after execs in 2020 unveiled plans to close 125 outlets.

Popular chains such as Big Lots and Walgreens are also closing outlets.

Tim Wentworth, the CEO of Walgreens Boots Alliance, revealed 1,200 stores will be closing their doors over three years.

By 2027, it’s estimated that one in seven Walgreens outlets will have slammed shut.

And 7-Eleven chiefs recently announced that 400 underperforming stores will be closing down.

The closures come as bosses admitted they had experienced a “tough consumer spending environment.”

TYRA Banks’ final outfit was slammed by Victoria’s Secret fans when she made her comeback to the brand’s fashion show last night.

Last night (October 15), a selection of some of the most famous supermodels in the world walked for the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show in New York City, including Tyra.

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Tyra Banks walked the runway for the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show last night (October 15)[/caption]

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The famous model rocked a bodysuit and bejeweled corset-style waist-cincher[/caption]

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Tyra rocked some strappy heels with her ensemble[/caption]

Gigi Hadid, Kate Moss, Adriana Lima and Ashley Graham were among the famous faces to storm the catwalk last night when the new VS collection was showcased.

Iconic model Tyra Banks also returned to the VS runway for the first time in 19 years, with the America’s Next Top Model creator dividing fans with her glittering ensemble amid her triumphant return.

“It feels crazy being back on the Victoria’s Secret runway. I mean, like, ‘cray cray,’ as in ‘cray cray good,'” Tyra said last month before stomping down the catwalk on Tuesday night.

She added, “I never thought that I would be back on this runway, to be honest.”

On Tuesday in New York, Tyra wowed the crowds when she closed the show in a sexy ensemble – although not everybody was awestruck.

Showing off her hourglass figure, Tyra rocked a full-length bodysuit that covered her body.

The look was finished off with a corset-style belt cinching her in at her waist and accentuating her curves.

She wore her hair in a voluminous style and looked fierce as she posed up a storm with a glamorous makeup look and nude lip.

‘TRASH FIT FOR AN OG’

But not everyone was impressed or taken aback by Tyra’s stunning appearance at the fashion show, with many branding her look “a big no” and others asking “what is she wearing?”.

“Trash fit for an OG. Where are the angel wings? Un-retire the wings this one time damnit,” fumed one fan of the model who was disgruntled over the fact that Tyra wasn’t given wings to rock.

“She looks a mess,” brutally slammed a second.

“I love Tyra but this….” added a third.

A fourth then said, “They gave Tyra Banks a super woman like outfit, I’m not happy.”

While a fifth wrote, “I hate this damn outfit smh.”

“Why they put all them clothes on her??” questioned a sixth.

A seventh then asked, “Why they got tyra banks in that cheap super hero outfit for the vs fashion show?”

“the outfit they had tyra banks in at that show is borderline criminal…” declared another.

While someone else praised the model and her attire when they wrote, “Yall don’t understand how ICONIC this is.”

TRIUMPHANT RETURN FOR AN ORIGINAL ANGEL

Tyra last walked for the iconic Victoria’s Secret runway back in 2005.

“I was like, ‘This is it,’” Banks said. “It was so over-the-top, and I was like, ‘I’m out,’” she said last month, reflecting on her last stint almost 20 years prior.

As per WWD, Tyra recalled how her last walk for the brand in 2005 was when she donned a red outfit that had medals around her waist.

Tyra not only walked on catwalks for the brand, but she served as a Victoria’s Secret Angel from 1997 until 2005.

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Tyra looked fierce as she stormed the iconic runway in the Big Apple[/caption]

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The model showed off her hourglass figure as she walked down the pink catwalk[/caption]

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Closing the show, Tyra was followed by the supermodels who showcased lingerie at the event[/caption]

More than 200 Air India passengers should be on the ground in Chicago Wednesday morning after their flight was diverted to Nunavut due to a bomb threat.

The commission of inquiry is looking at the ability of institutions to detect and fend off the attempts of hostile states to meddle in Canadian affairs.

‘We stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Ukraine in their fight against Russian aggression.’

The iconic model continues its evolution this year, expanding with seven new 18-karat pink-gold offerings.