<p>Most people outgrow pulling ridiculous faces sometime between their first pimple and prom, but not the gurners at the World Gurning Championships in Egremont, Cumbria. Here, face contortion isn&rsquo;t just child&rsquo;s play&mdash;it&rsquo;s a serious sport, and these competitors are the Michelangelos of mugging.</p>
<p><img src="http://origin.mid-day.com/images/2024/sep/Gurning-2_e.jpg" alt="Kendal Lister, 10, is carrying on her mum Claire&rsquo;s tradition" width="1280" height="720" /><br /><strong><em>Kendal Lister, 10, is carrying on her mum Claire&rsquo;s tradition</em></strong></p>
<p>Take Tommy Mattinson, for instance, who just clinched his 19th men&rsquo;s title. Gurning runs in his blood; his dad was a champ too, and Tommy&rsquo;s not stopping until he hits 30 wins. Meanwhile, Claire Lister is the queen of the women&rsquo;s competition, winning her eighth consecutive title this year, while her daughter Kendal gurned her way to victory in the junior category.&nbsp;</p>
<p><img src="http://origin.mid-day.com/images/2024/sep/Gurning-3_e.jpg" alt="Tommy Mattinson, winner of the men&rsquo;s prize, 2024" width="1280" height="720" /><br /><strong><em>Tommy Mattinson, winner of the men&rsquo;s prize, 2024</em></strong></p>
<p>It&rsquo;s a family affair, folks! What seems to have been a part of the Egremont Crab Fair since 1267, gurning is scored by how much you can distort your face. Forget anti-aging creams and botox, this is transformation, at its weirdest and best!</p>
<p><strong>30</strong><br />No of wins Mattinson wants to reach</p>
<h2>Panda or not?</h2>
<p><strong>Visitors demand money back after pandas turn out to be Chow Chow dogs in China zoo</strong></p>
<p><strong><img src="http://origin.mid-day.com/images/2024/sep/Chow-dogs_e.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></strong></p>
<p>Visitors at a zoo in <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/news/world-news/article/chinese-nuclear-attack-sub-sank-during-construction-23401476" target="_blank" rel="none noopener">China</a> became suspicious of the pandas when they suddenly began barking. At first, the zoo claimed that it was hosting a rare and exotic breed of panda dogs. But as it turns out, the zoo admitted to dyeing two Chow Chows, a breed of dogs known for their thick coats and lion-like manes. Interestingly, last year a zoo in China got in trouble when people thought the sun bears there were just humans in costumes.</p>
<h2>Proof is in the penny</h2>
<p><img src="http://origin.mid-day.com/images/2024/sep/Coin_e.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p>
<p>A rare proof penny&mdash;coins meant for collection and not circulation &mdash;from 1952 is being bid for &pound;200,000 on the Internet. Proof pennies are the highest quality of coins minted and require a lengthy process of production. This particular coin was unknown to the general public until 1997, making it even more special.</p>
<h2>Man blames sons for robberies</h2>
<p><img src="http://origin.mid-day.com/images/2024/sep/Gavel_e.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p>
<p>A 34-year-old <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/news/world-news/article/australia-holds-largest-warfare-exercise-23389875" target="_blank" rel="none noopener">Australian man</a> places the blame on his two sons, aged 15 and 17, for orchestrating seven robberies and claims he was merely a getaway driver, convinced by his sons to be an accomplice. However, evidence proved otherwise and after a change of heart, the man admitted guilt.</p>
<h2>This Japanese rice is going to cost you</h2>
<p><img src="http://origin.mid-day.com/images/2024/sep/Rice_e.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p>
<p>Produced by <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/news/world-news/article/former-defence-min-ishiba-chosen-to-lead-japans-ruling-party-set-to-become-pm-next-week-23400899" target="_blank" rel="none noopener">Japan&rsquo;s</a> Toyo Rice Corporation, Kinmemai Premium is hand-picked from five varieties of Japanese rice, aged for six months using a rice-buffing technology that was developed over 17 years. The product holds a Guinness World Record for the world&rsquo;s most expensive rice ($109 per kilogram).</p>
<h2>Going as Ozempic for Halloween?</h2>
<p><img src="http://origin.mid-day.com/images/2024/sep/Scary-yandy_e.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p>
<p>Yandy, a popular lingerie company, might have just dropped the ultimate costume for Halloween. Inspired by the weight-loss drug craze, their &ldquo;Sooo Snatched Costume&rdquo; is a cheeky nod to Ozempic injections. Yandy, known for its quirky costumes, have launched this skimpy, syringe-inspired two-piece, complete with a pillbox hat, that lets revellers embrace the anti-flab fad. With Ozempic dominating 2024&rsquo;s headlines, this satirical get-up is bound to steal the spotlight.</p>
<h2>In the bear&rsquo;s cave!</h2>
<p><img src="http://origin.mid-day.com/images/2024/sep/Bear_e.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p>
<p>Influencer Stefan Jankovich may win the award for the scariest stunt of the year after sitting inside a bear&rsquo;s cave, waiting for the beast to return. As the bear approached, Jankovich stayed eerily calm, even as it sniffed his head. Fans questioned his sanity, with one asking, &ldquo;How are you not dead?&rdquo; The video has certainly garnered millions of views.</p><p>
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At the World Gurning Championship, pulling the most absurd face is not just a talent, it’s an artform. Held annually in Egremont, Cumbria, this quirky contest s

Gurning is in their blood!

Hezbollah chief killed in Israeli strike on Beirut

At the World Gurning Championship, pulling the most absurd face is not just a talent, it’s an artform. Held annually in Egremont, Cumbria, this quirky contest sees gurners return year after year, perfecting their masterpiece

Gurning is in their blood!

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Gurning is in their blood!

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