Canadian eyes the Guinness with 32-hr-long yoga

Toronto: A Canadian yoga teacher on Tuesday claimed to have created a Guinness record by performing yoga non-stop for 32 hours.

The current Guinness Record of marathon yoga is 29 hours and four minutes.

But yoga instructor Yasmin Fudakowska-Gow, 28, on Tuesday claimed that she has completed her 32-hour yoga marathon at her Om West yoga studio in Pointe Claire Village on the Island of Montreal.

Pending Guinness World Record certification, she said, she holds the record for the longest yoga marathon. Guinness records need at least six persons to be present at the venue of the event all the time to authenticate them.

During her yoga marathon, the Canadian also raised money for the Stephen Lewis Foundation, which is working to combat AIDS in Africa.

Before undertaking the yoga marathon, she completed 108 surya namaskars, or sun salutations, for 108 consecutive days.

"August 3 is my final day of this 108x108 project. It has been an unbelievable adventure so far and a profoundly transformational experience. I have learned from so many great yoga teachers," she said.

"To complete this journey, on August 2 and 3, I am exploring what it would be like to do a prolonged practice and in doing so, have decided to challenge the Guinness World Record for longest yoga marathon, which is 29 hours and 4 minutes. This record has never been attempted by woman nor by a Canadian. My goal is 32 hours,'' the Canadian said.

Like the US, yoga has also become very popular among Canadians in recent years. Major cities like Toronto and Montreal boast a large number of yoga centres.

Cancer-causing dyes in Chinese clothes

Cancer-causing dyes in Chinese clothes
Dyes:

The discovery of cancer-causing textile dyes in clothing manufactured by some of the popular Chinese brands has set off alarm bells in the country.

Cancer-causing toxic dyes were detected in some garments tested by the authorities, spreading concern that some buyers may be exposed to health dangers, a report in the state-run Global Times said on Saturday.

The municipal bureau of industry and commerce published its quality test results on Wednesday, revealing 65 batches of clothing, including famous domestic brands Jeanswest and Baoxinlai, failed to meet quality standards.

Two styles of coats produced by the Beijing-based Baoxinlai Garment Company were found to contain decomposable aromatic amine, a cancer-causing textile dye that was banned by the authorities in 2006.

The poisonous dye cannot be washed out of fabric and is easily absorbed by human skin, which can cause cancer over long-term exposure, the report said.

The clothing manufactured by the company is sold in supermarkets and shopping malls both home and abroad, with annual sales of 50 million (USD 7.3 million) to 100 million yuan (USD 14.7 million), according to the company's website.

Instead of giving customers advice on what to do with the unqualified clothing, a female employee of the company refused to comment on the test results, the report said.

One style of men's shorts made by Jeanswest, a brand marketed by Hong Kong-based Glorious Sun Enterprises, was also declared unqualified because the textile colour may fade after washing.

A few other brands were found to contain excessive formaldehyde, which is harmful to human skin.

The notice said the municipal bureau of industry and commerce would force the manufacturers to withdraw the unqualified clothes from stores.