Manchester United bids for Barcelona's Cesc Fabregas: reports

Manchester United have made a £25 million ($37.7 million, 28.9-million-euros) offer for Barcelona midfielder Cesc Fabregas, reports in the British media suggested on Monday.

Sky Sports News television, the BBC and the domestic Press Association news agency all said that the English Premier League champions were interested in signing the Spanish international.

The Press Association said that an offer had been submitted for the player, who came through Barcelona's youth academy before joining Arsenal as a 16-year-old in 2003.

Sky Sports News, however, said a potential stumbling block could be a clause in Fabregas' contract that Arsenal have first refusal should he decide to leave the Camp Nou.

Barcelona said they had no comment to make when contacted by AFP.

If completed the Fabregas move would represent new manager David Moyes' first major signing since the former Everton boss succeeded Alex Ferguson during the close season.

United, who are currently on a pre-season tour of Asia, have the cash to allow Moyes to chase "a stellar player" before the start of the upcoming season, the club's chief executive Ed Woodward was quoted as telling British media on Sunday.

According to Woodward, the Old Trafford club are "absolutely" able to compete for players in the £60 million to £70million bracket.

News of a potential offer for Fabregas emerged a day after confirmation that Barcelona had sold Spain Under-21 captain Thiago Alcantara to European champions Bayern Munich.

Fabregas graduated to become the Gunners' captain and one of their most influential players before returning to Barca in a £25.4 million, five-year deal in August 2011.

Since then he has helped the Catalan giants claim the Copa del Rey in 2011-2012 and La Liga in 2012-13.

IPL Spot-fixing: Cops may make Rahul Dravid a prosecution witness

New Delhi:  Delhi Police officials have taken the help of Rajasthan Royals' skipper Rahul Dravid to analyse every delivery bowled by S Sreesanth, Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan - IPL players accused of spot-fixing in this year's edition of the tournament. Their skipper may now be made a prosecution witness.

Dravid's statements were recorded by members of the Special Cell under section 161 of the CrPC, at his residence last week. Several other players from the franchise have also been questioned and their statements recorded.

Now, in order to file a comprehensive chargesheet, Delhi Police may make Dravid a witness in the case. It is learnt that the they are trying to file the chargesheet by the end of the current month, before Commissioner of Police Neeraj Kumar retires.

Indian and international cricket was rocked earlier this year when the three Rajasthan players were arrested on charges of spot-fixing with Delhi Police taping videos of suspected matches. The incident had created a massive furour with Dravid saying that dealing with the matter was like bereavement for him. "I would not lie it was a very tough phase for us. It was a blow to the team. It's something I have never experienced anything like it. It's like bereavement in some ways," he had been quoted as saying.

All accused cricketers - apart from Chandila - are out on bail currently.

The Hypocrisy of McConnell and Reid on Changing Senate Rules

Republicans and Democrats have done this "nuclear option" dance before.

In 2005, with 10 of President George W. Bush's judicial nominees held up over the course of 16 months, then-Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., made a bold threat. He'd use a simple majority to change Senate rules and keep Democrats from filibustering.

Democrats, including then-Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., went ballistic. Reid called the strategy "an abuse of power."

"What the Republicans came up with was a way to change our country forever," Reid said in an interview on C-SPAN in 2008.

[READ: Democrats March Closer to Changing Rules of the Senate]

In the interview, he was asked if he would ever employ the nuclear option to keep the minority for slow-rolling nominations.

"As long as I am the leader, the answer is 'No.' I think we should just forget that. That is a black chapter in the history of the Senate. I hope we never ever get to that again because I really do believe it will ruin our country," Reid said.

How quickly the tables turn.

Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., when he was the majority whip in 2005, called the "nuclear option" a way to "restore the norms and traditions of the Senate." Now, he is calling it a move that "would violate every protection of minority rights that have defined the United States Senate for as long as anyone can remember."

"Senate Democrats are gearing up today to make one of the most consequential changes to the United States Senate in the history of our nation. And I guarantee you, it is a decision that, if they actually go through with it, they will live to regret," McConnell said on the Senate floor last week.

[VOTE: Do the Senate's Filibuster Rules Have to Go?]

Republican and Democratic Senators will meet in the historic old Senate chamber Monday night to discuss their options before Reid holds a vote Tuesday on three appointments – Richard Griffin, Sharon Block and Mark Pearce – to the national Labor Relations Board; the appointment of Richard Cordray to be the director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Fred Hochberg to be the president of the Export-Import Bank, Thomas Perez to be the Secretary of Labor and Gina McCarthy to be the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.

The debate to change the Senate rules is nothing new, however. It has been debated in the Senate since the 1940s. In 1975, a showdown between Republicans produced a compromise that lowered the filibuster threshold from two-thirds, or 67 senators, to three-fifths and 60 senators.

7 Useful Fruits For Health

Heart disease is caused by the high levels of cholesterol (LDL = low density lipoprotein) and high blood pressure. This disease was once believed to attack people who are elderly, but in line with the urban lifestyle of a busy and often ignore the frequent exercise plus eating junk food the disease can affect anyone, no age limit. This time 7Top Ranking will try to discuss the 7 Fruits Beneficial For Health, although we still have to change unhealthy lifestyle above, because the fruit is nature and can not help prevent heart disease.




1. apple

The content of flavonoids in apples useful in improving cardiovascular health by reducing the adhesion of platelets in the arteries, lower cholesterol and dilate the arteries.

2. apricots

Apricots contain vitamin A, C, E and K, and contains fiber and carotenoids.

3. banana

Bananas contain vitamin B6 and C, fiber, magnesium and potassium. Magnesium and Potassium is useful in lowering blood pressure.

4. Berry (strawberry, blueberry, raspberry and boysenberry)

Various berries contain vitamin C, folic acid, fiber and manganese and potassium.

5. Aka Cantaloupe Melon

Or also known as the Cantaloupe melon contains vitamin A, B6, and C, folic acid, fiber and potassium.

6. orange

Oranges contain vitamin A, B6, and C, folic acid, potassium and fiber.

7. papaya

Papaya fruit contains vitamins A, C and E, folic acid, calcium, magnesium and potassium.