Venezuela president seeks power to rule by decree Posted: CARACAS (AP) - Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has asked Congress to give him special decree-making powers that he says he needs to fight corruption and economic sabotage.The opposition says Maduro is simply following the playbook of his late mentor, Hugo Chavez.Four times during his 14 years as president, Chavez got the National Assembly to give him the power to rule by decree. In all, Chavez used the power to enact 200 legal changes that strengthened state control over Venezuela's economy.Opposition leader Henrique Capriles says giving Maduro decree power won't end food shortages and will only strengthen the hand of an executive he calls incompetent.Capriles narrowly lost the April presidential election to Maduro.

Bangladesh garment factory fire kills 10 people Posted: DHAKA (AP) - A fire at a garment factory outside Bangladesh's capital killed 10 people and others were injured trying to escape, officials said Wednesday.Harsh and often unsafe working conditions exist in Bangladesh's garment industry, and authorities and global clothing companies have pledged to improve safety standards there after numerous fatal accidents.Those killed in the fire at the Aswad garment factory in Gazipur included the general manager, Rashiduzzaman Mandal, said fire official Zafar Ahmed. He said the fire was doused early Wednesday after firefighters labored 10 hours to bring it under control.Factory director Emdad Hossain said 170 workers were inside the factory when the fire started and most were able to escape.Hossain said he suffered slight injuries himself.Farhaduzzaman, another fire official, said the fire spread to two buildings that housed garment factories belonging to the Palmal Group of Industries.The cause of the fire was not immediately known, but the government was investigating.Among previous garment industry disasters, the collapse of an eight-story factory building in April killed more than 1,100 people, and a fire last November killed 112 workers.Bangladesh earns $20 billion a year from garment exports, mainly to the United States and Europe. The sector employs about 4 million workers, mostly women.

World 'wary' over US economy, Obama warns Republicans Posted: WASHINGTON (AFP) - President Barack Obama warned Tuesday that world leaders were nervous Republicans would blow up the US economy, and vowed not to budge on his demand for the debt ceiling to be lifted without conditions.But House Speaker John Boehner insisted there would be no unconditional surrender from Republicans and said Congress would only allow more US borrowing if Obama agrees to cut spending.There was, however, one glimmer of hope for progress in the bitter showdown that has closed the US government for more than a week and sparked fears that Washington could default on its commitments if the debt ceiling is not raised by October 17.Obama said that, if necessary, he would accept a short-term deal to raise borrowing and reopen the government -- a move that would effectively postpone the crisis for a number of weeks.But the president was adamant that he would not compromise on his refusal to cede ideological concessions to Republicans in return for receiving more authority to borrow money to finance US obligations.What you haven't seen before, I think, from the vantage point of a lot of world leaders, is the notion that one party in Congress might blow the whole thing up if they don't get their way, Obama said at a White House news conference designed to hike pressure on Republicans. They've never seen that before. And that does make them nervous.Obama spoke a day after China, which is sitting on a vast pile of US Treasury bonds, warned that the time was running out for the United States to prove its credit worthiness and the credibility of the world's reserve currency.Stocks in New York dipped for another day Tuesday, with investors increasingly concerned that the government will not get its act together in time.The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 159.71 points (1.07 percent) to 14,776.53 and the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index plummeted 75.54 (2.00 percent) to 3,694.83.Investors also sold off short-term bonds, sending the yield on the one-month Treasury note to 0.31 percent, its highest level since the crisis year of 2008, up from 0.15 percent Monday.Obama said Congress had two basic jobs -- passing a budget and making sure that America's paying its bills.He warned that lawmakers did not get to demand a ransom, and reiterated his position that he would only negotiate with Republicans once the debt ceiling was raised and the government, now shuttered for a week, is opened. I'm not budging when it comes to the full faith and credit of the United States.Boehner appeared on television soon after Obama's news conference to dig further into his own position. The long and short of it is there is going to be a negotiation here, Boehner said.We can't raise the debt ceiling without doing something about what's driving us to borrow more money and to live beyond our means.What the president said today was if there's unconditional surrender by Republicans, he will sit down and talk to us, he added. That's not the way our government works.Obama, who spoke to Boehner earlier by phone, argues that raising the debt ceiling is vital to America's most valuable asset, its creditworthiness, which should not be prey to political uncertainty.Boehner counters that presidents have always bargained with lawmakers over raising the debt ceiling, and is unwilling to give up an area of prime political leverage.If the $16.7 trillion debt ceiling is not raised by October 17, the United States will be unable to borrow more money and will begin defaulting on its obligations, in a scenario that could tip the economy back into recession and trigger global chaos. The president said that a default would be, in the words of economists he quoted, insane, catastrophic, chaos.Asked what the government would do if the debt ceiling were not increased on time and the government would have to decide which bills not to pay, Obama said the issue was still being reviewed. No option is good in that scenario, he said. We are exploring all contingencies.Obama did signal some flexibility, saying he was open to negotiating with Republicans on budget issues -- even if lawmakers extended borrowing and reopened the government only on a short-term basis.If they can't do it for a long time, do it for the period of time in which these negotiations are taking place, he said.Republicans proposed a bipartisan committee to discuss how to get out of the budget impasse and the debt ceiling row. The House passed a bill setting up the working group late Tuesday. But Obama dismissed the move as a ruse to discuss spending cuts that only Republicans want, and vowed to veto such a solution in the unlikely event it reaches his desk.With both sides locked in stalemate, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid introduced legislation late Tuesday that would raise the debt ceiling through the end of 2014 with no preconditions or strings attached.I hope we can get Republican cooperation to move this bill quickly, he said. If not, the process could take us dangerously close to economic chaos. The democratic leader noted earlier that, if all procedural blocking tactics were used, the bill would go up for a final Senate vote on October 16.

Smith fails as 4 SA batsmen score half centuries Posted: SHARJAH (AFP) - South African captain Graeme Smith failed on the opening day of the three-day practice match against Pakistans second string here on Tuesday but four other batsmen hit half-centuries.Smith managed just two before he was trapped leg-before by paceman Ehsan Adil in the seventh over after Pakistan A won the toss and decided to field at Sharjah cricket stadium.At close, South Africa reached 332-5 in the match where the first innings will be restricted to 100-overs per side.Smith, who returned to competitive cricket after a gap of 21 weeks this month, was in need of gaining some momentum before the first of two Tests against Pakistan starting in Abu Dhabi from Monday.But Smiths failure was the only miss as Jack Kallis (70), AB de Villiers (58) Alviro Petersen (58), Hashim Amla (50) and Jean-Paul Duminy (49 not out) all gained useful batting practice in hot and humid conditions.Faf de Plessis was unbeaten on 25.Amla and Petersen retired after completing their half-centuries to allow the rest to gain some practice.Amla admitted South Africa did achieve the task.It was very good practice for our team. All the boys are excited as we hadnt played Test cricket for a long time. It has given us a great opportunity to reflect on what has happened and what we want to achieve, said Amla, who hoped Smith will regain form.Graeme will be fine. He will be more than ready for the Test match.He is an amazing opening batsman. He takes his practice seriously and by the time the Test starts he will be ready, said Amla of Smith who missed cricket because of an ankle injury.Pakistani selectors will now watch how their second string batsmen cope against a formidable South African pace attack on Wednesday as they look to fill three remaining places for the two-Test series.Last week they named 12 players for the series with only one opener in Khurram Manzoor.Besides Adil, spinners Sohaib Maqsood and Usman Qadir -- son of Pakistans legendary leg-spinner Abdul Qadir -- took a wicket each.South Africa will look to gain more batting practice on spinners as they are set to face off-spinner Saeed Ajmal and two left-armers in Abdur Rehman and Zulfiqar Babar in the Tests.The second Test will be played in Dubai from October 23 followed by five one-day and two Twenty20 matches.Pakistans main team will play a warm-up game against the national team of United Arab Emirates in Abu Dhabi from Wednesday.Brief Scores: South Africa 332-5 in 90 overs (J. Kallis 70, AB de Villiers 58, A. Petersen 58, Hashim Amla 50, JP Duminy 49 not out).

I have no differences with Tappi: CM Sindh Posted: KARACHI (Online) - Chief Minister (CM) Sindh Qaim Ali Shah has said that he has no differences with Awais Muzaffar Tappi while media cooks up such things.On Tuesday, while talking to media persons on Jinnah airport after arriving from Dubai, CM Sindh refuted reports of changes in Sindh government.He said no such matter was under consideration and he heard such reports only from media.Negating any rift with Local Bodies Minister Muzaffar Tapi, he said reports about differences were baseless.He said so far he holds the portfolio of provincial home minister and he cannot say anything regarding handing over this portfolio to Tapi.He said he went to Dubai to inform the party chairman Asif Ali Zardari and Vice Chairman Bilwal Bhutto about the situation of Karachi.He said Asif Ali Zardari will come to Larkana on Eid and would address party workers.CM also said that he is in touch with Governor Sindh and he has no reservations regarding Karachi operation.“If Dr Farooq Sattar has any complaints than I would ask him,” he said, adding Sindh government was not making Karachi operation controversial.“I am satisfied with situation of Karachi now because operation is giving positive results and very soon we well get success” he said.In response to a question Qaim Ali Shah said, according to his knowledge no meeting has been held between Dr Zulfiqar Mirza and Asif Ali Zardari.

Russian court sends anti-Putin activist to mental hospital Posted: MOSCOW (AFP) - A Russian court Tuesday ordered that an activist be committed to a mental hospital after convicting him for his role in a protest against President Vladimir Putin, a move that raised charges of reviving Soviet-era punishments.In its verdict, the Moscow court found activist Mikhail Kosenko, who suffers from a mild form of schizophrenia, guilty of participating in an anti-Putin mass protest and using violence against police.The judge however ruled that due to his illness, Kosenko, 38, was mentally incompetent and must be admitted to a high-security psychiatric facility indefinitely.The court ruled that Kosenko undergo compulsory medical treatment, his lawyer Valery Shukhardin told AFP.Diagnosed with sluggish schizophrenia -- a term for mild mental illness used in Russia -- Kosenko had been treated on an outpatient basis before his pre-trial detention.His defence insists that he should not be hospitalised and continue treatment as an outpatient.But a psychiatric report submitted to the court by the prosecution said his schizophrenia was so serious he needed to be committed.A conclusion by expert psychiatrists says that he is a danger to society and therefore should be isolated in a psychiatric facility, said Shukhardin.Its unclear to us where these conclusions come from. They are not justified by anything except the charges laid against him.Kosenko was one of a dozen activists accused of mass disorder when a peaceful opposition protest suddenly descended into violence on May 6 last year, on the eve of Putins inauguration to a third presidential term.A group of Kosenkos supporters gathered outside the Moscow court, some holding white flowers that symbolise the anti-Putin opposition movement, shouting ShameKosenko had denied the charges, insisting he did not attack a policeman as alleged but simply pushed him away.Shukhardin said the court ruling could see Kosenko spend several years in a psychiatric ward.Veteran human rights activist Lyudmila Alexeyeva, who has monitored the trial, called the ruling a resumption of the psychiatric persecutions for dissent that were practised in the Soviet Union.Now they have started it again.... Butchers, she told AFP.The Soviet Union regularly diagnosed political dissidents with mental illnesses and incarcerated them in psychiatric hospitals for years on end.John Dalhuisen, Europe and Central Asia programme director at Amnesty International, said in a statement that the ruling smacks of the worst excesses of the now defunct Soviet era.The watchdog last week called Kosenko and two other activists prisoners of conscience, saying the video footage presented in court did not corroborate the prosecutions charges.The Moscow-based Independent Psychiatric Association said earlier this month that Kosenkos case would set a dangerous precedent.The political use of psychiatry has been resurrected, it said.Kosenko has been held in pre-trial detention since June last year. When his mother died recently he was not allowed to attend her funeral.Kosenkos lawyer said his health had deteriorated over the past month because he had not been issued the correct medication.Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who has also closely monitored the trial, called Kosenko an example for us all.The opposition has maintained that the scuffles with police at the May 2012 rally in Moscow came as a result of a police provocation.Authorities, however, have said protesters deliberately attacked police.Rights activists say the trial is part of a tough crackdown on the opposition after unprecedented protests against Putins 13-year rule.In November 2012, another participant in the protest, Maxim Luzyanin, was sentenced to four-and-a-half years in prison after pleading guilty.A third participant, Konstantin Lebedev, was jailed for two-and-a-half years in April.

Karachi: Children mugged in school van hold-up Posted: KARACHI (Online) - In yet another incident of hold-up, students of a private school were looted on the gunpoint in Nazimabad area.According to media reports, Police said three armed robbers on motorbikes intercepted a school van in Nazimabad this morning and snatched cellular phones, cash and other valuables from school-going children, before speeding away.FIR of the incident was registered in the area police station.University students have become ‘sitting ducks’ for fearless bandits in the city which is a home to 18 million people and hub of Pakistan’s economy but plagued by political and ethnic violence and criminal activities.A similar incident of bus hold-up was reported in the city four days back, and one last month, in which university students were deprived of their valuables.

Kanwal Sikandar gets bail Posted: ISLAMABAD (Online) - Islamabad gunman Muhammad Sikandar’s wife Kanwal had her bail application approved on Tuesday. Her bail was set at Rs200,000 in surety bonds.Kanwal has been in Adiala Jail since August 31, after the police booked her for being an accomplice to her husband.She had filed a bail application at the Islamabad High Court.On August 15, accompanied by his wife and children Sikandar brought Islamabad to a standstill by waving two semi-automatic guns and occasionally firing into the air on Jinnah Avenue.Despite being surrounded by police personnel, Rangers and Anti-Terrorism Squad, Sikandar continued the hold-up for over five hours, at the end of which both him and his wife were arrested.

Swiss govt refuses to open cases against Zardari Posted: ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – According to sources Swiss government has declined Pakistan government’s request for opening of the cases against Asif Ali Zardari and late Benazir Bhutto.According to sources the Swiss authorities have informed the Pakistan government in writing that the cases cannot be opened as these stand time-barred.Pakistan government has filed the application after the deadline and could not be entertained, Swiss government says.It must be recalled that Dunya News broadcast the news on October 04 that Swiss government would return Pak application with objections.In July 1998, the Swiss Government handed over documents to the government of Pakistan which relate to corruption allegations against Benazir Bhutto and her husband.The documents included a formal charge of money laundering by Swiss authorities against Zardari.The Pakistani government had been conducting a wide-ranging inquiry to account for more than $13.7 million frozen by Swiss authorities in 1997 that was allegedly stashed in banks by Benazir Bhutto and her husband.

Shutdown: US cancels military exercise with Japan Posted: TOKYO (Reuters) - The United States has cancelled a military exercise with Japan because of the US fiscal standoff, Japans Defence Ministry said on Tuesday, underscoring the extent of the impact of the US congressional deadlock.The cancellation comes days after the United States andJapan agreed to modernise their defence alliance for the first time in 16 years to address concerns about North Koreas nuclearprogramme, global terrorism, cyber intrusions and other 21st century threats.Military exercises between Japanese and US forces are the integral part of the alliance, but they have sometimes been a cause of irritation for China, with which Japan is locked in a territorial dispute.The US army and Japans Ground Self-Defence Force planned to conduct an exercise in northeastern Japan, from Oct. 15 to Oct. 28, mobilising 400 service men and women from the United States and 600 from Japan.But the US side asked for the cancellation citing the failed attempt by Congress to reach a deal to fund the federal government in the new fiscal year that began on Oct. 1, theJapanese Defence Ministry said.This is the only case that has been affected but if cancellations continue on other events, the impact would be substantial, a ministry spokesman said.The Japanese Ground Self-Defence Force started a joint drill with the US Marine Corps in Shiga prefecture, central Japan, on Tuesday, one day late because of a typhoon.

Morsi group threatened of terrorist attacks: Sissi Posted: CAIRO (AP) - Egypts powerful army chief says the group of the countrys ousted Islamist president had warned of terrorist attacks if he was removed from power.Gen Abdel-Fatah el-Sissi says he spoke to President Mohammed Morsi repeatedly ahead of the popularly-backed July 3 coup, to try and resolve the political crisis.El-Sissi says that 10 days earlier, the Muslim Brotherhood strongman Khairat el-Shater had said that if Morsi was toppled, Islamists over whom the Brotherhood has no control would unleash attacks.El-Sissis remarks were published Tuesday in Al-Masry Al-Youm daily.The rare interview came a day after attacks targeting Egyptian security and military forces killed nine troops. The attacks were in apparent retaliation by Islamic militants after more than 50 people were killed Sunday in clashes with police.

US adults score below average on worldwide test Posted: WASHINGTON (AP) - In math, reading and problem-solving using technology all skills considered critical for global competitiveness and economic strength American adults scored below the international average on a global test, according to results released Tuesday.Adults in Japan, Canada, Australia, Finland and multiple other countries scored significantly higher than the United States in all three areas on the test. Beyond basic reading and math, respondents were tested on activities such as calculating mileage reimbursement due to a salesman, sorting email and comparing food expiration dates on grocery store tags.Not only did Americans score poorly compared to many international competitors, the findings reinforced just how large the gap is between American high- and low-skilled workers and how hard it is to move ahead when your parents havent.In both reading and math, for example, those with college educated parents did better than those whose parents did not complete high school.The study, called the Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies, found that it was easier on average to overcome this and other barriers to literacy overseas than in the United States.Researchers tested about 157,000 people ages 16 to 65 in more than 20 countries and subnational regions. It was developed and released by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, which is made up of mostly industrialized member countries. The Education Departments Center for Education Statistics participated.The findings were equally grim for many European countries Italy and Spain, among the hardest hit by the recession and debt crisis, ranked at the bottom across generations. Unemployment is well over 25 percent in Spain and over 12 percent in Italy. Spain has drastically cut education spending, drawing student street protests.But in the northern European countries that have fared better, the picture was brighter and the study credits continuing education. In Finland, Denmark, and the Netherlands, more than 60 percent of adults took part is either job training or continuing education. In Italy, by contrast, the rate was half that.As the American economy sputters along and many people live paycheck-to-paycheck, economists say a highly-skilled workforce is key to economic recovery.The median hourly wage of workers scoring on the highest level in literacy on the test is more than 60 percent higher than for workers scoring at the lowest level, and those with low literacy skills were more than twice as likely to be unemployed.Its not just the kids who require more and more preparation to get access to the economy, its more and more the adults dont have the skills to stay in it, said Anthony Carnevale, director of the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce.Education Secretary Arne Duncan said in a statement the nation needs to find ways to reach more adults to upgrade their skills. Otherwise, he said, no matter how hard they work, these adults will be stuck, unable to support their families and contribute fully to our country.Among the other findings:Americans scored toward the bottom in the category of problem solving in a technology rich environment. The top five scores in the areas were from Japan, Finland, Australia, Sweden and Norway, while the US score was on par with England, Estonia, Ireland and Poland. In nearly all countries, at least 10 percent of adults lacked the most basic of computer skills such as using a mouse.Japanese and Dutch adults who were ages 25 to 34 and only completed high school easily outperformed Italian or Spanish university graduates of the same age.In England, Germany, Italy, Poland, and the United States, social background has a big impact on literacy skills, meaning the children of parents with low levels of education have lower reading skills.Americas school kids have historically scored low on international assessment tests compared to other countries, which is often blamed on the diversity of the population and the high number of immigrants. Also, achievement tests have long shown that a large chunk of the US student population lacks basic reading and math skills most pronounced among low-income and minority students.This test could suggest students leaving high school without certain basic skills arent obtaining them later on the job or in an education program.The United States will have a tough time catching up because money at the state and local level, a major source of education funding, has been slashed in recent years, said Jacob Kirkegaard, an economist with the Peterson Institute for International Economics.Some economists say that large skills gap in the United States could matter even more in the future. Americas economic competitors like China and India are simply larger than competitors of the past like Japan, Carnevale said.Even while Americas top 10 percent of students can compete globally, Carnevale said, that doesnt cut it. China and India did not participate in this assessment.Respondents were selected as part of a nationally represented sample. The test was primarily taken at home using a computer, but some respondents used a printed test booklet.

PTI to challenge nomination of Qamar as NAB chief Posted: ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Spokesperson Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Shireen Mazari says her party was never consulted over the appointment of Chairman NAB.Reacting to the nomination of Choudhry Qamar Zaman as NAB chief by Prime Minister and Opposition leader in the National Assembly, she said PTI would challenge the nomination in the Supreme Court.Shireen said Qamar Zaman was a government servant and was ineligible for any public office till the lapse of two years after retirement.She said name of Rana Baghwan Das was dropped for the same reason.“The appointment of Qamar Zaman will be against law and PTI will move the Supreme Court against it,” she said.Earlier, Syed Khursid Shah claimed that he had contacted PTI leader Shah Mehmood Qureshi two times asking him to suggest names for the NAB chief slot but PTI did not suggest any name.

EU stock markets slide further Posted: LONDON (AFP) - Europes major stock markets slid further on Tuesday, as the US budget standoff entered its eighth day with no end in sight, stoking worries of a catastrophic default.Meanwhile, the dollar steadied against the euro and rebounded against the yen, but the price of gold eased.Londons benchmark FTSE 100 dropped 0.78 percent to stand at 6,386.88 points in afternoon deals in the British capital.Frankfurts DAX 30 shed 0.14 percent to 8,579.34 points and the CAC 40 in Paris retreated 0.42 percent to 4,148.14.Nervous investors are voting with their feet as the saga drags on, said Mike McCudden, head of derivatives at online stockbroker Interactive Investor.Worries over raising the government debt ceiling drowned out angst over a week-long government shutdown in Washington.Markets are awaiting some movement from lawmakers on Capitol Hill as an October 17 deadline approaches for raising the countrys debt ceiling.Failure to do so will mean the government will be unable to pay its bills or service its debts, causing a default that analysts have warned could send the world economy back into recession similar to that after the financial crisis.Another day of inaction in Washington, said Capital Spreads dealer Jonathan Sudaria.With such huge uncertainties in the market at the moment, no one has the confidence or nerve to place any sizable positions.He said: I still believe that no one in their right mind would allow the US to hit the debt ceiling, causing havoc in financial markets and risking sending a number of countries, including the US itself, back into recession.Sudaria, echoing the view of many analysts in recent days, added: A deal will surely be done in the end, which delays the debt ceiling being hit until the end of the year in exchange for some cuts to spending.The US government will be barred from borrowing after October 17 unless the current $16.7 trillion debt ceiling is lifted.US stocks opened slightly lower on Tuesday with the Dow Jones Industrial Average dipping 0.15 percent to 14,913.76 points after five minutes of trade.The broad-based S&P 500 slipped 0.10 percent to 1,674.44, while the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index gave up 0.02 percent to 3,769.54.In company news, shares in French telecom equipment maker Alcatel-Lucent rose by 0.1 percent to 2.89 euros, after the group said it would cut 10,000 jobs, sell some assets and focus research on new technologies, in what one analyst described as a last-chance restructuring.Shares in French television group TF1 rose by 3.4 percent to 13.77 euros on interest from US group Discovery Communications in acquiring all of the sports channel Eurosport.In London, Vodafone shares slid 0.3 percent to 218.20 pence, as the Financial Times reported that the mobile phone giant wanted to increase its holding in its Indian unit.The FT, which cited people familiar with the situation, said that Vodafone was preparing to invest as much as $2.0 billion (1.5 billion euros) to buy out minority shareholders in its Indian business.The paper added that Vodafone would file an application this month to Indian authorities to gain permission for the investment.Vodafone declined to comment on the story when approached by AFP.Asian equities had mostly risen earlier as investors fished for bargains after two days of losses.Hong Kong rose 0.89 percent, Tokyo added 0.30 percent and Seoul was up 0.42 percent, but Sydney slipped 0.23 percent.The Shanghai stock market meanwhile climbed 1.08 percent in the first session after a week-long Chinese holiday.In foreign exchange activity, the European single currency edged up to $1.3581 from $1.3579 in New York late on Monday.The dollar firmed to 97.17 yen from 96.68 yen on Monday.The British pound rose to 1.1861 euros and $1.6109.On the London Bullion Market, the price of gold edged lower to $1,321 an ounce from $1,323.50 on Monday.

Back on Italy squad Rossi wont repeat mistakes Posted: ROME (AP) - Now that Giuseppe Rossi is back on Italys squad, he doesnt plan to make the same mistake he made two seasons ago.Rossi acknowledged on Tuesday that one of the reasons why he re-injured his right knee in April 2012, was because he was pushing too hard to return from a torn anterior cruciate ligament in time for that years European Championship.The result was another year out and its only been over the past month that Rossi has finally returned to form.During my recovery I thought a lot about the future and I thought about being at the Euros and I paid the price, Rossi said at Italys training camp in Florence. I learned that I need to go step by step.Rossi watched from home in New Jersey while Italy reached the final of Euro 2012 and finished third in this years Confederations Cup.Italys next big tournament is the World Cup in Brazil. Rossi was among the final players cut by then-coach Marcello Lippi from the squad for the 2010 World Cup, and going to Brazil next year is clearly on his mind.Its a dream for all of us, Rossi said. But Ive learned to take things day by day so I dont want to think too far ahead. I want to think about todays training for now, these matches, and Fiorentina. I can think about the World Cup later on.I hope Im in great form when the callups are made.The 26-year-old Rossi was a fixture in the attack of current Italy coach Cesare Prandelli until he first tore his ACL during a game against Real Madrid in October 2011 while with Spanish club Villarreal.After three operations, Rossi transferred to Fiorentina in January but played only briefly in the final Serie A match of last season. In this campaign, he has six goals in nine matches for the Tuscan squad.Its a very important year for me, Rossi said. Im starting over from zero, as a new player. Its a new league for me and I have a lot of things to learn with a new coach and new teammates. So far its been a good start.However, Rossi picked up a few bruises over the last 10 days with Fiorentina and he remains questionable for Italys final two World Cup qualifiers at Denmark on Friday and against Armenia in Naples four days later.The Azzurri have already qualified, so neither he nor Italys staff wants to push him into action too soon.After two years out and so many matches grouped together so closely with Fiorentina its been tough, Rossi said. Well see over these next few days but I never turn my back on a match.Rossis combination of skill and speed could provide the perfect complement to Mario Balotellis strength and talent.We all know Marios characteristics but I would play well with any forward here, Rossi said. Its an honor to be here after such a long time out.Rossi was asked if he plays the good boy role to Balotellis bad boy personality.Hes not bad. But nobody is a saint, not even me, Rossi said. We have a lot of things in common. We all get along. Its a great group.Having been away for so long, Rossi sees a major difference in this Italy squad from the one he left.I find its a much more mature group, and more confident, and thats really important, he said.Rossi was born in New Jersey to Italian immigrants and his father Fernando taught him to play and inspired him to seek out the Azzurri, even though he could have been a leader for the US.His dad died in 2010 and he was the first person Rossi thought about when asked who he would thank when he plays for Italy again.Hes the one who got me here, Rossi said. And Ive also got to thank all the physiotherapists, in New York and Fiorentina, who helped me, too.