That time of summer has come when I go on vacation to Italy. So, I’ll be in the old country until August 14th, which means the Italy Offside will be dormant for around two weeks, because (1) I’m not going to be posting from Italy (2) even if I was, it would be extremely hard considering Italian technology is still stuck in 1995. I think they just introduced high speed internet a few months ago. Congratulations Italy. You’re really moving up in the world. Anyway, as I’m taking a vacation, it’s now time for you guys, my loyal readers, to take a vacation from the Italy Offside. But don’t worry, as soon as I’m back I’ll have updates going once again, and the Serie A season will be even closer! So, enjoy your vacation from the Italy Offside as I enjoy mine. Ci sentiamo! -Francesco

(ANSA) - Rome, July 29 - Italian cyclist Franco Pellizotti was reported Thursday to the Italian Olympic Committee's anti-doping tribunal after the International Cycling Union found "anomalies" in his blood.

The 32-year-old climber, who topped the mountain classification in last year's Tour de France, could face a two-year ban if found guilty.

Pellizotti was pulled from this year's Giro d'Italia when news of the doping case broke.

read more

(ANSA) - Rome, July 29 - Italy's 24.9-billion-euro austerity budget was approved Thursday as tensions in the ruling People of Freedom (PdL) party peaked between its co-founders, Premier Silvio Berlusconi and House Speaker Gianfranco Fini.

Approval of the package of spending cuts and wage freezes was seen as a prelude to a showdown between the pair, who have been sniping for weeks.

A meeting of the PdL executive is scheduled for Thursday night when a document of censure against Fini is on the agenda.

Observers say Berlusconi might even ask him to leave the party.

read more

(ANSA) - Rome, July 29 - After 'blue mozzarella' sparked a major health scare in Italy last month, a new alarm has been stirred by the case of some red ricotta cheese.

The red ricotta was discovered by a 33-year-old housewife from the Sardinian town of Olbia on Tuesday after she had bought the packet the day before at a discount supermarket.

''It was covered in a pinky-red mould-like film,'' the woman, who preferred not to be named and is especially careful about what she eats as she is seven-months pregnant, told ANSA.

read more

(ANSA) - Rome, July 29 - Confidence in the manufacturing sector in May rose for the tenth month in a row, the Treasury's economic think-tank reported on Thursday.

The Institute for Economic Study and Analysis (ISAE) said its confidence index for the sector rose from 96.3 points in June to 98.3 points, back to a level last seen in June 2008.

The increase was made possible, ISAE explained, thanks to a further decline in inventories and improved prospects for orders and demand in general.

read more

(ANSA) - Rome, July 29 - Four Italian films will be competing for the Golden Lion in Venice this September, organisers said Thursday.

The four are: La Passione by Carlo Mazzacurati with Silvio Orlandi and Cristiana Capotondi; Noi Credevamo by Mario Martone with Luigi Lo Cascio, Toni Servillo, Luca Zingaretti and Anna Bonaiuto; La solitudine dei Numeri Primi by Saverio Costanzo with Luca Marinelli, Alba Rohrwacher and Isabella Rossellini; and La Pecora Nera, a debut work by Ascanio Celestini with Giorgio Tirabassi, Celestini himself and Maya Sansa.

The 67th edition of the world's oldest film fest will open on September 1 with Darren Aronofsky's Black Swan, in competition, and close on September 11 with Julie Taymor's The Tempest, out of competition.

read more

(ANSA) - Rome, July 29 - Italy on Thursday mourned two soldiers killed by a bomb seconds after they had defused another one on a road in Afghanistan Wednesday.

Italian President Giorgio Napolitano immediately sent his condolences Wednesday to the families of Mauro Gigli, 42, from Sassari in Sardinia, and Pier Davide De Cillis, 33, from Bisceglie near Bari in Puglia.

Parliamentarians will salute the soldiers, both bomb defusal experts, when the government reports on the incident later Thursday.

read more