Title: Italy Prepares to Address Drought

Minister of Environment and Energy Security Gilberto Pichetto Fratin confirmed that the Italian government is preparing to approve a decision to allocate 7.8 billion euros (8.32 billion dollars) to address the severe drought affecting the country. In an interview reported by the Italian newspaper La Stampa, he stated that government ministers will soon consider a decision to tackle the drought. The newspaper quoted him saying, "We are all committed to identifying the actions that will be taken with the funds already allocated." The prolonged dry weather experienced for weeks during winter has heightened concerns that the country may face another drought following last summer's conditions. According to scientists and environmental organizations, the Alps received less than half of the usual snowfall.