Pentagon meets with top weapons manufacturers to assist Ukraine

The US Defense Department has sent some $1.7 billion in military aid to Ukraine since Russia's February invasion. [Forward to a friend]( | [Subscribe]( | [View in your browser]( [Top of The World]( --------------------------------------------------------------- What The World is following Pentagon meets with top weapons manufacturers to assist Ukraine [Pentagon spokesman John Kirby speaks during a briefing at the Pentagon in Washington, April 8, 2022.] Credit: Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP/File photo United States The Pentagon is set to meet with eight of the [top US weapons manufacturers]( on Wednesday — including Lockheed Martin and Raytheon Technologies — to discuss sending weapons to Ukraine. During the classified meeting, officials plan to go over proposals to [accelerate production]( of existing weapons systems and create new ones. The US Department of Defense has already sent some $1.7 billion in military aid to Ukraine since Russia's February invasion, including more than 5,000 Javelin anti-tank missiles and more than 1,400 Stinger anti-aircraft missiles. Ivory Coast The prime minister of the Ivory Coast and his government [have resigned](. The president accepted Patrick Achi’s resignation during a cabinet meeting. President Alassane Ouattara said he would name a replacement next week, who will [present around 30 new ministers](. Achi was appointed to his post in March of 2021 and has been the third prime minister in the last three years of the West African state. South Africa More than 250 people have [died in floods]( in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal, and local authorities are calling for a state of disaster to be declared. Some areas saw [months worth of rainfall]( come down in one day. Some people have been trapped under buildings by mudslides, with more flooding expected. The mayor of Durban said that electricity and water treatment plants had been "flooded out." President Cyril Ramaphosa pledged to help while visiting the area. --------------------------------------------------------------- From The World [Why auto-disable syringes are key to vaccinating the world]( [A nurse prepares a Pfizer vaccination for the coronavirus at the Kiswa Health Center III in the Bugolobi neighborhood of Kampala, Uganda, Feb. 8, 2022.]( Credit: Hajarah Nalwadda/AP In late 2021, UNICEF projected a shortfall of up to 2 billion [auto-disable syringes]( needed for COVID-19 vaccines this year. Companies like Revital Health Care, in Kenya, are working around the clock to fill the gaps. [A weakened ISIS persists in central Iraq]( [A convoy of Iraqi soldiers drives near Lheiban, in central Iraq.]( Credit: Yasmine Mosimann/The World Gone are the powerful days of ISIS in Iraq. Now, motley gangs of ISIS militants continue to launch [hit-and-run attacks]( — sporadically targeting infrastructure and killing and intimidating security forces and vulnerable citizens. --------------------------------------------------------------- Bright spot The benefits of riding a bike are plentiful, including getting some fresh air and meeting new friends. 🚲 But for many people, cycling can get harder as they get older. So, one organization, Cycling Without Age, is taking them for a spin. [Listen to the story]( by The World's Bianca Hillier. 🎧 [People participating in the Cycling Without Age program.] Credit: City of Sidney --------------------------------------------------------------- [In case you missed it from The World]( --------------------------------------------------------------- Don't forget to subscribe to The World's Latest Edition podcast using your favorite podcast player: [RadioPublic](, [Apple Podcasts](, [Stitcher](, [Soundcloud](, [RSS]( [The World logo]( [The World on Facebook]( [The World's Twitter account]( [Donate]( | [Forward to a friend]( | [Subscribe]( | [Edit your subscription]( | [Unsubscribe]( | [View in your browser]( Top of the World is written weekday mornings by the team at [The World](. [The World]( is produced by [PRX]( and [GBH](.