 | Thursday 5.16.19 A Hershey's candy bar with emojis? It's going to happen as the popular treat gets a makeover for the first time in its history. Here's what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and Out the Door.
By Doug Criss | |  | | Immigration
A new plan dealing with President Donald Trump's signature issue -- immigration -- gets rolled out today by the White House. The plan would move the nation toward a "merit-based" immigration system that would give preference to highly skilled and educated individuals. Immigration based on family ties would be reduced. But the proposal leaves out what to do about the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, the Obama-era program that shields undocumented immigrants brought to the United States as children from deportation. That's sure to tick off Democrats. So the plan seems to be aimed at solidifying support among congressional Republicans, but even that's not assured. After White House senior adviser Jared Kushner briefed Senate Republicans this week, some said they were "underwhelmed" by the proposal. | |  | | Abortion
Alabama's abortion bill, the most restrictive in the nation, is now law. GOP Gov. Kay Ivey signed it Wednesday. The new law punishes doctors who perform abortions with life in prison. It has no exemptions for victims of rape or incest. A slew of progressive activists, celebrities and groups have denounced the law, and the American Civil Liberties Union and Planned Parenthood have promised lawsuits. The law's supporters hope it becomes the case that overturns Roe v. Wade. But one prominent voice against abortion, televangelist Pat Robertson, said he thinks Alabama's law goes "too far" and is too extreme. | |  | | Sudan
Violence and uncertainty still grip Sudan a month after longtime President Omar al-Bashir's ouster. At least nine people were injured after soldiers stormed a pro-democracy sit-in protest set up outside army headquarters in Khartoum, Sudan's capital. The Transitional Military Council, which has held power since Bashir's arrest last month, said it was cutting off talks with the protesters for 72 hours. The military council and the pro-democracy protesters have been trying to reach a final agreement on how long the military should hold power. Before this latest incident between soldiers and protesters, the two sides had reached a preliminary deal that would have the military relinquish control of the country after three years. | |  | | California wildfires
| |  | | Venezuela
If you're thinking about heading to Venezuela, you won't be able to fly there from the United States for a while. The Department of Homeland Security announced it's suspending "all commercial passenger and cargo flights between the United States and Venezuela" indefinitely. Most airlines had already stopped flying from the US to Venezuela. The situation in Venezuela has deteriorated significantly over the past few years, with food and medicine shortages causing a humanitarian crisis that's forced many to flee the South American country. And that's contributed to political instability as opposition leader and National Assembly President Juan Guaido clashes with embattled President Nicolas Maduro for control of the country. | |  |  People are talking about these. Read up. Join in. | |  | Bye, 'Big Bang' The final episode of "The Big Bang Theory" airs tonight, and series co-creator Chuck Lorre says it would be "foolish" to think there won't be another big hit sitcom in the future. | |  I mean, he did say it. Vanity Fair editor-in-chief Radhika Jones, pushing back after Democratic presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke said he regretted launching his campaign by appearing on the magazine's cover in March and being quoted as saying, "I'm just born to be in it." | | | | | |
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