GOP pushes back on Trump's Syria decision

US, Turkey and Syria ... impeachment inquiry ... US and China ... California power outage ... Joshua Brown killing

view in browser Tuesday 10.8.19 Astronomers found 20 new moons around Saturn. You can help name them. Here's what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and Out the Door. By Doug Criss US, Turkey and Syria   President Trump is experiencing something he rarely has so far during his first term: GOP criticism. Republican lawmakers have joined in with their Democratic counterparts to condemn Trump's decision to pull US troops out of northern Syria ahead of an expected invasion by Turkey. It's widely assumed that Turkey will launch a military offensive against Kurdish troops. The Kurds are US allies who helped in the fight against ISIS. But Turkey considers them to be a threat and has called one Kurdish militia a terrorist group. Turkey also plans to resettle two million Syrian refugees in a safe zone in that part of northern Syria. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the decision only benefits "Russia, Iran, and the Assad regime." Nikki Haley, Trump's former UN ambassador, says the US is leaving its Kurdish allies "to die." South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham called it a "shot in the arm to the bad guys." Trump pushed back on all of that, saying he wasn't on anybody's side in the conflict and warning Turkey that he would "obliterate" its economy if it did anything he considered "off limits."    Impeachment inquiry   Extreme measures are being considered to protect the identity and safety of the whistleblower who filed a complaint against President Trump. It's still not clear if the whistleblower will end up talking to the committee, but in case that does happen, the House Intelligence Committee and the lawyers for the whistleblower are making plans. Those plans include using an off-site location, limiting Hill staff and members who would be present and even disguising the individual's image and voice, sources told CNN. Meanwhile, Gordon Sondland, the US ambassador to the European Union, is set to appear before three House committees today. He's a key player in the nexus between Trump, Rudy Giuliani and the new Ukraine administration.   US and China   The US is hitting back against Chinese entities allegedly involved in facilitating human rights abuses in camps in China's Xinjiang region. Twenty-eight Chinese companies, government offices and security bureaus have been added to a US blacklist which bars them from buying US products or importing American technology. For the past couple of years, China has detained hundreds of thousands of Uyghurs and other predominantly Muslim ethnic minorities in what Beijing alternately describes as "voluntary de-radicalization camps" and "vocational training centers." Former detainees have called them internment camps, however, and allegations of abuse are rampant.   California power outage   Almost two million people could be without power for as long as a week in Northern California, if utility giant Pacific Gas & Electric goes ahead with a plan to switch off electricity. PG&E is considering doing this tomorrow in response to strong and dry winds that pose a fire threat in the area. PG&E equipment started the deadly 2018 Camp Fire, a state investigation found, after a power line touched nearby trees. So the extreme measure of shutting off the power is being used to prevent future blazes.   Joshua Brown killing   Who killed Joshua Brown? And why? Mystery surrounds the killing of Brown, who testified in the murder trial of former Dallas police officer Amber Guyger. He was gunned down Friday at his apartment complex in Dallas, just 10 days after he was a key witness in Guyger's trial. Brown lived across the hall from Botham Jean, the man Guyger killed after she walked into his apartment and claimed she thought she was in her own home. Brown, who had been shot before, was a reluctant witness. Police haven't made an arrest in Brown's killing. It's not clear whether the killing is related to Brown's court testimony or his previous shooting.   Advertisement People are talking about these. Read up. Join in. Subway soprano Emily Zamourka took her talents from the subway to a stage as the homeless opera singer held her first public performance since her video went viral. Order in the dream house? Attention all Barbie fans and legal eagles. The Barbie Judge Doll is headed to a courtroom near you. For the thrill of it He became the first person to fly around the world in a gyrocopter because traveling in a regular plane obviously isn't exciting enough. Not 'Game of Thrones' Sweden's king stripped five of his grandkids of their royal status, but their parents are apparently OK with it.   $13 million That's how much Oprah Winfrey donated to Morehouse College. Her endowment is now the largest in the Atlanta school's history. Like the NBA, we welcome the Chinese censors into our homes and into our hearts. We too love money more than freedom and democracy.   "South Park" creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker, hitting back at China with a sarcastic apology after the government pulled all traces of the show from the Chinese internet Can't I take it? It's time for a walk, but Henrik the dog doesn't want to put down his fave stuffed animal. (Click to view) before we go I got a little ahead of myself in yesterday's newsletter in the item about Canadian Thanksgiving. The holiday is next Monday (October 14). Thanks to the many readers who pointed out that mistake to me. Advertisement Share Tweet ALL CNN NEWSLETTERS update preferences or unsubscribe CNN Five Things shows up in your inbox every weekday at 6AM ET and Sundays at 9AM ET. Like what you see? Don't like what you see? Let us know. We're all about self improvement. Did a friend forward you this newsletter? Sign yourself up! Sign up to get updates on your favorite CNN Original Series, special CNN news coverage and other newsletters. Copyright © 2019 Cable News Network, Inc. A WarnerMedia Company, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you subscribed to CNN's 5 Things newsletter.