Axios

Federal prosecutors in California charged the alleged leaders of an online transnational white supremacist group with inciting members to carry out hate crimes and assassinations to start a race war, according to an indictment unsealed Monday.

The big picture: Dallas Humber of Elk Grove, California, and Matthew Allison of Boise, Idaho, allegedly provided a hit list of "high-value targets" for assassination to members of the Terrorgram Collective, per the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of California.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) dismissed questions about whether a government shutdown could be on the horizon, even as a dispute with Democrats brews over his support for a crackdown on non-citizen voting.

Why it matters: Some moderate Republicans seeking re-election in districts President Biden won in 2020 have expressed concern that they could pay a political price if the clash with Democrats ends up threatening a shutdown.

No stranger to bold pledges, former President Trump recently claimed that he could cut Americans' energy costs in half within a year of taking office if he wins re-election in November.

Why it matters: While high energy prices have added to the economic pinch many consumers are feeling, industry experts caution that presidents have limited ability to influence the global oil market.

Tuesday's showdown between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Trump will mark only the second time in the last 50 years that a presidential debate has been held in Pennsylvania.

Why it matters: Despite being a crucial swing state and home to the birthplace of American democracy, Pennsylvania has little history of hosting the pivotal political event.

Former President Trump wants to solve a long list of the United States' economic challenges — a huge budget deficit, fraying of the dollar-dominated international financial order, even the cost of child care — with the policy equivalent of one weird trick.

Why it matters: A new Trump administration would likely rely even more heavily than the first on tariffs as a policy tool, he repeatedly conveyed in remarks last week.

The political sands are shifting beneath U.S. Steel's proposed sale to Japan's Nippon Steel, but perhaps too late for President Biden to change his mind about stopping the deal.

Why it matters: Pennsylvania could determine the presidential election and U.S. Senate control.

Israel is lobbying members of Congress to press South Africa to drop its legal proceedings in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) over the war in Gaza, according to an Israeli foreign ministry cable obtained by Axios.

Why it matters: South Africa has until Oct. 28 to give the top UN court its arguments for continuing the case against Israel over alleged violations of the Genocide Convention during the war in Gaza.

Vice President Kamala Harris' campaign outlined her policy agenda on its website Sunday, days before she is set to face off against former President Donald Trump in their first (and possibly only) debate before November.

Why it matters: As Harris aims to sustain her crunch-time campaign's early momentum, she's begun zooming in on a clearer agenda.

A landmark Justice Department case charging Google with violating antitrust laws in its ad-tech business is set to begin trial in a federal court in Virginia Monday.

Why it matters: Google already lost one major antitrust case this year when a federal judge ruled the tech giant illegally abused its search monopoly. A second loss could lead to sweeping changes in the firm's core business as it fights for leadership in the AI era.

Jury selection is set to begin Monday in the federal trial of three former Memphis police officers charged with violating the civil rights of Tyre Nichols in January 2023.

The big picture: Nichols, a 29-year-old Black man​, died from his injuries days after he was violently beaten by officers during a traffic stop.

The last of 20 books written by the late Henry Kissinger — this one co-authored by former Google CEO Eric Schmidt and former Microsoft exec Craig Mundie — will explore "what it means to be human in the age of AI."

Why it matters: "Genesis," out Nov. 19, wrestles with the massive implications of machines becoming our active collaborators, the publisher notes.

Mark Cuban has become a vociferous supporter of Vice President Harris' presidential bid, serving as a social media counterweight to fellow tech billionaires like Elon Musk.

Why it matters: Cuban has economic and health care bonafides in an election where inflation, taxes and abortion are taking center stage.

The DeSantis administration is escalating its war on Amendment 4, using state agencies to combat the abortion rights referendum on November's ballot.

Why it matters: Gov. Ron DeSantis' use of state resources to oppose a ballot initiative in Florida is unusual, and critics argue it violates a statute that prohibits the state from "influencing" a person's vote.

In an election year, everyone acts like they're Nate Silver — a prognosticator with complex theories on who'll win the White House.

Why it matters: They all have something in common — they're full of it when expressing any confidence in any predictive outcomes.

Ten generals and admirals are mobilizing to defend Vice President Kamala Harris from Republican attempts to tie her to the chaotic 2021 U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Why it matters: The withdrawal has emerged as a major campaign issue in the lead-up to Tuesday's presidential debate, with Harris coming under fire from former President Trump, House Republicans and parents of victims of the Abbey Gate suicide attack, which killed 13 American service members.

Edmundo González, Venezuela's opposition presidential candidate that the U.S. and other nations recognized as the winner of Venezuela's July elections, has gone into exile in Spain, Spanish officials said Sunday.

Why it matters: His departure from Venezuela comes days after Venezuelan authorities allied with leader Nicolás Maduro issued a warrant for González's arrest, accusing him of "crimes associated with terrorism."

The House Foreign Affairs Committee announced Sunday the release of its sweeping 354-page report on the chaotic 2021 withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan on Sunday evening, culminating the panel's three year investigation.

Why it matters: The report from the Republican-led panel takes aim at the Biden administration's actions, arguing that its hesitation to evacuate noncombatants despite warnings put Americans in peril.