5 things you need to know Tuesday
Politicians, pundits will pay special attention to Georgia's special election
Tuesday’s special election in Georgia’s 6th congressional district is more than just another U.S. House seat up for grabs: It's viewed by many Democrats as a referendum on President Trump and his policies. The seat formerly held by Tom Price (now secretary of Health and Human Services) hasn’t gone Democratic since 1976. But polls show a tight race between Democrat Jon Ossoff, a first-time candidate who has raised a staggering $23 million, and Republican Karen Handel. Ossoff's bid has been getting a boost from suburban moms feeling guilty about Hillary Clinton's defeat. A Democratic win would be a clear sign that the House is in play in 2018.
Colombian rebels to hand over arms
After more than 50 years of conflict, Colombian guerrilla forces — known as the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC — have agreed to hand over the last of their arms to the United Nations by Tuesday. The agreement, which was part of a controversial peace deal brokered by Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos, is an attempt to quell the violence that gripped the country for years and provide assistance to resistance fighters to reintegrate them into society. Santos won the Nobel Peace prize for his efforts.
Alibaba hosts conference for U.S. small businesses
China's e-commerce giant Alibaba will kick off its largest public event ever on Tuesday. Gateway '17 is a two-day conference designed to teach American small businesses how to sell to the company’s 443 million Chinese customers. Over 2,000 small business owners, entrepreneurs and farmers are invited to attend the event in Detroit. Executive chairman Jack Ma promised President Trump back in January he would create 1 million new American jobs, and Gateway is billed as the first step to fulfilling that promise. So far in 2017, the U.S. imported nearly 4 times more goods from China than it exported, and it’s unclear whether 1 million new jobs will be able to make a dent in the huge U.S.-China trade imbalance.
Postal service coins solar eclipse stamp
In celebration of the first total solar eclipse visible from the United States since 1979, the U.S. Postal Service is releasing a commemorative stamp Tuesday. The stamp, which depicts a total solar eclipse, changes to show the moon when you rub it thanks to thermochromic ink. The back of the stamp maps out the places you can watch the event. The astrological phenomenon will take place Aug. 21.
It's getting hot in Phoenix!
The hottest big city in America is about to get even hotter Tuesday and is expected to flirt with a jaw-dropping temperature number. Phoenix — the 12th largest metro area in the U.S. — is forecast to reach 120 degrees, causing the cancellation of 20 American Airlines flights out of Sky Harbor International Airport. While high temperatures in the summer months are not uncommon, three of the four hottest days on record in Phoenix have occurred in June. Many factors contribute to the region's sweltering climate, including location and elevation.
Bonus: Here's your chance to own a Jackson Pollock painting
A Jackson Pollock painting worth up to $15 million is set to be auctioned off Tuesday.The painting, discovered in a garage by Josh Levine, owner and founder of J. Levine Auction & Appraisal LLC, had its lineage traced after Levine spent more than $50,000 on forensics reports and private investigators. Known for abstract, splatter and "drip" paintings, Pollock became an international sensation in the New York art scene starting in the 1940s until his death in 1956.
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