A Paralympian’s inspiring story, Disney’s price problem, cucumber craze: Catch up on the day’s stories

By Daniel Wine, CNN

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👋 Welcome to 5 Things PM! Politics is always a touchy subject no matter who you’re talking with. In the workplace, things can get even dicier. A new Gallup survey found that nearly half of US workers had a recent political discussion with a coworker — but it can be a double-edged sword.

Here’s what else you might have missed during your busy day:

5 things

1️⃣ ‘We are strong’: Three years ago, Zakia Khudadadi managed to flee the chaos in Afghanistan, and now she calls Paris home. As she prepares to compete in the Paralympics, the taekwondo star hopes to inspire women around the world.

2️⃣ Priced out: Disney just announced a slew of new theme park projects, and devoted fans probably will give them a try regardless of the cost. But many families are finding they can no longer afford to visit the “Happiest Place on Earth,” and that’s a problem for the entertainment giant.

3️⃣ Crazy for cukes: Cucumbers get no respect, but one TikTok influencer’s love for them captivates his millions of followers. Logan Moffitt produces short videos to share his favorite recipes — sliced, diced and blended — and people are eating them up.

4️⃣ Titanic discovery: A newspaper documenting the immediate aftermath of the Titanic tragedy was discovered at the back of a wardrobe in England after more than a century. The front page poignantly captures two women waiting for a list of survivors to be posted.

5️⃣ Thin is in: When it comes to eyebrows, it seems that less is more based on the runways and the red carpet. The barely-there brow is making a comeback, so you might want to dig out your tweezers or schedule a waxing — or just wait for the next trend.

Watch this

👀 Daring rescue: A worker in southern Spain helped a young boy who climbed onto the railing of a balcony. The man inched along the ledge and pushed the child to safety.

Top headlines

• Harris to deliver keynote address on final night of Democratic National Convention
• Supreme Court blocks some Arizona proof-of-citizenship requirements for election
• FDA signs off on updated Covid-19 vaccines as summer wave continues

What’s buzzing

🎞️ Trailer yanked: Lionsgate pulled the preview for the upcoming Francis Ford Coppola film “Megalopolis” after claims that some quotes from critics were fabricated.

Check this out

💎 Gargantuan gem: A massive 2,492-carat rough diamond believed to be the second biggest ever found was unearthed in Botswana, according to a mining company.

$12,000

👁️ That’s the approximate cost of a quick surgical procedure that can permanently change your eye color, but experts warn that it’s risky.

Quotable

🥃 Cheers! The superstar just unveiled her latest business venture — a luxury whiskey inspired by her Prohibition-busting great-grandfather.

Quiz time

🇺🇿 What is the most populous country in central Asia?
A. Mongolia
B. Afghanistan
C. Uzbekistan
D. Tajikistan
⬇️ Scroll down for the answer.

Your health

😓 Hot flashes: An experimental pill that works without hormones significantly reduced the discomfort experienced by women going through menopause and improved their sleep, the drugmaker said.

Good vibes

😎 We like to wrap things up on a positive note: Researchers reviewed about 1,500 climate policies from all over the world and identified 63 “success stories” that achieved large cuts in pollution. Their findings provide a blueprint for what works for the future — and some were unexpected.

Thanks for reading

🧠 Quiz answer: C. It’s the former Soviet republic of Uzbekistan, which has invested in ambitious arts and architecture projects to promote Uzbek art on a world stage. Test your knowledge with CNN’s weekly news quiz in tomorrow morning’s 5 Things newsletter.
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5 Things PM is produced by CNN’s Tricia Escobedo, Meghan Pryce and Kimberly Richardson.

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