Good morning. You're reading the Up First newsletter. Subscribe here to get it delivered to your inbox, and listen to the Up First podcast for all the news you need to start your day.
Today's top stories
Many federal workers expect not to get paid this Friday, marking the first full paycheck they will miss due to the government shutdown, which began three weeks ago. So far there has been limited economic fallout. But analysts say that the longer the shutdown continues, the bigger the dent it could leave.
- 🎧 By law, federal workers are supposed to receive back pay once the shutdown ends, but the White House has attempted to cast doubt on that, NPR's Scott Horsley tells Up First. That rhetoric could result in some federal workers pulling back their spending habits, which could impact some of the businesses that those workers frequent. The total price tag of the shutdown is unknown, but past ones show that it has been costly for the government and the broader economy. Horsley says if Congress doesn't resolve the government shutdown by the beginning of next month, the food stamp program, which helps feed millions of people, may not be able to provide benefits.
Colombia announced yesterday that it will withdraw its ambassador to Washington. The country used to be the U.S.'s top ally in Latin America and a key partner in the war on drugs. But its relationship with the U.S. has deteriorated since President Trump started his second term. Colombia's decision to withdraw its ambassador comes after Trump threatened to cut U.S. aid to the country and intervene in Colombia to combat the flow of cocaine.
- 🎧 Colombia's President Gustavo Petro is a leftist who disagrees with Trump on almost every issue and isn't afraid to say so, says reporter John Otis. Over the weekend, Petro expressed support for the "No Kings" rallies in the U.S. and said yesterday that his country doesn't accept kings. Colombia receives around $230 million a year in U.S. aid. Otis says much of those funds go towards helping the Colombians fight the drug cartels.
French authorities are still searching for the culprits who stole millions of dollars' worth of jewels from the Louvre on Sunday. The heist showcased huge gaps in security at the museum. A recent French government report states that more than half of the rooms in some of the major wings of the museum have no video surveillance.
- 🎧 Prosecutors say they are not ruling anything out as a possibility in finding who did this. Time is of the essence in the investigation as the thieves will likely dismantle the jewels, melt down the gold and sell the gems separately, says NPR's Eleanor Beardsley. If this happens, a part of French history and culture will be gone forever.
- ➡️ This isn't the Louvre's first high-profile heist. Take a look at some earlier thefts in the museum's history.
Deep dive
Medical marijuana is a common resource for people with chronic pain, but there are few high-quality studies on whether it is beneficial. That's why two major clinical trials in Europe that evaluated cannabis for low back pain caught the attention of those investigating the plant's potential for pain management. The first showcased that a blend of cannabis oil, containing the psychoactive compound THC, as well as CBD and other natural compounds in the plant, outperformed a placebo. The other trial compares the same proprietary cannabis elixir with opioids, revealing that patients who used the elixir experienced fewer gastrointestinal side effects like constipation than when using painkillers.
- ➡️ Medical cannabis proponents say that the drug's safety is a clear upside compared to opioids because it does not come with the same concerns regarding overdose and addiction.
- ➡️ Currently, there is one cannabis-derived medication approved by the FDA, and it does not contain any THC. Though it isn't entirely clear, experts believe THC is one of the primary compounds responsible for reducing pain.
- ➡️ While most Americans reside in states where marijuana is legal, there are significant concerns about the quality and consistency of cannabis products. If the FDA were to approve a cannabis product, it would give patients with chronic pain more confidence to use it.
Read more about cannabis as an option for pain relief.
Living better
Living Better is a special series about what it takes to stay healthy in America.
Pickleball has rapidly gained popularity in the U.S. Nearly 20 million people have picked up their racket to play the sport. As more players join the courts, pickleball-related eye injuries, including lacerations around the eye, corneal abrasions and inflamed irises, have increased. A recently published JAMA Ophthalmology study estimates that the incidence of these injuries has gone up by an estimated 405 cases each year from 2021 to 2024.
- 🥽 The study's authors have called for developing standardized guidelines for eye protection, which has been found to reduce up to 90% of sports-related eye injuries.
- 🥽 Wearing eye protection would require players to purchase another piece of equipment and bring it with them. There are currently many options on the market, which can make deciding what to buy daunting without standardized eye protection guidelines.
- 🥽 One of the most common reasons some players don't wear protective eyewear is that they are not aware of the risks, says Dr. Daniel Henick, an ophthalmology resident at Yale School of Medicine. Henick says that posting guidance outside of courts could help reduce these injuries. Professional pickleball athletes could also set an example by wearing goggles.
3 things to know before you go
- The first phase of "Reefline," an artificial reef off Miami Beach, begins this month. It will serve as an art installation, a way to restore the island's coral habitat and an underwater tourist attraction.
- Singer-songwriter Kenny Loggins is asking Trump to remove his performance of "Danger Zone," a hit single from the 1986 movie Top Gun, from a fake "King Trump" video he posted to Truth Social.
- In Iowa City, Iowa, three high school students started a book club that focuses on reading frequently banned books in the U.S. They launched this initiative after state officials signed a law banning books with sexual content in 2023. (via Iowa Public Radio)
This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen.
Copyright 2025 NPR