Some asylum seekers choose fear in home country over fear in US

SPR News Today: WA barber helps get Egyptian national team photo-ready for the World Cup

Plus, WA signs agreement to merge carbon markets with CA and Québec. Spokane Haitian community leaders ask for support after a SCOTUS decision allowing the White House to TPS. Kootenai County will need to undo rules on in-law suites and guest houses before ID’s new short term rental law goes into effect July 1. USFS proposes storm clean-up in north Idaho and western Montana. A conservation group says the plan is an excuse to rush through logging authorization. And Amazon invests in a modular nuclear reactor in eastern WA.

Coroner pushes Kootenai County to ban kratom sales entirely, citing rising deaths

Plus, NWS issues red flag warnings for much of eastern, central WA. ID once again has one of the lowest SNAP payment error rates in the country, while WA could soon be penalized for its rate. WSU looks to attract Indigenous youth to health sciences careers using basketball. A Gonzaga lecturer heads to Spain to swim in the "Gay Olympics." Maple Street Bridge reopens first to pedestrians, cyclists before cars return. And Idaho's Wassmuth Center for Human Rights celebrates its 30th anniversary and its CDA namesake.

WA schools face skyrocketing risk coverage rates as more pay out over sex abuse claims

Plus, Spokane County wants to restart its inmate work crew program, but can potential hosts afford the proposed fee increase? A WA man is being held pre-trial in connection with an alleged plan to attack the White House. West Plains residents are beginning to schedule PFAS testing for wells. Kootenai Electric Cooperative will start service again in parts of Spokane County. Avista wants to raise its rates; AG Nick Brown says it doesn't need the extra money. ID faces another tough budget year. SCRAPS will up its adoption fees to combat rising food, medical costs for its animals. And NWS issues a Fire Weather Watch for eastern, central WA.

Spokane bans data center construction for the next year

Plus, SPS and Spokane announce a child care partnership. A new analysis shows more than a third of WA families struggle to afford the essentials. Revenue from WA's gas tax is only down slightly this year despite much higher fuel prices. USPS officials were a no-show for a meeting with a WA House panel. And as crews make progress on the Colville Reservation's Kartar Fire, the Garred Road Fire grows to 3,400 acres near Coulee City.

Whose job is it to stop tenants overheating? Spokane explores a 'right to cooling'

Plus, crews make progress in containing the Kartar, Gold Run and Upriver Fires. USFS looks to triple timber coming from the Blue Mountains. Center for Biological Diversity pushes feds to protect two threatened INW wildflower species. NW's yanked observatories to return to ocean after Trump administration backs down. Cantwell- and Baumgartner-backed bill meant to make college sports fairer advances. And the US men advance to the World Cup knockout stage while Team Egypt leads its group.