Influencers who pose naked on top of sacred mountains. Reckless tourists who ride motorbikes around the island without helmets performing daredevil stunts.

When it comes to misbehaving tourists in Bali, Niluh Djelantik has seen and heard it all.

These are just a few “hugely unacceptable but too common forms of behavior,” says Djelantik, a local entrepreneur who has, in recent years, become the go-to person foreign tourists and travelers call upon when they run into trouble with the authorities.

“Things can get that outrageous.”

Djelantik, 48, was born and raised in Bali. Like many other Balinese, she has been passionate about promoting and supporting ethical tourism on Indonesia’s most popular island.

But with the return of international travelers after years of pandemic restrictions, reports of trashy tourist behavior have been on the rise.

Djelantik worked at top notch marketing firms in Jakarta and Bali, often alongside foreign expats and despite not having a legal background, it’s her mix of excellent language skills and contacts on the ground, combined with her international work experience that has led Djelantik to develop a reputation as an unofficial peacekeeper for the island.

However, there’s one area where she doesn’t stay neutral. “I’ve seen and heard some being impolite to Indonesian workers and I wouldn’t hesitate to speak up,” she said.

She has also expressed political ambitions and announced plans to run for Bali senator, a national parliamentary seat, next year.

Djelantik has mediated between misbehaving foreigners in Bali and the locals they annoy for years. She says she does this in an unofficial capacity and for free. She often receives “reports” from users on Instagram who flag posts about misbehaving foreigners.

“People like coming to me for help rather than going to the authorities because they know I will always respond and help mediate (trouble),” she said. “But I get approached by foreigners on Instagram too, those who misbehave and land in trouble with the authorities. So I listen to both sides and make a call on what I can do to help.”

Whether it’s calling up lawyers or setting up informal meetings or coffee sessions with local police officers and government officials, Djelantik tries to “strike a balance” between foreigners and residents to maintain peace when trouble arises – but it isn’t easy, she says.

“Things can get heated and Bali is so heavily reliant on international tourists – many who come to Indonesia and we treat with love and respect but they need to know their place if they want to call Bali their second home and this isn’t always the case.”

“If we don’t learn how to coexist peacefully, there will be consequences.”

‘Probably the most important person in Bali’

“She’s probably the most important person in Bali, after the governor (Wayan Koster),” the woman said.

She’s never met Djelantik but follows her on Instagram. “Bali is a small place and many people are close – bad news always travels fast. If there’s a foreigner in trouble, you’ll always see Niluh Djelantik involved,” she said.

“She comes across as being very sincere in her efforts to help and is definitely a good person to know… and you’ll never know if you’ll need her help some day.”

Djelantik recounted several recent incidents she stepped in to mediate – a Russian teenager who was caught spray painting a local school’s wall in January, and an incident that played out in March which saw a 24-year-old Russian tourist named Yuri Chilikin, cause an uproar when he uploaded a semi nude photo of himself taken on Mount Agung – Bali’s highest peak, which is also considered one of its most sacred religious sites.

Facing threats and deportation, Chilikin reached out to Djelantik through Instagram, asking for help with his situation. “He was quite remorseful and cooperative and was sincere and said that he was willing to pay for the consequences for what he did – so I agreed to help him,” she said.

With her help, he recorded a public apology and participated in a ritual ceremony at a temple in Denpasar where he met with Hindu priests and prayed. Bad behavior not only offends locals and officials, it also disrespects Hindu gods and deities, Djelantik said, explaining why such ceremonies had to be performed following these incidents.

“We dressed him up in traditional sarong and took him around the compound,” Djelantik recalled. “We wanted to show him the side of Bali that he needed to see and he was very cooperative.”

But even to the best of her efforts, Chilikin was deported to Moscow in April by immigration officials and barred from returning to Indonesia for at least six months over the incident.

“Balinese people are generally very accepting, tolerant and forgiving but that doesn’t mean our hospitality should be taken for granted,” Djelantik said. “At the end of the day, it’s about respecting the laws of a place you visit.”

Outrageous tourist behavior is no new phenomenon on the island but Djelantik’s efforts to promote ethical tourism comes at an important time.

Tourism has become a thorny subject and ongoing bad behavior among tourists has prompted the proposal of new rules – including bans on mountain climbing and motorbike rentals for foreign visitors. Visa free travel arrangements were also halted for over 150 countries as part of the tourism shakeup.

“We will no longer welcome mass tourism,” Bali governor Wayan Koster said at a conference in May. “We will restrict tourist numbers by implementing a quota system… This push will encourage the transformation of Bali, from mass tourism to quality tourism.”

“Bali should be open to all willing to respect its traditions and harmony,” Djelantik says. “We need to strike a balance between the foreigners, the people in power and Balinese.”

“We all want a better Bali but banning people is not the way to go. Bali needs tourists and this is about (getting foreigners) to respect our laws… and not take our hospitality for granted.”

Not since LeBron James entered the NBA has there been so much hype surrounding a new prospect and fans finally got the chance to see French sensation Victor Wembanyama in a San Antonio Spurs jersey for the first time.

However, it’s fair to say the reality of ‘Wemby’s’ Spurs debut didn’t quite match the expectation as the 19-year-old finished with just nine points on 15.4% shooting in the Spurs’ 76-68 win over the Charlotte Hornets.

But there were still flashes of the incredible talent that has already made Wembanyama a household name, in particular with his vision and passing, while there was one incredible block on a three-point attempt by Brandon Miller – the Hornets’ No. 2 overall pick in the draft – that showcased his remarkable defensive potential.

Wembanyama acknowledged it was a difficult first night for him but called his debut a “special moment.”

“It was really special to wear that jersey for the first time,” Wembanyama said. “It’s really an honor. Overall, I’m glad we won this game.

“Honestly, I didn’t really know what I was doing on the court tonight, there’s no better way to start, but I’m trying to learn for the next games. The important [thing] is to be ready for the season.”

The Hornets were led by Miller, who registered 16 points and 11 rebounds and, at one point, looked to catch Wembanyama in the throat while crossing the Frenchman over and getting to the basket.

Elsewhere, Scoot Henderson, the No. 3 pick in the draft, made his Portland Trail Blazers debut in an enthralling game against the Houston Rockets.

Jabari Smith Jr. scored a wild buzzer-beater for the Rockets with 0.2 seconds remaining after being found by Tari Eason’s incredible scoop inbound pass. Smith Jr. barely had time to catch the ball before launching a hopeful effort towards to basket, which hit nothing but net to give the Rockets a 100-99 victory.

Henderson finished with an eye-catching 15 points, five rebounds, six assists and a steal, but was forced off with a shoulder injury in third quarter.

Blazers summer league coach Jonah Herscu said the physios “were just being cautious” with the injury, according to ESPN.

Injury permitting, next up for these teams is an intriguing clash between Henderson and Wembanyama as the Trail Blazers take on the Spurs on Sunday.

In travel news this week: epic cruise experiences around the world, crocodile ramen and other wild food trends hitting Asia, plus tourist misbehavior in Italy and the airline passenger who found the plane floor soaked in blood.

The new cruise era

Construction is complete on the world’s biggest cruise ship, which is expected to set sail in Caribbean waters in January 2024. Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas is nearly 1,200 feet long and will be home to the world’s largest waterpark at sea.

In other cruise news, the saga of the three-year cruise has a new twist: The 36-month voyage, with cabins starting at $29,999 per person, per year for an all-inclusive lifestyle, is going ahead in November, but with a larger ship.

China’s first homegrown large cruise ship, the Adora Magic City, recently undocked in Shanghai after four years of construction.

And finally, an electric cruise ship with enormous solar sails is set to launch in 2030.

Asian food trends

In China, a new and unlikely food trend is sweeping across the nation. People are sharing social media images of bland fare such as dressing-free salads or carrots wrapped in cheese, tagging it #bairenfan. Translation: #Whitepeoplemeals.

On the opposite end of the scale, some adventurous food can involve perhaps too much danger and controversy. In Taiwan, a 14-legged crustacean is Taipei’s hottest new menu item, despite potential health risks. And crocodile ramen, featuring a whole reptile leg with claws, is being snapped up by customers. (In Taiwan, it’s legal to farm and eat crocodiles that are not designated as protected species.)

Hitting the headlines

We’ve all had rough plane journeys, but few have had as difficult a trip as Habib Battah, who found his airplane footwell still wet with blood and feces from a previous passenger. Yes, you read that right.

Seven people were injured during severe turbulence on a Haiwaiian Airlines flight to Australia and there were roller coaster malfunctions in North Carolina and Wisconsin.

And then there’s all the post-pandemic travel boom woes. The US State Department says that ongoing passport processing delays will continue for the rest of this year.

And in Italy, where beaches are so overwhelmed they’re putting daily caps on visitors, misbehaving tourists are out of control. The latest high-profile incident was the man who allegedly carved his name into Rome’s Colosseum. He now claims he didn’t know the “antiquity of the monument.”

Owned and operated by women

Umoja in northern Kenya is a village that’s quite unlike anywhere else in the world — there are no men. These photos show what life is like inside this female sanctuary.

Far away in Antarctica, a group of four women spend five months running one of the most remote post offices on the planet, though they had thousands of penguins for company.

Airport liquids

Now that several airports around the world have lifted their restrictions on liquids in carry-on luggage, how long will it be until the United States follows suit? An aviation security expert explains.

In case you missed it

Europe’s most ancient “tourist” site is more than 40,000 years old. 

It’s a short trip from the Spanish hot spot of Malaga.

The delicious barbecue dish you’ve been needing in your life. 

It’s a South Carolina secret.

The man who knows every sand dune in the desert. 

And now he shares his knowledge with glampers.

He paid 500k in 1990 for unlimited flights. 

See how many miles he’s accrued.

Japan will release the wastewater sometime this summer, a controversial move 12 years after the Fukushima nuclear plant meltdown. Japanese authorities and the IAEA have insisted the plan follows international safety standards – the water will first be treated to remove the most harmful pollutants, and be released gradually over many years in highly diluted quantities.

But public anxiety remains high, including in nearby countries like South Korea, China and the Pacific Islands, which have voiced concern about potential harm to the environment or people’s health. On Friday, Chinese customs officials announced they would maintain a ban on food imports from 10 Japanese prefectures including Fukushima, and strengthen inspections to monitor for “radioactive substances, to ensure the safety of Japanese food imports to China.”

Speaking in an interview during a visit to Tokyo Friday, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi said that while fears over the plan reflect a “very logical sense of uncertainty” that must be taken seriously, he is “completely convinced of the sound basis of our conclusions.”

“We have been looking at this basic policy for more than two years. We have been assessing it against … the most stringent standards that exist,” he said. “And we are quite certain of what we are saying, and the scheme we have proposed.”

“My disposition … is one of listening, and explaining in a way that addresses all these concerns they have,” he said.

“When one visits Fukushima, it is quite impressive, I will even say ominous, to look at all these tanks, more than a million tons of water that contains radionuclides – imagining that this is going to be discharged into the ocean. So all sorts of fears kick in, and one has to take them seriously, to address and to explain.

“This is why I’m here, to listen to all those who in good faith have questions and criticism and question marks, and to address them.”

On Tuesday, Grossi formally presented the IAEA’s safety review to Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. The report found the wastewater release plan will have a “negligible” impact on people and the environment, adding that it was an “independent and transparent review,” not a recommendation or endorsement.

‘No’ better alternatives

Japanese authorities have said the release is necessary because they are running out of room to contain the contaminated water – and the move will allow the full decommissioning of the Fukushima plant.

The 2011 disaster caused the plant’s reactor cores to overheat and contaminate water within the facility with highly radioactive material. Since then, new water has been pumped in to cool fuel debris in the reactors. At the same time, ground and rainwater have leaked in, creating more radioactive wastewater that now needs to be stored and treated.

That wastewater now measures 1.32 million metric tons – enough to fill more than 500 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

Japan has previously said there were “no other options” as space runs out – a sentiment Grossi echoed on Friday. When asked whether there were better alternatives to dispose of the wastewater, the IAEA chief answered succinctly: “No.”

It’s not that there are no other methods, he added – Japan had considered five total options, including hydrogen release, underground burial and vapor release, which would have seen wastewater boiled and released into the atmosphere.

But several of these options are “considered industrially immature,” said Grossi. For instance, vapor release can be more difficult to control due to environmental factors like wind and rain, which could bring the waste back to earth, he said. That left a controlled release of water into the sea – which, Japanese officials and some scientists point out, is frequently done at nuclear plants around the world, including those in the United States.

The IAEA will also remain on site for years to come, with a new permanent office set up in Fukushima to help monitor progress.

“We have the benefit of science,” Grossi said. “Either you have a certain radionuclide in a water sample or you don’t have it … it’s a measurable thing. We have the science, we have the laboratories … to ensure the credibility and the transparency of the process.”

International skepticism

But some critics have cast doubt on the IAEA’s findings, with China recently arguing that the group’s assessment “is not proof of the legality and legitimacy” of the wastewater release.

Many countries have openly opposed the plan; Chinese officials have warned that it could cause “unpredictable harm,” and accused Japan of treating the ocean as a “sewer.” The Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum, an inter-governmental group of Pacific island nations that includes Australia and New Zealand, also published an op-ed in January voicing “grave concerns,” saying more data was needed.

And in South Korea, residents have taken to the streets to protest the plan. Many shoppers have stockpiled salt and seafood for fear these products will be contaminated once the wastewater is released – even though Seoul has already banned imports of seafood and food items from the Fukushima region.

While Grossi said he takes these objections seriously, he added that he “cannot exclude” the possibility some are driven more by politics than science.

“We understand that there is a political environment … which is tense. Geopolitical divisions are very, very strong these days so we cannot exclude these things,” he said.

Grossi also denied media reports that the IAEA had shared a draft of its final report with the Japanese government ahead of its publication. “It’s absurd,” he said. “This is the DNA of the IAEA – to be the nuclear watchdog for nuclear operations, the nuclear watchdog for nuclear safety and security. When we come to a conclusion, it is our independent conclusion.”

And more broadly, the future of nuclear as an alternative energy source relies on the success of the Fukushima release, he said. Though there has been heightened public alarm toward nuclear plants recently – for instance, regarding the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia plant in Ukraine – “the problem there is war, the problem is not nuclear energy,” Grossi said.

“If there was one lesson that came clearly after the Fukushima accident, it’s that the nuclear safety standards should be observed to the letter,” he added. “If you do that, the probability of having what happened in Fukushima is extremely low.”

Correction: This story has been updated to reflect the status of China’s food import bans on Japan.

At least two people were killed and one person is missing after a fire broke out Friday at the Nohoch Alfa offshore platform at the Bay of Campeche, in the Gulf of Mexico, the state-owned oil company Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex) said in a statement.

Some 321 workers out of the 328 who were working on the structure when the fire started have already been evacuated, according to Pemex. Four boats have been sent to control the fires on the oil platform.

The state-owned oil company said earlier that at least six were injured.

In the latest video statement posted to Pemex’s Twitter account, Pemex Director Octavio Romero Oropeza, said the two people who died and the one missing are from the company that was working at the facility and not from Pemex.

Oropeza said the part of the platform where the fire started has been completely destroyed, and that Pemex is investigating what caused the fire.

He said the firm is now focusing its efforts on looking for the missing person and resuming operations.

During an earlier press conference, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said that the blaze was being battled by Pemex firefighters and the Mexican Navy was also participating in the efforts.

Pemex, which has a long record of major industrial accidents at its facilities, said “it will continue to report on the control, extinction of the fire and damage assessment throughout the day.”

In 2021, a blaze that resembled a large “eye of fire” near a Pemex offshore platform in the Gulf of Mexico was brought under control.

With the towering SpaceX launch site behind him, Justin LeClaire spotted something astonishing in a grassy, sandflat mosaic of protected wilderness on the southern tip of Texas, near the Gulf of Mexico.

“We’ve got a bird that’s acting really distressed,” said the wildlife biologist, stopping in his tracks and quickly peering through his binoculars. “Which likely means it has a nest out here.”

The bird was a snowy plover, LeClaire said, a species that’s rapidly declined in the area over the past five years since SpaceX started actively testing and launching rockets there. The launch tower juts out of pristine Boca Chica State Park like a futuristic steeple that can be seen from more than 5 miles (8 kilometers) away on a clear day.

SpaceX’s controversial launch — and subsequent explosion — of Starship, the most powerful rocket ever built, blasted scattered debris up to the size of small boulders all across the delicate ecosystem around the launchpad in April.

When walking around the area in early June, LeClaire, who works with the Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries Program, was shocked to find several snowy plovers back in the area and nesting in that debris.

He counted seven nests constructed among the rubble, the birds’ earth-tone eggs matching the color of the rusted and charred remnants of the launchpad. Remarkably, the snowy plovers were adapting and using the debris field as a new habitat.

But to LeClaire, it was a scary realization.

“The little pebbles (small pieces of debris) are providing them habitat,” he said, then pointed to the launch site just a few hundred feet away. “But as soon as this disturbance comes — (another) massive rocket launch — it’s bad news. This is interesting from a scientific perspective, but it’s almost certainly bad for these birds.”

The environmental impact of SpaceX in this corner of Texas is part of a growing debate among locals over the presence of Elon Musk’s massive company. While some tout the potential economic boom and job opportunities that SpaceX has brought to the broader Rio Grande Valley, along with the millions of dollars that Musk has pledged to Cameron County, others fear the risk is too great. Working-class residents feel pushed out by surging property taxes and higher home and rental prices.

Environmental activists also worry about turning this treasured part of the Texas coastline — known for its birdwatching, fishing and clean beaches — into an industrial space complex.

Several groups are now suing the Federal Aviation Administration and SpaceX, demanding more mitigation to reduce environmental damage. Their goal is to impact how the company operates in the area — but many see the lawsuit as an uphill battle.

“It’s a David and Goliath case,” said local activist Jim Chapman. “When you have just a handful of people taking on the FAA and SpaceX, I would not say the cards are stacked in our favor.”

An unprecedented launch

On April 20, SpaceX successfully launched a test flight of Starship with its massive Super Heavy rocket booster, complete with a whopping 33 engines. With a force that rattled the ground and dazzled tourists who came to watch the historic liftoff, the spacecraft took flight.

The rocket failed to light all of its engines at liftoff. And a few minutes into the flight, around the time the rocket was meant to separate from the spacecraft, the Starship began tumbling out of control, forcing SpaceX engineers to detonate Starship and its rocket over the Gulf of Mexico in a fiery blast.

For space enthusiasts and spectators, it was a rapturous moment of unprecedented power. SpaceX employees were seen cheering and clapping on the company’s livestream, even amid the explosion. But it didn’t take long for the literal fallout to turn into backlash.

The launchpad disintegrated, catapulting massive chunks of concrete and tangled rebar across the state park and Boca Chica peninsula. According to the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the wind carried a plume cloud of pulverized concrete, which rained down pebbles of debris, up to 6.5 miles (10.5 kilometers) inland and blanketed the nearby city of Port Isabel with a particle-filled substance. More than three acres of state park land were scorched in a grassfire.

Just hours after the spectacle, the FAA grounded SpaceX’s Starship, announcing the agency would oversee a mishap investigation of the test mission to ensure public safety for any future attempts, a routine step after all failed rocket launches.

Prior to April’s incident, SpaceX prototypes intended solely for testing have exploded in the area for years.

SpaceX did not respond to an interview request or respond to a list of questions for this story, nor has the company responded to routine inquiries from reporters in years.

Longtime locals fear being pushed out

The contrast between the euphoric cheers from space tourists watching Starship take off and the deep-seated resentment among some longtime residents of the area could not be more stark. About a week after the launch, at least two fences in nearby Brownsville — the seat of Cameron County, Texas — were spray-painted with “F*ck SpaceX.”

Some local activists have long been trying to raise awareness about their concerns regarding not just the environmental effects of the space company’s work, but the economic impacts, too.

Josette Hinojosa, a single mother who grew up in Brownsville, said her rent has jumped from $650 to $1,000 in just two years.

“People just can’t afford the property taxes, so they’re selling their homes,” she said. “Renters who are renting there or who were renting there are just, they have no place to go.”

Property values have skyrocketed in this part of Texas, far outpacing the Covid-era surge and statewide increase from recent years. Since SpaceX broke ground in 2014, the median price of a home in Cameron County has jumped 116%, compared with an 86% increase statewide, according to the Texas A&M Real Estate Research Center.

Hinojosa cites a tweet from Musk in March 2021 that encouraged people to move to the greater Brownsville area in Texas, saying SpaceX needs engineers, technicians and builders to support his mission.

Cameron County is one of the poorest counties in Texas, and low-income households are struggling to keep up with the rising cost of living, Hinojosa said. She worries about having to relocate, abandoning an area where several generations of her family have lived.

“I grew up two blocks down from here,” she said, standing outside the home she’s rented for the past decade. “It means a lot to me to still be here, to still have friends that I know that still live down the street … We worry about these things because we know how hard our families work to just be able to acquire that piece of equity, which is property.”

An economic boom

Local politicians, however, fully support the presence of SpaceX, touting the economic benefits for the area. According to Cameron County Judge Eddie Treviño, Jr., the space company employs about 2,000 people in the Rio Grande Valley.

Musk also pledged $30 million to the area in 2021, saying $20 million would go to Cameron County schools and $10 million to the city of Brownsville for downtown revitalization. It’s not clear whether all those funds have been donated.

Treviño, who is the highest ranking elected official in Cameron County, acknowledged the surging property taxes for locals and the environmental impacts but said county officials are working closely with SpaceX to mitigate those concerns.

“We’ve made it known we want them to be successful, but not to the detriment of the area,” he said.

“There’s a certain segment of the community that is not in favor of SpaceX and never will be,” he added. “I’m not invalidating those concerns … They’re valid concerns, but the great majority of the people that I hear from and speak to are extremely excited.”

Treviño said the educational impact alone could span generations of students who want to grow up, stay in the area, and be engineers or work in the space industry.

“As a county judge, it’s been my goal … to bring those economic development projects that are going to bring in better and high paying jobs,” he said. “And having SpaceX here short term has already been a huge, huge boom to our economy, to our industry.”

Some local business owners also share this perspective.

Almost two years ago, Barton Bickerton opened Hopper Haus Bar & Grill in Port Isabel. The bar sits across the bay from the Boca Chica facility in South Texas. It has become a popular hangout for SpaceX employees and tourists who descend on the area.

The bar has a distinct theme, with SpaceX memorabilia decorating the walls, including a chunk of the cement launchpad.

Bickerton said he agrees that SpaceX has been a boon to the local economy and, despite April’s controversial rocket launch, he sees strong support for the private space program.

“There’s no way — with the money that they spend on that thing — there’s no way they’re not going to keep launching from here,” Bickerton said.

But Bickerton acknowledges that, for many of his customers who strongly support SpaceX, witnessing the sheer force of the rocket and its aftermath has made some a little “scared about it.”

“I think it’s fantastic for the area,” he added. “You have to do it the right way. That’s for sure.”

SpaceX and environmental concerns

Mary Angela Branch lives in Port Isabel, a coastal community less than 10 miles from the launchpad, and still remembers the first time, in 2016, that she saw a big wooden sign advertising “the future home of SpaceX.” It was on a previously undisturbed beach in Boca Chica.

Branch is on the board of an organization called Save RGV (Rio Grande Valley), which started in 2014. The group initially came together to fight against proposed liquified natural gas terminals, but they are now involved in litigation directly related to SpaceX.

The impact of April’s Starship launch on the region’s environment was palpable, Branch said.

“The air quality was horrible. It was like a nuclear blast had gone off there,” she said. “I didn’t see any birds. No seagulls, no pelicans, nothing. The lack of wildlife really, really got my attention.”

Beatriz Reynoso, a disabled veteran, environmental activist, and former congressional candidate from nearby Harlingen, Texas, said she suffered health issues after exposure to burn pits in Afghanistan and fears the repeated rocket launches and explosions could impact the health of South Texas residents.

“I worry about the community, which is a medically underserved area and population, and the consequences of poor and contaminated air quality,” Reynoso said.

Ahead of the launch on April 20, the FAA issued a finding that the event would have no significant impact on its surrounding environment. Therefore, the agency didn’t proceed with a more in-depth environmental assessment, which would have taken more time.

Save RGV is involved in a  lawsuit against the FAA that alleges the agency failed to do enough to mitigate or thoroughly review potential damages to the area. The group is one of a handful of plaintiffs — including the Carrizo/Comecrudo Nation of Texas and the Center for Biological Diversity — pursuing the case in the hope that the agency will go back and do a far more comprehensive environmental analysis of the impacts of the launch.

Jim Chapman has lived in Brownsville since the late 1970s. He joined Save RGV because he was concerned about the environmental impact of SpaceX’s launches on the wildlife refuge areas that surround the launch site.

“Ultimately, we want them (the FAA) to make SpaceX do what they should have done from the beginning,” Chapman said.

Thai golfer Natthakritta Vongtaveelap made it through just five holes of her US Women’s Open debut on Thursday before she was disqualified due to her caddie’s use of a rangefinder.

The 20-year-old LPGA Tour rookie was even-par to start her tournament at California’s famous Pebble Beach course before she was disqualified after caddie Jinsup Kim used the distance-measuring device on two occasions.

“During the first round, on multiple occasions the caddie for Natthakritta Vongtaveelap used a distance measuring device, which is not allowed in the U.S. Women’s Open,” said a statement from the USGA, the organizers of the major.

“The first breach is a general penalty, and the second breach resulted in disqualification.”

Rangefinders are permitted at LPGA Tour-sanctioned events, and made their women’s major debut at the Women’s PGA Championship in 2021, but are not permitted at the US Women’s Open or the Women’s British Open, which is organized by the R&A.

“It’s very unfortunate that it happened,” Yim said Friday.

“She understands her responsibilities as a player and, while very disappointed at what happened yesterday, she vows to return healthy and stronger, physically and mentally.”

The devices are barred from use for men’s players on the PGA Tour and its developmental circuit, the Korn Ferry Tour. On July 1, American Zach Williams navigated just two holes of his Korn Ferry Tour debut at the Memorial Health Championship before he was disqualified for using a rangefinder.

“For some reason I thought they had changed the rule already on the KFT [Korn Ferry Tour],” the 23-year-old tweeted.

“Plus they allow in literally all other pro events besides KFT and PGA [Tour]. Bottomline, I should have known, and its completely on me. Hard to swallow but you have to. I’ll be back in no time.”

Vongtaveelap’s disqualification soured what has been an impressive rookie season for the world No. 90, who turned pro in November 2022.

A five-time champion on the Thai LPGA Tour, Vongtaveelap announced her arrival on the LPGA Tour in stunning fashion with a runner-up finish at the Honda LPGA Classic in February, finishing just one stroke behind American Lilia Vu.

She followed it up with a tied-sixth finish at the Lotte Championship, though missed the cut in four of the five LPGA Tour events leading up to the US Women’s Open.

Kim and Lin start fastest

China’s Xiyu Janet Lin and South Korea’s Kim Hyo-joo share an early lead after carding four-under 68 first rounds.

Both players shot five birdies and a sole bogey, with Lin chasing a first career major and Kim looking to add to her 2014 Evian Championship triumph and avenge an agonizing playoff defeat to Thailand’s Ariya Jutanugarn in 2018.

With Pebble Beach hosting women’s golf’s oldest major for the first time in its storied 104-year history, both players are relishing the experience.

“I remember before I came out here I went to see my club fitter and I said, ‘I need tape for Pebble’, and he just told me, ‘whatever holes you’re at, just take 30 second to look up at the view and you will be very grateful where you are,’” Lin told reporters after her opening round Thursday.

“We’re part of the history, it’s really cool … Even today when there was some stressful shot coming up, I still told myself like how grateful I am to be actually hitting a shot on this hole.”

Kim added: “I think I can brag about this, my opportunity to play at Pebble Beach.”

Six golfers comprise a bunched up chasing group, including Irish amateur Áine Donegan. Making her major and LPGA Tour debut, the world’s 144th ranked amateur rallied superbly from a back-to-back bogey start, shooting an eagle and five birdies to move within a shot of the leading duo.

The 21-year-old’s efforts were made all the more impressive given the drama that surrounded her arrival at the tournament. A tweet posted by Donegan on Tuesday showed the head of her driver completely snapped off, forcing her to practice and then compete with a replacement club supplied at short notice by manufacturer Ping.

@united I am not happy with you. My clubs finally arrived to Pebble Beach for the @uswomensopen and my driver is destroyed pic.twitter.com/hF0kwMK7oz

— aine donegan (@DoneganAine) July 4, 2023

The Irish golfer is joined at three-under by compatriot Leona Maguire, who is chasing a first major title after two wins on the LPGA Tour across the last two seasons. They sit level with American pair Bailey Tardy, Allisen Corpuz, Japan’s Nasa Hataoka and the Republic of Korea’s Hae Ran Ryu.

Reigning champion Minjee Lee got off to a solid start in her attempt to become the first to defend the major since Australian compatriot Karrie Webb in 2001, shooting an even-par 72.

She is two shots ahead of American prodigy Rose Zhang who, after becoming the first LPGA Tour golfer to win on her professional debut since 1951, is vying to better her impressive tied-eighth major debut at the Women’s PGA Championship later in June.

“I’m so lucky to just have people out there watching me and supporting me,” Zhang said.

“No matter how I play I feel like in general they’re just out here trying to cheer me on and help me do my best.

“It’s really nice because I have a lot of family, friends who came up from Southern California. My own mom and brother came and they never really watch me play at all. This is the first time my brother ever actually watched me play, so it’s really, really special.

“I’ve been feeling the love for sure.”

Apple Original Films has unveiled details of Oscar winner Brad Pitt’s eagerly awaited Formula 1 feature film, as crews begin filming scenes with the actor at Silverstone, where Sunday’s British Grand Prix is being staged.

The movie is being made in collaboration with F1, and stars Pitt as a former driver returning to the sport with fictional team APXGP, alongside “Snowfall” actor Damson Idris as his teammate.

And what better place to film such a feature than Silverstone, famously the first circuit to ever host an F1 race in 1950. The fictional team will even have its own pit-stop at the track, and filming is due to take place amid this weekend’s British Grand Prix.

The Hollywood A-lister spent time at the race track in Towcester, Northamptonshire, on Thursday, and is expected to “race” an adapted Formula Two car prepared by Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes team, the UK’s PA Media reported.

While Pitt will be alone on the track for the filming, it is believed that computer generated imagery will be used to make it appear as if he is competing in this season’s grid, according to the news agency.

The film’s star-studded credits don’t end with Pitt: Directed by Joseph Kosinski, of “Top Gun: Maverick”, it is produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and Chad Oman. Dawn Apollo Films, launched by seven-time F1 champion Hamilton last year, is also involved.

“It’s massively exciting to see it all coming together,” Hamilton said at a press conference Thursday. “To know that we’re [filming] this weekend … There’s nerves, naturally, because it’s something we’ve been working on for so long.

Hamilton added that viewers can expect to feel immersed in the fast-paced sport, akin to how viewers would have experienced the latest “Top Gun,” which released last year.

“Joe is an incredible director … You already saw what he’s done with fighter jets, what he did with ‘Maverick,’ so if you just think about what he’s done with that in terms of the dogfights we saw on those jets, which was pretty epic.

“There’s so many people around the world that are so excited about this sport, wanting to learn more. The fact that we’ll have all the original characters that are actually on the grid, and then Brad, is pretty cool!” Hamilton added.

F1 released images of the fictional team’s black and gold car and livery this week, while Hamilton confirmed he had already taken a spin on a race track with Pitt.

“For someone that hasn’t raced, he’s definitely already got a keen eye. He loves watching MotoGP, so he’s always been a racing enthusiast. He already had a knack for the lines and he was fully, fully on it, which was good to see,” Hamilton added.

This isn’t the first time Pitt has starred in a movie about sports. He notably played the role of baseball team Oakland As’ general manager Billy Beane in the 2011 film “Moneyball.”

Making her major and LPGA Tour debut at one of the world’s most iconic venues, Irish amateur golfer Áine Donegan probably anticipated a hectic week at the US Women’s Open.

But even she couldn’t have predicted just how much drama was in store for her at California’s Pebble Beach course.

The 21-year-old rookie made a stunning start at the 78th edition of the major, shooting three-under 69 to trail leading duo Xiyu Janet Lin and Kim Hyo-joo by one shot at the close of Thursday’s first round.

Donegan, the world’s 144th ranked amateur, rebounded from a back-to-back bogey start with an eagle and five birdies to leapfrog the majority of a star-studded 156-player field that includes 12 former champions.

Yet the Louisiana State University junior’s preparations for the tournament were disrupted after her clubs arrived late – and one of them broken – to Pebble Beach on Tuesday.

A tweet posted by the Irish golfer showed the head of her driver completely snapped off, forcing her to practice and then compete with a replacement club supplied at short notice by manufacturer Ping.

@united I am not happy with you. My clubs finally arrived to Pebble Beach for the @uswomensopen and my driver is destroyed pic.twitter.com/hF0kwMK7oz

— aine donegan (@DoneganAine) July 4, 2023

Not an ideal development after a grueling 30-hour commute from Dublin to San Francisco, but – with a few words of wisdom from coach Gary Madden – Donegan stayed composed.

“It was a little bit frustrating but Gary said, ‘don’t let this be another distraction,” she told reporters Thursday.

At the end of the day there is nothing you can do about it. There is no point stressing because it’s not going to change anything, that was how we looked at it.”

Her 15th hole eagle – which saw a 96-yard approach drop straight in – proved the highlight of a memorable day navigating Pebble Beach’s iconic links course.

Having played a practice round with her idol and golf “G.O.A.T,” 10-time major winning Swede Annika Sörenstam on Tuesday, Donegan’s wait to wake up from her dream goes on.

“The whole thing has been a bit surreal to be honest,” Donegan said.

“Nearly every five minutes it’s like a pinch-me movement. Even just walking to the putting green and young girls asking for autographs and stuff. It’s like, ‘that was me.’ And to do it at a place like Pebble Beach is something I’ll never forget.

“Played 18 holes with Annika, and honestly, one of the best days of my life … she was just as nice to me and my parents as she is to probably every other professional on the tour.”

It continues a great week and year for Irish women’s golf, with Donegan’s compatriot Leona Maguire level in the group of six players tied for second after the opening round.

At world No. 10, Maguire is playing the best golf of her career. Triumph at the Meijer LPGA Classic in June sealed her second LPGA Tour victory, and her eighth top-10 finish in her last 14 starts.

A first major title looked to be within striking distance later that month when Maguire led the Women’s PGA Championship by a shot heading into the final 18 holes, but a frustrating three-over 74 final round saw the 28-year-old finish four shots adrift of champion Ruoning Yin.

“It’s golf, these things happen,” Maguire told reporters Thursday.

“I think you have to get on with things pretty quickly, dust yourself off. Still a fantastic week even if Sunday didn’t go my way.

“When you’ve got another major coming up as quick as this was and at somewhere like Pebble, I think your focus shifts pretty quickly. Looking forward to another opportunity this week hopefully.”

Nikki McCray-Penson, a former basketball star and two-time Olympic gold medal winner, has died at age 51, according to a Rutgers University spokesperson.

The cause of death was not announced. McCray-Penson was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2013.

“Today is a deeply sad and emotional day for everyone who knew and loved Nikki,” Rutgers head coach Coquese Washington said in a news release. “Nikki had a big smile and an even bigger heart. She was full of life, energy, and was so much fun to be around. Nikki touched the lives of many because she made it her mission to uplift others and help them achieve whatever dreams and goals they expressed. She was so devoted to her husband and son, and still gave all of herself to everyone in the program. We will miss her dearly but will keep Nikki’s memory alive in our hearts.”

McCray-Penson was a standout player at the University of Tennessee under coach Pat Summitt. She won two Olympic gold medals as a member of Team USA in 1996 and 2000.

She played two seasons in the American Basketball League, earning MVP honors and winning the League championship with the Columbus Quest in 1997. She went on to play nine seasons in the WNBA, where she was a three-time All-Star.

McCray-Penson parlayed her success on the court into a 15-year career as a coach. She won a national title in 2017 as an assistant coach under Dawn Staley at the University of South Carolina, the first title for the women’s basketball program. She later served as the head coach at Old Dominion and then Mississippi State University.

In October 2021, McCray-Penson stepped down at Mississippi State after one season because of health concerns. She returned to coaching last season and joined Rutgers, where she was working as an assistant coach before her death.

McCray-Penson was inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012.

The WNBA expressed its condolences to McCray-Penson’s friends and family on Twitter Friday and remembered her as “a beloved member of our WNBA family.”

“Our hearts are heavy as we learn of the passing of Nikki McCray-Penson,” the league wrote.

The South Carolina Women’s Basketball also remembered McCray-Penson on Twitter as “an amazing woman – mother, wife, daughter, sister, friend, coach, mentor.”

“Nikki McCray-Penson was part of our foundation and made us the program we are, one personal relationship at a time,” wrote the team.