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San Francisco’s Department of Building Inspection has said it is investigating a giant flashing X on top of Twitter’s headquarters, amid a series of complaints.

People based in the area complained about intrusive lights, with video circulating on social media showing the X sign emitting a blinding white pulsing light, particularly affecting a high-rise building on the other side of the street.

The company’s new sign is part of owner Elon Musk‘s rebrand of Twitter, which he claims will involve the creation of an “everything app”.

'X' logo is seen reflected on an apartment window across the street from the headquarters of the messaging platform X, formerly known as Twitter, in downtown San Francisco, California, U.S., July 30, 2023. REUTERS/Carlos Barria TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
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The ‘X’ logo is seen reflected on an apartment window across the street from the headquarters

But the Californian city’s department of building inspection said the structure may violate permitting rules.

An inspector said in a written statement that officials were denied access to the building’s roof twice by Twitter representatives to inspect the logo. The inspector noted one staff member said the sign was temporary.

The sign remained on top of the building on Sunday.

The X appeared after San Francisco police stopped workers from removing the brand’s decade-old bird and logo from the side of the building earlier this week, saying they had not taped off the footpath to keep pedestrians safe if anything fell.

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Any replacement letters or symbols would require a permit to ensure “consistency with the historic nature of the building” and to make sure additions are safely attached to the sign, Patrick Hannan, spokesperson for the department of building inspection, said earlier this week.

An ...X... sign rests atop the company headquarters, formerly known as Twitter, in downtown San Francisco, on Friday, July 28, 2023. The city has launched an investigation into the sign as city officials say replacing letters or symbols on buildings, or erecting a sign on top of one, requires a permit. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)
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The sign atop the company headquarters in downtown

A large, metal "X" sign is seen on top of the downtown building that housed what was once Twitter, now rebranded by its owner, Elon Musk, in San Francisco, Friday, July 28, 2023. The new metal X marker appeared after police stopped workers on Monday, July 24, from removing the iconic bird and logo, saying they didn't have the proper permits and didn't tape off the sidewalk to keep pedestrians safe if anything fell. (AP Photo/Haven Daley)
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Inspectors were refused access to the building roof to see the new sign

Erecting a sign on top of a building also requires a permit, Mr Hannan said.

“Planning review and approval is also necessary for the installation of this sign. The city is opening a complaint and initiating an investigation,” he said.

The department opened a separate investigation in December into a complaint alleging Mr Musk had built bedrooms in the San Francisco headquarters for workers.

The rebranding is the latest major change since he bought Twitter in October last year for $44 billion (£34.3 billion).

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The changes include the apps “verified” blue tick status being monetised in April and a temporary limit at the start of July on the number of posts users were allowed to read.

The long-standing blue logo, known as Larry the Bird, has been Twitter’s emblem since its creation in 2006, with the current design in use since 2012.

 A worker dismantles at Twitter's sign at Twitter's corporate headquarters building as Elon Musk renamed Twitter as X and unveiled a new logo, in downtown San Francisco, California, U.S., July 24, 2023. REUTERS/Carlos Barria
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A worker dismantles the old sign at Twitter’s corporate headquarters

In April, Musk briefly replaced the logo with a small picture of a Shibu Inu dog, famously known as the Doge meme, in an apparent nod to the cryptocurrency Dogecoin.

Musk, who is also CEO of Tesla, had already renamed Twitter’s corporate name to X Corp. He also named one of his children X.

Read more:
Why rebranding Twitter will be an enormous challenge

Twitter user gives up @X username to platform’s official account after 16 years

The changes at Twitter prompted Facebook owner Meta to launch Threads, its own text-based conversation app, earlier this month.

Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg said more than 30 million people had signed up to use his rival messaging app in the first 24 hours.

Twitter threatened to sue the company over what it alleged were stolen trade secrets.

FILE - Kanye West arrives at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party on Feb. 9, 2020, in Beverly Hills, Calif. A surge of anti-Jewish vitriol, spread by a world-famous rapper ... Ye, formerly known as Kanye West ... an NBA star and other prominent people, is stoking fears that public figures are normalizing hate and ramping up the risk of violence in a country already experiencing a sharp increase in antisemitism. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)
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Kanye West Pic: AP

The investigation into the logo comes as the company reinstated Kanye West’s account after eight months’ suspension.

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P Diddy: ‘Gut-wrenching’ video appears to show Sean Combs assaulting singer Cassie in 2016

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P Diddy: 'Gut-wrenching' video appears to show Sean Combs assaulting singer Cassie in 2016

“Gut-wrenching” CCTV footage which appears to show Sean Combs attacking singer Cassie in a Los Angeles hotel “has only further confirmed the disturbing and predatory behaviour” of the rapper, her lawyer has said.

The 54-year-old, whose homes in Los Angeles and Miami were raided by Homeland Security Investigations agents in March, has faced a series of public allegations of physical and sexual violence.

Footage obtained by CNN appears to show Combs also known as P Diddy and Puff Daddy – wearing only a white towel as he punches and kicks Cassie in a Los Angeles hotel hallway on 5 March 2016.

The R&B singer, whose legal name is Cassandra Ventura, was his protege and girlfriend at the time.

Pic: CNN via AP
Pic: CNN via AP
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Pics: CNN via AP

Read more: What is Sean Combs accused of and what has he said?

The footage also shows Combs shoving and dragging her across the floor, as well as throwing a vase in her direction.

It closely resembles the description of an incident at the now-closed InterContinental Hotel in Los Angeles described in a lawsuit filed by Cassie in November that alleged years of sexual abuse and other violence from Combs.

The case was settled the day after it was filed.

Sean Combs and Cassie in 2017. Pic: PA
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Sean Combs and Cassie in 2017. Pic: PA

Several more lawsuits were filed in the following months, along with a federal criminal sex-trafficking investigation that led authorities to raid Combs’ mansions in Los Angeles and Miami.

Representatives for Combs did not immediately comment on the video. He has previously denied the allegations in the lawsuits and his lawyers have said he denies any wrongdoing.

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P Diddy’s homes raided

Cassie’s lawyer said: “The gut-wrenching video has only further confirmed the disturbing and predatory behaviour of Mr Combs.

“Words cannot express the courage and fortitude that Ms Ventura has shown in coming forward to bring this to light.”

According to NBC News, Sky News’ US partner, if Cassie were to make a complaint the LAPD could investigate, but charges would likely be declined by the district attorney because California law has a one-year statute of limitations for assault and the alleged incident happened nearly eight years ago.

CNN did not say how it obtained the video, but noted it verified the location it was shot by comparing the footage to publicly available images of the InterContinental Hotel.

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Man sentenced to 30 years for bludgeoning Nancy Pelosi’s husband with hammer

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Man sentenced to 30 years for bludgeoning Nancy Pelosi's husband with hammer

The man convicted of attacking then-US House speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband with a hammer has been sentenced to 30 years in prison.

David DePape, 44, was found guilty last November of attempted kidnapping of a federal official and assault on the immediate family member of a federal official.

Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley handed down the sentence of 30 years in prison after prosecutors asked for a 40-year prison term.

David DePape. Pic: Michael Short/San Francisco Chronicle via AP
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David DePape in 2013. Pic: Michael Short/San Francisco Chronicle via AP

DePape was given 20 years for one count and 30 years for another count, to run concurrently. He was also given credit for the 18 months he has been in custody.

DePape admitted during trial testimony he broke into the Pelosis’ San Francisco home on 28 October 2022 intending to hold Ms Pelosi hostage and “break her kneecaps” if she lied to him.

He also admitted bludgeoning Paul Pelosi with a hammer after police showed up, saying his plan to end what he viewed as government corruption was unravelling.

The attack on Mr Pelosi, who was 82 at the time, was captured on police body camera.

Defence lawyers argued DePape was motivated by his political beliefs, not because he wanted to interfere with Ms Pelosi’s official duties as a member of Congress, making the charges against him invalid.

One of his lawyers said during closing arguments that DePape was caught up in conspiracy theories.

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Investigators work outside the home of Paul Pelosi, the husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, in San Francisco, Friday, Oct. 28, 2022. Paul Pelosi, was attacked and severely beaten by an assailant with a hammer who broke into their San Francisco home early Friday, according to people familiar with the investigation. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)
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The attack happened at the couple’s San Francisco home in October 2022. Pic: AP

Plans to wear inflatable unicorn costume during interrogation

During the trial, the Canadian, who moved to the US more than 20 years ago, testified he believed news outlets repeatedly lied about former president Donald Trump.

DePape also told jurors he had planned to wear an inflatable unicorn costume and record his interrogation of the Democratic speaker, who was not at home at the time of the attack, to upload it online.

Prosecutors said he had rope and zip ties with him, and detectives found body cameras, a computer and a tablet.

‘A tremendous shock’

Mr Pelosi also testified at the trial, recalling how he was awakened by a large man bursting into the bedroom and asking: “Where’s Nancy?”

He said he responded that his wife was in Washington and DePape said he would tie him up while they waited for her.

“It was a tremendous sense of shock to recognise that somebody had broken into the house, and looking at him and looking at the hammer and the ties, I recognised that I was in serious danger, so I tried to stay as calm as possible,” Mr Pelosi told jurors.

State court charges

DePape is also charged in state court with assault with a deadly weapon, elder abuse, residential burglary and other felonies. Jury selection for that trial is expected to start on Wednesday.

Mr Pelosi suffered two head wounds in the attack, including a skull fracture. His right arm and hand were also injured.

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Scottie Scheffler: Golf star ‘rattled’ and ‘in shock’ after being arrested by police

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Scottie Scheffler: Golf star 'rattled' and 'in shock' after being arrested by police

World number one golfer Scottie Scheffler says he was “rattled” and “in shock” after he was arrested and charged by police this morning.

The 27-year-old reportedly tried to get around a traffic jam caused by a fatal accident near the Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky, at around 6am local time (11am UK time) on Friday.

He is due to appear in court on Tuesday after being charged with second-degree assault of a police officer, third-degree criminal mischief, reckless driving, and disregarding signals from officers directing traffic.

Scheffler was released at 8:40am local time (1:40pm UK time) and allowed to return to the golf course to play his second round of the PGA Championship, where he currently sits three shots off the lead.

Speaking to reporters after his round, Scheffler said: “It was a chaotic situation and a big misunderstanding. My head is still spinning.

“I spent some time warming up in a jail cell, which was a first for me.

“I was pretty rattled, to say the least… I was never angry, I was just in shock. I was shaking for about an hour.

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“Coming out here and trying to play today was definitely a challenge, but I did my best to control my mind and control my breathing… just try to play golf.

“I knew there was going to be a lot of distractions… but to be honest, it was great having the fans behind me. I felt they were really glad to have me out here competing today.”

Police earlier released a mugshot taken of Scheffler while he was wearing an orange jailed-issued jumpsuit.

The fatal crash occurred this morning when a bus struck and killed a man as he was crossing the road near the front gate of the Valhalla Golf Club.

 Scottie Scheffler tees off No. 10 to begin his second round of the PGA Championship, May 17, 2024, at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky. Pic: AP
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Scottie Scheffler tees off hours after being detained and handcuffed. Pic: AP

Tournament officials said they were “devastated” by the death of local man John Mills, who was working for an on-site vendor at Valhalla.

Scheffler, who was not involved in the accident, was allegedly trying to drive around the crash site when he failed to stop for a police officer.

An officer is then said to have grabbed on to Scheffler’s car.

The golfer drove around 10 to 20 yards before stopping his vehicle at the entrance to Valhalla, according to an ESPN reporter Jeff Darlington who was on the scene.

Darlington said: “At that point the police officer instructed Scheffler to get out of the car.

“He rolled down the window, the police officer grabbed his arm and started pulling at it. He reached inside, opened the car door, pulled Scheffler out, pushed him up against the car, immediately placed him in handcuffs.”

According to the police report, a detective stopped Scheffler’s car and “attempted to give instruction”.

The report continued: “Subject refused to comply and accelerated forward, dragging Detective Gillis to the ground. Detective Gillis suffered pain, swelling and abrasions to his left wrist and knees.

“He was transported to the hospital for further medical treatment by emergency medical personnel. Detective Gillis’ uniform pants, valued at approximately $80, were damaged beyond repair.”

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LOUISVILLE, KY - MAY 17: Fans look on as Scottie Scheffler walks off the No. 10 tee box after beginning his second round of the PGA Championship, May 17, 2024, at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky. Pic: AP
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Scottie Scheffler was given a roar of support as he teed off in the second round. Pic: AP

In a statement, Scheffler’s attorney Steve Romines said the player was proceeding as directed by a traffic officer and is alleged to have disregarded signals from another officer “in the confusion”.

“Multiple eyewitnesses have confirmed that he did not do anything wrong but was simply proceeding as directed,” the statement added.

“He stopped immediately upon being directed to and never at any point assaulted any officer with his vehicle. We will litigate this matter as needed.”

Speaking after a second round, Scheffler expressed his sympathies to the family of Mr Mills.

“I can’t imagine what they’re going through this morning,” Scheffler said.

“My situation will get handled… I can’t get into what transpired… my heart goes out to the family.”

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