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Snoop Dogg Employs Professional Monitor to Prevent Guests from Getting Too High

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Entertainment mogul Snoop Dogg has revealed an unprecedented level of cannabis consumption safety, employing a dedicated professional whose sole responsibility is ensuring guests don’t get excessively high during smoking sessions with the rapper.

The revelation emerged during Snoop’s appearance on “Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen,” when the host disclosed the behind-the-scenes safety measure. “Snoop has a guy with him when he gets you high who kinda says, ‘Hey, stop,'” Cohen explained, with the rapper nodding in confirmation after being asked about his “lightest weight” smoking companions.

This specialized position complements Snoop’s existing cannabis support staff, which includes his famous professional blunt roller, who commands an inflation-adjusted salary between $40,000 and $50,000 annually. “That motherf—er’s timing is impeccable. That’s his job, his occupation,” Snoop previously told Howard Stern about his roller. “On his resume, it says, ‘What do you do?’ ‘I’m a blunt roller. P-B-R, professional blunt roller.'”

The 53-year-old artist, recently named as a Paris Olympics correspondent, has built a reputation for professionalizing various aspects of cannabis consumption. When questioned about employing a dedicated blunt roller rather than preparing his own, Snoop’s response was characteristically straightforward: “I don’t have the time!”

The disclosure suggests a more measured approach to cannabis use than typically associated with celebrity culture, indicating Snoop’s commitment to responsible consumption even while maintaining his status as one of entertainment’s most famous marijuana enthusiasts.

People.com

Microsoft CEO Gets 63% Pay Rise Despite Requesting Reduction Over Security Flaws

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Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella saw his total compensation surge by 63% to $79.1 million last year, despite personally requesting a reduction in pay to acknowledge cybersecurity failures at the tech giant, creating an apparent paradox in corporate accountability.

Nadella’s request for a pay cut resulted in his cash compensation being slashed by more than half to $5.2 million, reflecting what he termed “personal accountability” for several cyber attacks, including a Chinese-linked breach affecting twenty-five organizations. However, this reduction represented less than seven percent of his total package, as stock options worth $71.2 million drove his overall compensation dramatically higher.

The compensation committee defended the package in its letter to shareholders, citing Microsoft’s “extremely strong” performance and 16% revenue growth through June 2024. This growth came amid widespread job cuts across the company’s divisions and multiple security incidents that prompted Nadella’s original request for reduced compensation.

“Mr. Nadella agreed that the Company’s performance was extremely strong,” the committee wrote, while acknowledging his unprecedented request to “depart from the established performance metrics and reduce his cash incentive to reflect his personal accountability” over cybersecurity breaches.

High Pay Centre director Luke Hildyard questioned the effectiveness of such symbolic reductions: “We might ask whether the extra $79 million on top of $49 million last year for someone who is already worth hundreds of millions, with more money than they could spend over multiple lifetimes of absolute luxury, is really necessary as a reward or incentive.”

The compensation package places Nadella among tech’s highest-paid executives, though still below Tesla’s Elon Musk’s potential $56 billion package. Apple CEO Tim Cook earned $63.2 million in 2023, while Nvidia chief Jensen Huang received $34.2 million in fiscal 2024.

The apparent contradiction between Nadella’s request for accountability and his increased total compensation raises questions about corporate governance and the structure of executive pay packages in an era of increasing cybersecurity challenges.

Life Sentence for Northern Ireland Man in ‘UK’s Largest Catfishing Case’ After Child’s Death

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Alexander McCartney, described as one of the world’s most prolific online child abusers, received a life sentence with a minimum of twenty years imprisonment Friday for an unprecedented campaign of exploitation that led to the death of a twelve-year-old American girl and victimized thousands of children globally.

The twenty-six-year-old from County Armagh pleaded guilty to one hundred eighty-five charges, including the manslaughter of Cimarron Thomas from West Virginia, who took her own life in 2018 while under his online coercion. Belfast Crown Court heard McCartney targeted as many as thirty-five hundred victims aged ten to sixteen across thirty countries through elaborate social media deceptions.

“I do not sense remorse or shame,” said Justice O’Hara during sentencing, describing McCartney as a “sexual deviant who poses more risk” than virtually any other offender. The judge emphasized McCartney would not be eligible for release before 2039.

Operating from his Northern Ireland home, McCartney created multiple false personas on Snapchat and other platforms to lure victims into sharing intimate photos, then blackmailed them for increasingly extreme material. Police discovered tens of thousands of exploitative images and videos across sixty-four devices, along with meticulous records tracking victims’ locations through social media data.

The case reached tragic heights with Cimarron Thomas, whom McCartney blackmailed in 2018. When she refused his demands to involve her younger sister in abuse, he initiated a countdown clock. The child died by suicide while still online with McCartney. Her father Ben, unaware of the circumstances, took his own life eighteen months later.

“Please keep the doors of communication open concerning the evil of some people online,” urged Cimarron’s grandparents, Peggy and Dale Thomas, in a statement outside court.

Detective Chief Superintendent Eamonn Corrigan of the Police Service of Northern Ireland called McCartney “nothing but a disgusting child predator” who “may as well have pulled the trigger himself.” The case marks the first UK manslaughter conviction involving a victim in another jurisdiction.

Working with U.S. Homeland Security and other international agencies, investigators identified victims across multiple continents. Special Agent Derek W Gordon praised Northern Irish authorities for securing justice, while Justice Minister Naomi Long expressed hope the sentence would deter other online predators.

The case has prompted renewed scrutiny of social media platforms’ child protection measures. Snapchat, McCartney’s primary hunting ground, detailed enhanced safeguards for teenage users but acknowledged the “horrific and illegal” nature of such exploitation.

Army Sergeant Found Dead in Fort Leonard Wood Dumpster, Person of Interest in Custody

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A decorated U.S. Army sergeant was discovered dead in a dumpster at Fort Leonard Wood Monday evening, hours after being reported missing, with military authorities now holding a person of interest in what investigators are treating as a potential homicide.

Sgt. Sarah Roque, 23, of Ligonier, Indiana, was found adjacent to single soldier housing after failing to appear for her unit’s morning formation, according to Maj. Gen. Christopher Beck, the installation’s commanding general. The Army Criminal Investigation Division has taken a person of interest into custody, though details about potential charges remain undisclosed.

“The Fort Leonard Wood community is devastated by this tragic loss,” Beck said at a Thursday news conference. “Sarah was a soldier and a leader… described by her peers as tough and proud of everything she did and proud to serve our country, which she did with honor and distinction.”

Roque, who enlisted in 2020, served as a bridge crewmember and mine dog handler with the K9 detachment of the 5th Engineer Battalion. Her service awards included the Army Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Good Conduct Medal and Army Service Ribbon.

“This is something we never want to happen, we never want for the family to have to endure or the unit to have to endure,” Beck said, describing the death as a “tragedy” at the installation that annually trains approximately 80,000 military personnel and civilians.

The Army CID declined to provide additional details, citing the ongoing nature of their investigation into the death’s cause and manner. The case has shocked the military community at Fort Leonard Wood, where Roque had completed her basic combat training before beginning her service career.

Israeli Strikes Kill Children in Gaza as Forces Raid Critical Hospital

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Israeli airstrikes killed dozens of Palestinians including thirteen children from a single extended family in southern Gaza Friday, while Israeli forces raided one of northern Gaza’s few remaining functional hospitals, marking another day of mounting civilian casualties in the ongoing conflict.

The strikes hit residential areas in Khan Younis without warning, according to Palestinian officials, devastating the al-Farra family. Footage from Palestinian Civil Defense showed rescuers pulling bloodied bodies of children from the rubble. Hospital records confirmed multiple members of the al-Farra and Abdeen families among the dead.

“I started screaming and screaming until my brother and father came, and they started trying to pull me out,” said Saleh al-Farra, who lost his teenage brother and sister in the attack. “I didn’t know anything about anyone.”

In northern Gaza, Israeli forces stormed Kamal Adwan Hospital, one of only three partially functioning medical facilities in the region. Hospital Director Hussam Abu Safiya reported catastrophic conditions before communications were cut: “Patients are still lying on the floors of the reception and emergency areas, with many in critical condition. There are no resources, supplies, or specialists to save these children’s lives.”

The Gaza Health Ministry reported children on life support died after the hospital’s generator failed and Israeli fire hit oxygen tanks. The facility housed hundreds of patients, medical staff, and displaced persons. While Israel says its operations target militant infrastructure, the World Health Organization expressed alarm at losing contact with hospital staff who had been delivering supplies and transferring patients.

Among the day’s casualties were children from multiple families, humanitarian workers including Doctors Without Borders staff member Hassan Sobh, a father of seven, and three journalists killed by Israeli strikes in Lebanon. The Israeli military contested Palestinian casualty figures but provided no alternative numbers.

Since the Hamas-led October attack that killed hundreds of Israelis and took others hostage, Israel’s offensive has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, with women and children comprising more than half the deaths.

The U.N. human rights chief warned that Israeli military actions risk “emptying the area of all Palestinians,” as hundreds of thousands remain trapped with minimal food and supplies in northern Gaza. Israel announced additional soldier deaths, as military casualties continue to mount since the ground invasion began.

Former Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Pleads Not Guilty in Sex Trafficking Case

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Michael Jeffries, the former CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch, pleaded not guilty Friday to federal sex trafficking and interstate prostitution charges, marking a dramatic fall for the retail executive who once led one of America’s most prominent clothing brands.

Jeffries, 80, appeared in federal court in Central Islip, Long Island, where he was released on $10 million bond secured by property on Miami’s exclusive Fisher Island. The former executive, who transformed Abercrombie from a traditional outfitter into a teen fashion phenomenon, faces allegations of operating a sophisticated sex trafficking operation between 2008 and 2015.

Federal prosecutors allege Jeffries, his romantic partner Matthew Smith, 61, and former employee James Jacobson, 71, lured men into sex parties by promising modeling opportunities with the retailer. Court documents detail accusations from 15 victims who say they were coerced through “force, fraud and coercion” into drug-fueled encounters at locations ranging from the Hamptons to luxury hotels across Europe and Morocco.

The indictment alleges victims were sometimes directed to wear costumes, use sex toys, and submit to painful erection-inducing injections. Jacobson, accused of recruiting men for the events, also pleaded not guilty after his arrest in Wisconsin. Smith remains detained after prosecutors raised flight risk concerns, citing his dual American-British citizenship.

Abercrombie & Fitch responded to the arrests with an Instagram statement declaring the company “appalled and disgusted” by the allegations. The Ohio-based retailer emphasized its transformation since Jeffries’ 2014 departure, including ending “sexualized” marketing and the practice of calling store staff “models.”

“Speaking up and coming forward is not easy, and our thoughts remain with those who have bravely raised their voices as part of the federal investigation,” the company stated, noting its zero-tolerance policy for abuse and commitment to cooperating with law enforcement.

Jeffries, who led Abercrombie from 1992 to 2014, is scheduled to return to court December 12. The case echoes previous sexual misconduct allegations detailed in media reports and civil litigation during his tenure as CEO.

Iranian Hackers Find Success Publishing Stolen Trump Campaign Emails

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Iranian hackers accused of breaching Donald Trump’s campaign emails have finally found outlets for their stolen material after mainstream media organizations declined to publish the documents, marking a new phase in alleged foreign election interference efforts.

The operation, tracked by Reuters, shows the hackers successfully distributing campaign communications through American Muckrakers, a political action committee, and independent journalists, despite a September U.S. Justice Department indictment identifying them as Iranian government operatives.

Federal prosecutors allege the hackers, part of a group known as Mint Sandstorm or APT42, compromised multiple Trump campaign staffers between May and June by stealing passwords. The group, allegedly linked to Iran’s Basij paramilitary force, used the persona “Robert” to contact journalists through email accounts that were later disabled by Yahoo in cooperation with the FBI.

The hackers’ evolution in distribution methods provides rare insight into foreign influence operations:

Initially, they approached major outlets including Politico, the Washington Post, and the New York Times, which declined to publish. The New York Times explained it only publishes hacked materials that are “newsworthy and verifiable,” while the Washington Post indicated the hack’s origin was more newsworthy than its content.

After mainstream rejection, the operation shifted to alternative channels:

– American Muckrakers began publishing internal campaign emails on September 26

– Independent journalist Ken Klippenstein posted vice presidential research documents on Substack

– Material included campaign communications about various Republican politicians

David Wheeler, American Muckrakers’ founder, defended publishing the documents as serving public interest, though he declined to discuss their origin. The FBI has warned multiple journalists that their communications with “Robert” were part of a “foreign malign influence operation.”

The Trump campaign condemned the operation as intended to “interfere with the 2024 election and sow chaos,” though critics note Trump’s contrasting stance in 2016 when he encouraged Russia to hack Hillary Clinton’s emails.

Senior U.S. intelligence officials suggest Iran’s efforts target Trump specifically, linking the operation to his role in the 2020 drone strike that killed Iranian general Qassem Soleimani. Iran’s UN mission categorically denied involvement, calling the accusations “fundamentally unfounded.”

The case highlights evolving challenges in managing election security, journalistic ethics, and foreign interference as traditional gatekeeping mechanisms face new digital realities.

Rapper Lil Durk Arrested on Murder-for-Hire Charges Following Crew’s Indictment

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Chart-topping rapper Lil Durk has been arrested in Florida on murder-for-hire charges, hours after federal authorities indicted five members of his Only The Family (OTF) music collective in connection with the 2022 killing of Quando Rondo’s cousin.

Durk Banks, 32, remains held without bond in Broward County Jail awaiting transfer to U.S. Marshals custody, according to jail records obtained Friday. The arrest follows the unsealing of federal charges in Los Angeles against five OTF affiliates for the murder of 24-year-old Saviay’a Robinson.

Federal prosecutors charged Kavon London Grant, Deandre Dontrell Wilson, Keith Jones, David Brian Lindsey, and Asa Houston with conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire and related firearms offenses. The indictment alleges the group targeted Quando Rondo in retaliation for the 2020 Atlanta killing of rising Chicago rapper King Von, Banks’ protégé.

Court documents detail an elaborate plot where suspects allegedly offered money and music industry opportunities to secure Rondo’s murder. Prosecutors say Grant flew from Miami to Los Angeles to supply weapons and coordinate surveillance using rented vehicles to track Rondo and his family. The August 19, 2022 shooting at a Beverly Grove gas station killed Robinson while Rondo survived.

While Banks’ connection to Robinson’s murder remains unclear, the case highlights ongoing violence within hip-hop circles. Banks, known for his Drake collaboration “Laugh Now Cry Later” and work with artists including 21 Savage and Travis Scott, had been preparing to release his ninth studio album “Deep Thoughts” in November.

The federal indictment specifically charges the suspects with conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire, murder-for-hire resulting in death, and weapons violations including use of a machine gun in furtherance of a violent crime resulting in death.

Angry Kenyans’ Messages Crash Senate Email System Protesting Term Extension Bill

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Kenya’s Senate email system crashed Thursday under an unprecedented deluge of more than 200,000 public submissions responding to a controversial bill proposing to extend presidential, gubernatorial, and parliamentary terms from five to seven years.

The avalanche of responses, which Senate sources told The Star newspaper arrived “every second,” forced the legislative body to establish an alternative email address after their system reached maximum capacity. The volume of submissions marks an unprecedented level of public engagement, with officials confirming no previous bill has generated such widespread response.

“Due to high volumes… our email system has temporarily experienced issues,” the Senate announced on its X social media account, reflecting the intensity of public reaction to the proposed constitutional amendments introduced by Senator Samson Cherargei.

The legislation, which also aims to create a prime minister position and increase county administration funding, has drawn sharp criticism even from within President William Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA). Party Secretary-General Hassan Omar condemned the proposal as “repugnant and backward” in comments reported by the Nation newspaper, while Ruto’s administration has distanced itself from the initiative.

Cherargei defended the proposed extension, arguing seven-year terms would provide sufficient time for elected officials to fulfill campaign promises. However, the timing of the bill has sparked particular outrage as Kenyans continue struggling with economic hardships that sparked violent demonstrations last year, resulting in approximately 40 deaths.

The public backlash reflects deepening cynicism toward political leadership following recent tax increase protests and represents the second failed attempt to modify presidential term limits since Ruto’s 2022 election. A previous proposal to replace term limits with a 75-year age cap similarly collapsed amid public opposition.

President Ruto has previously rejected attempts to alter term limits, describing such efforts as “unnecessary and an exercise in futility.” A Senate committee will now evaluate the flood of public responses as the deadline for submissions closes Friday.

Former LRA Commander Gets 40 Years in Historic Ugandan War Crimes Case

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A Ugandan court has sentenced former Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) commander Thomas Kwoyelo to 40 years imprisonment for war crimes, marking the first domestic conviction of a leader from the notorious rebel group that terrorized northern Uganda for decades.

The International Crimes Division of Uganda’s High Court found Kwoyelo guilty of 44 charges, including murder, rape, kidnapping, and pillaging. The sentence considers his 15 years already served in detention, effectively reducing his remaining prison time to 25 years.

In a nuanced ruling that wrestled with the complex dynamics of child soldiers turned perpetrators, the court declined to impose either the death penalty or life imprisonment, acknowledging that Kwoyelo himself was abducted by LRA fighters at age 12. The judgment noted his expressed remorse and assessment that he no longer poses a threat to society.

The trial, held in the northern city of Gulu, addressed atrocities including the 2004 Pagak displacement camp massacre, where dozens of women and children were beaten to death with wooden clubs. The LRA, formed by Joseph Kony in the late 1980s under the pretense of establishing a Biblical government, became notorious for mutilating victims and forcing hundreds of thousands from their homes.

“This case represents a milestone in Uganda’s pursuit of justice for war crimes committed on its soil,” said legal expert Martin Okwir in Kampala. “It demonstrates the judiciary’s ability to balance accountability with the tragic reality of child soldier recruitment.”

The ruling follows the International Criminal Court’s 2021 conviction of another LRA commander, Dominic Ongwen, who received 25 years in prison. Like Kwoyelo, Ongwen’s sentence was mitigated by his own history as a child abductee whose parents were killed by the rebels who recruited him.

Kwoyelo’s defense team announced plans to appeal all convictions within the court’s 14-day window, while a separate hearing will address reparations for victims. The LRA has largely disappeared as a fighting force, with international efforts to capture Kony suspended after authorities deemed him no longer a significant threat to Uganda.

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