Snoop Dogg escapes jail term

Hip-hop star Snoop Dogg has escaped a jail term after he pleaded no contest to charges of sale or transportation of marijuana and possession of a gun.

The rapper, real name Calvin Broadus, was given a three years suspended sentence and handed five years of probation by a Californian court yesterday. He will also perform 900 hours of community service - although he can serve half of the hours working with the youth American football team that he owns.