NEW YORK – “Straight Outta Compton” easily maintained its box-office lead with an estimated $26.8 million in ticket sales over a sleepy late summer weekend at North American multiplexes, according to studio estimates Sunday. Universal’s N.W.A biopic, a much buzzed-about hit, dominated over the late August releases that often characterize …

The White House will be in a bit of a pickle if Joe Biden decides to get into the presidential race. Will President Obama endorse his own Vice President or his former Secretary of State? The president’s spokesperson Josh Earnest seemed to be pretty high on Biden when asked by …

MADRID – Authorities say a woman who posted a photograph on social media of a police car parked in a disabled parking space did not break the much-criticized new Public Security Law — known as the “gag law” — and will not be fined. Police in the southeastern town of …

DEVELOPING: A Texas sheriff’s deputy was shot and injured Friday near Houston, MyFoxHouston reported. The Harris County Sheriff’s Office told the outlet that around 8:30 p.m. local time, a county law enforcement officer was shot at a gas station in the northwestern part of Harris County.

TOKYO – Mothers holding their children’s hands stood in the sprinkling rain, some carrying anti-war placards, while students chanted slogans to the beat of a drum against Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his defense policies. Japan is seeing new faces join the ranks of protesters typically made up of labor …

LAS VEGAS – Another part of the drought-ridden West is attempting to make water conservation sexy, this time with funny ads in Las Vegas. The Southern Nevada Water Authority this week launched a campaign on television, radio, print and social media themed: “There’s Nothing Sexier Than Saving Water.” The ads …

BUCHAREST, Romania – Romania’s prime minister, indicted on wide-ranging corruption charges, has called for his case to be resolved quickly. Victor Ponta was questioned by anti-corruption prosecutors on Thursday for a fourth time. He emerged after nearly two hours saying he had cooperated with prosecutors. Prosecutors indicted Ponta in July …

NEW YORK – A New York City jail captain and a correction officer have been charged with assault and other crimes in the beating of a mentally challenged 18-year-old inmate in a Rikers Island supply closet last year. Capt. Medzid Kolenovic and Officer Jean Destine pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor …

CAIRO – Egypt’s state-run MENA news agency says the agriculture minister has been detained shortly after tendering his resignation amid a corruption investigation. Monday’s detention of Salah el-Din Helal comes after Egypt’s prosecution issued a gag order last week on a corruption investigation into the allocation of state land which …

JERUSALEM – Israel’s defense minister has outlawed two Muslim activist groups that have been holding rallies against Jewish visitors at a contentious Jerusalem holy site. The Defense Ministry says the Mourabitoun and Mourabitat groups have been declared illegal and anyone who organizes or funds them can be prosecuted. The two …