VOA news for Monday, July 11th, 2016 From Washington This is VOA news. I'm Victor Beattie reporting. Gunfire and explosions could be heard Monday in the capital of south Sudan a day after the UN security council called on the country's leaders to end the surge in fighting. 15-member council called on them to fully implement a peace agreement including a permanent ceasefire. Vice President and former rebel leader Riek Machar joined President Salva Kiir in issuing a joint appeal for calm. “It is an interruption to the good process we do we have initiated. We want to continue this process of dialog among ourselves. Resolving issues so that the country comes out of the conflict. So we're calling upon all of the population, all South Sudanese, whether armed or not-armed, to respect cease-fire.” The 2 fought each other in a 2-year civil war that erupted after the President fired Machar in 2013. Dozens of protesters were arrested over the weekend in Minnesota and Louisiana in the wake of last week's fatal shootings of 2 black men by police. The protests turned violent with roadways blocked and officer's pelted with debris. The protests followed Thursday's ambush on police in Dallas, Texas, by Michel Johnson, a black army veteran, in which 5 officers were killed, several wounded. Mike Rawlings, the city’s mayor, appeared on NBC television. “Can we, in a moment of crisis, when officers are fallen, forgive? Can we disagree without demonizing? Can we see a better narrative as opposed to just absurdity, that there is redemption as we build this great city? I believe we can, and I believe we will. “ President Obama, who cut short a visit to Spain, will visit Dallas Tuesday. This is VOA news. Northern Ecuador, Sunday, was struck by 2 earthquakes; one with a magnitude 5.8 followed by one registered at 6.3. There was no immediate report of damage or casualties. The South American country was rocked by 2 quakes in May that killed one, injured dozens. A devastating 7.8 magnitude quake in April killed 100s, injured 1000s. Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry paid a rare visit to Israel Sunday offering Cairo’s assistance in reviving the stalled peace talks with the Palestinians. "It is no longer acceptable to claim that the status quo is the most that we can achieve of the hopes and aspirations of the Palestinian and Israeli peoples. The current state of affairs, unfortunately, means are unsustainable and does not conform with the hopes and aspirations of both peoples nor with those of the peoples of the region of the world.” Met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu back in May, Egypt's President Abdel Fattah el Sisi urged both sides to seize the opportunity to make a historic peace. Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, is in New York urging investors to keep faith with Britain despite the uncertainty created by the result of last month's referendum to leave the European Union. Meanwhile, British Labor Party leader, Jeremy Corbyn, faces a new challenge for leadership, this time from parliamentarian Angela Eagle, over his handling of the EU referendum. “If somebody who's leading the Labor party in parliament is struggling with the support of only 20% of the MPs he's meant to lead, I think that’s part of the problem that we’re struggling with here.” Corbyn has refused to step down despite mass resignations within his party and a no-confidence motion. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe claimed victory as his ruling liberal democratic coalition won a landslide victory, Sunday, in Upper House parliamentary elections, taking more than half the seats. Analysts say he may now have the votes to push through controversial changes in the country's post-war pacifist constitution. The Polisario Front of the contested territory of Western Sahara has elected new leader. After long time chief Mohamed Abdelaziz died in May, the Fronts former ambassador to Algeria, Brahim Ghali was tapped by delegates in refugee camps. Tokyo's main stock index the Nikkei surged Monday along with other Asian markets, following an encouraging jobs report last week from the US and prospects of more fiscal stimulus but global oil prices continue weakness with Brent crude trading at about $46 a barrel, West Texas intermediate at less than $42. In sports, Portugal defeated France Sunday one nothing in the European championship final in France with the goal in extra time, its first major international football victory. Meanwhile Britain’s Andy Murray defeated Canadian Milos Raonic to claim his 2nd Wimbledon men's tennis title. I'm Victor Beattie. That’s the latest world news from VOA.