This is the Global News Podcast from the BBC World Service.

I'm Jen Natcholilla and at 13 Hours GMT on Monday the 19th of August,

these are our main stories.

America's top diplomat calls this week a decisive one in ending the war in Gaza, but when so many

attempts before have failed, will these latest ceasefire talks be any different?

A Russian official says Ukraine has struck a third key bridge

in the Kursk region as it continues its cross-border offensive. A super yacht sinks in a

violent storm off the coast of Sicily with one dead and several others missing.

Also in this podcast, I was going to sail around the globe in the world's smallest ship, but I bottled it.

We hear from the comedian who's won the funniest joke award at the Edinburgh French Festival. As Israel and Hamas continue to accuse each other of obstructing the Gaza

ceasefire talks, America's top diplomat Anthony Blinkin back in the region

for a series of high stakes meetings

has said it's time for everyone to get to yes and to stop looking for excuses.

This is a decisive moment probably the best, maybe the last opportunity to get the

hostages home, to get a ceasefire, and to put everyone on a better path to enduring peace and security.

I'm here as part of an intensive diplomatic effort on President Biden's instructions to try

to get this agreement to the line and ultimately over the line.

It is time for it to get done.

Mr. Blinkin held talks with the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The Prime Minister's office described the two men's talks as positive. In an earlier meeting the

Israeli president Isaac Herzog had these words for the US Secretary of State.

At the bottom line of it people have to understand it starts with the refusal of Hamas to move forward.

...