Pete Ross

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

I'm Pete Ross, and in the early hours of Sunday 7th December, these are our main stories.

Police in India say more than 20 people have been killed in a fire at a nightclub in Goa.

And the US Secretary of Defence, Pete Hegseth, issues a fresh justification of attacks on alleged drug trafficking boats.

Also in this podcast, we have the latest from peace talks on the wars in Ukraine and Gaza.

The Vatican returns indigenous cultural artefacts to Canada.

These are not simply artefacts.

They are our belongings, our ancestors, vital indicators of our nation's histories.

And we've an update on the schedule for next year's World Cup.

As we record this podcast, Indian emergency workers are gathered outside a popular nightclub in Goa, where a fire has killed at least 25 people.

The police deputy general said it was an unfortunate incident.

Alok Kumar said the fire in Arpura was reported a few minutes past midnight when ambulances and fire trucks rushed to the scene.

He said the blaze had been contained.

Videos on social media show rescuers carrying the dead and injured on stretchers down the narrow stone staircase of the building.

The BBC's Vikas Pandani is at the scene in Goa.

Our reporter Davina Gupta told me more.

The initial reports from officials suggest that there was a gas cylinder that exploded in the kitchen of this nightclub, sending flames rapidly through the ground floor of the venue.

Most of the bodies officials have told the BBC were found near the kitchen and some were on the stairs as well.

suggesting that many of the victims were staff who were working at that time.

Six others, we believe, are being treated in hospital and are in a stable condition as of now.