World News Roundup: Vatican cardinal tarets papal critic; Wildfire rages near Lisbon and more

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Top Vatican cardinal accuses papal critic of 'calumny and defamation'

A top Vatican official on Sunday issued a scathing open letter accusing an archbishop who launched an unprecedented attack on Pope Francis of mounting a "political frame job devoid of real foundation". Cardinal Marc Ouellet said in the detailed, three-page letter that calls by Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano for the pope to resign because he had allegedly covered up sexual misconduct by a senior American Churchman were "calumny and defamation".

Wife of Israeli prime minister goes on trial for fraud

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s wife, Sara, appeared in court on Sunday for the first hearing in the fraud trial against her, in which she is alleged to have misused state funds in ordering catered meals. According to the indictment filed in June, Sara Netanyahu, along with a government employee, fraudulently obtained from the state more than $100,000 for hundreds of meals supplied by restaurants, bypassing regulations that prohibit the practice if a cook is employed at home.

Wildfire rages near Lisbon, hundreds evacuated

More than 700 firefighters backed by six aircraft battled a large wildfire in the hills around the resort areas of Cascais and Sintra near Portugal's capital Lisbon on Sunday after the blaze forced the evacuation of several hundred people overnight. Officials said 18 people, mostly firefighters, had been lightly injured in the blaze that broke out late on Saturday, fanned by strong winds amid unusually hot weather for October.

Italy will close airports to unauthorized migrant flights: Salvini

Italy will close its airports to unauthorized planes carrying migrants from Germany, Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said on Sunday, ratcheting up a dispute between the EU partners over how to share responsibility for asylum seekers. The two countries have been working on a deal under which Germany would send back to Italy migrants who have already applied for asylum there, but the accord has yet to be signed.

UK PM May seeks support as others draw Brexit battle lines

Prime Minister Theresa May appealed to wavering British voters on Sunday ahead of a defining few months in which she hopes to secure a Brexit deal and face down opponents who say her EU exit plan is too hard, too soft, or just plain wrong. May, tasked with delivering Britain's exit from the European Union after a 2016 referendum which continues to divide the country, must find a way through deadlocked talks in Brussels and then convince a skeptical parliament to back the outcome.

Saudi journalist Khashoggi was killed in consulate, Turkish sources say

Turkish authorities believe Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi was killed inside his country's consulate in Istanbul last week, Turkish sources said, in what they described as the deliberate targeting of a prominent critic of the Gulf kingdom's rulers. Khashoggi, a former newspaper editor in Saudi Arabia and adviser to its former head of intelligence, left the country last year saying he feared retribution for his growing criticism of Saudi policy in the Yemen war and its crackdown on dissent.

Christian survivors of Indonesian quake give thanks, mourn

Dozens of Christians gathered outside ruined churches on the island of Sulawesi on Sunday for open-air services to give thanks for their survival and to mourn members of their congregation killed in a devastating earthquake.

Brazilians vote in tense presidential race led by right-winger

Brazilians will vote on Sunday in a polarized presidential race that could result in the election of a far-right former Army captain, whose praise of past dictatorships enrages critics but whose promise of a brutal crackdown on crime and corruption has electrified his supporters. Front-runner Jair Bolsonaro, who some call a tropical Trump, has surged in opinion polls in the past week.

Palestinian gunman kills two Israelis in West Bank: Israeli military

A Palestinian gunman shot dead two Israelis and wounded a third on Sunday in an industrial park next to a Jewish settlement in the occupied West Bank, the Israeli military said. The assailant, the military said, had worked in a factory where the shooting took place.

Pompeo, Kim agrees to second U.S.-North Korea summit 'as soon as possible': South Korea

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo agreed to arrange a second summit "as soon as possible," and discussed potential U.S. inspections of North Korean nuclear sites, South Korea's presidential office said on Sunday. South Korea's President Moon Jae-in held talks with Pompeo in Seoul after the top U.S. diplomat met with Kim for more than three hours during a short trip to Pyongyang that was aimed at breaking a gridlock in their nuclear talks.

(With inputs from agencies.)