Chile

Chile (Rajeev Sharma): Central and southern Chile are grappling with catastrophic wildfires that have claimed at least 18 lives, destroyed hundreds of homes, and forced tens of thousands to flee, officials said Sunday. The blazes, fueled by a severe heat wave, have already consumed more than 8,500 hectares (21,000 acres) of forest. Chilean President Gabriel Boric declared a state of catastrophe in the Biobío and Ñuble regions, about 500 kilometers south of the capital, Santiago. The measure allows the government to coordinate more closely with the military and emergency services to contain the over two dozen active fires raging across…