The earthquake that hit Chile has resulted in hundreds of deaths and infrastructure damage throughout the country. Tsunami warnings spread across the Pacific, as far away as Japan and Alaska. Read how blogs and social media have been assessing the impact of the quake around the world.

The Japanese government is moving ahead with plans to improve relations with the Ainu people, the country's indigenous inhabitants. Mostly living in the northern island of Hokkaido, Ainu are believed to descend from people who lived in Japan as early as 13,000 years ago. Harry Fawcett of Al Jazeera English has more, and bloggers offer their perspectives.

Comments about President Obama by U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid during the 2008 campaign have sparked racial debate in the U.S. and abroad. Racial discrimination is not unique to the U.S. and exists in almost every country. We take a look at racism and discrimination against people of African origin in Iraq and Peru -- and Indians in Australia.

On December 4, President Arroyo imposed martial law in Maguindanao province of the southern Philippines, 10 days after a massacre that killed 57 -- 31 of whom were journalists. The Arroyo administration claims martial law will subdue violence by the Ampatuan warlord clan suspected of carrying out the attack. Read more from Filipino blogs and news sites.