Thursday World Blog Roundup · Global Voices
Rebecca MacKinnon

Middle East:
The UK isn't the only place where elections were held today…
Bethlehem bloggers are closely following “the first local elections in 30 years.” (Photo: Beit Sahour polling station, Bethlehem, courtesy Bethlehem Bloggers.)
Rafahpundits is all over the latest news from local elections in Rafah, in the Gaza Strip.
Semitism.net announces a new online Israeli-Palestine Forum.
Natan Sharansky's resignation means very different things to Israpundit and Israelblog.
Syrian blogger Ammar Abdulhamid is the only Syrian listed in Newsweek's list 43 Arabs making a difference. (via Abu Aardvark
Music: Tikun Olam has info on the performance of a song jointly written Israeli and Paliestinian music stars.
Podcast: Friendsofaljazeera.org has a podcast interview with Hugh Miles, author of a book about Al Jazeera. They're looking for a volunteer to transcribe the interview.
Hammorabi has some views on what the Iraqi government needs to do if it's serious about squashing the insurgency.
East Asia:
Japundit analyzes the latest deadly train wreck and the “cold-hearted corporate culture that seems to regard its customers like a pile of expendable meat.”
South Asia:
Vantage Point is trying to convince poet Yogesh Dashrath to blog.
Africa:
The Kenyan blogosphere continues to buzz  about the behavior of First Lady Lucy Kibaki, who recently slapped a local journalist.
Black Looks points us to a new African fair trade e-commerce site. Based in Ghana, they're hoping to “make e-commerce work for Africa.” Check it out.
Southeast Asia:
Jeff Ooi sees evidence that his blog is having an impact on how Malaysia's leaders are discussing national issues.
Singabloodypore shares the inside scoop from AcidFlask, the blogger who was recently forced to take down his site.
Cranial Cavity is highly unimpressed with the Philippine police.
Central Asia:
President Bush will visit  Georgia [oops! Thanks Onnik for the correction.] next week and Blogrel points us to some images of the preparations and speculates that the visit will have a significant impact on the region's future.
Europe:
Finland for Thought is concerned about the coming iPod tax.
Latin America:
A Venezuelan blog, The Devil's Excrement (what a name) reports admiringly that the Cuban blog Babalu has been banned by Castro's government.
Venezuela News & Views (not a Chavez fan) has an essay on the “chavismo” phenom.