discussed recently in python-dev:

In _locale module:

- bind_textdomain_codeset() binding

In gettext module:

- bind_textdomain_codeset() function
- lgettext(), lngettext(), ldgettext(), ldngettext(),
  which return translated strings encoded in
  preferred system encoding, if
  bind_textdomain_codeset() was not used.
- Added equivalent functionality in translate()
  function and catalog classes.

Every change was also documented.