Cultural

The ancient library of Alexandria, destroyed by fire in AD270 is to be replaced by a new great library in the city to open this year, which will also serve as a local city museum.

In the 50 years after its opening in 1948 by dictator Enver Hoxhe, Albania's Institute of Archaology is now suffering from a funding shortage, but is still maintinaing its work and museum.

Michael Sturma finds parallels in contemporary accounts of abductions by space aliens with European narratives of captivity by Indians and Aboriginals in early America and Australia.

Stephen Gundle settles in the stalls to re-view the epochal Fellini film that defined the hedonistic spirit of post-war Italy.

Sean McGlynn puts the present-day European Union into historical perspective.

If you want to know the time, argues Robert Poole, you should ask an historian.

Revolutions and changes of dynasty seem to have happened with the regularity of clockwork on the island of Java. M.C. Ricklefs investigates.

Ghana's slaving past, long regarded as too sensitive to even discuss, is now becoming a lively issue. A group of Ghanaians, led by lawyers and tribal chiefs, have convened an Africa-wide meeting to seek 'retribution and compensation for the crime of slavery’.

Historical documentary film-maker Martin Smith tells how his early exposure to Government lies led to jail and a lifelong commitment to historic truth.

David Vincent