Oddly Enough

William Hartston
Wednesday 10 June 1998 23:02 BST
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Half Marx: Schools and universities in Vietnam have been ordered to increase their quotas of ideological education. The Politburo of the Communist Party issued an edict saying: "The teaching of Marxist-Leninism and Ho Chi Minh ideology has not received due attention". Concern was also expressed about the danger of not reinforcing the Communist Party's role in the academic system. "Party members' combativity and the leadership capability of party units in many schools is not high."

Medical emergency: All 445 medical students at Muhimbili University in Tanzania were suspended for "security reasons" after riot police dispersed a protest during a visit by the health minister. The students had boycotted classes last Thursday and Friday in protest against plans to upgrade the medical college to university status. They were upset because they had not been consulted.

Criminology student? Lawyers for Horace Kelly, a triple murderer facing the death penalty in a Californian jail, have won a stay of execution under a federal law prohibiting the death sentence being carried out on the insane. They say that Mr Kelly speaks gibberish all the time and seems to believe he is in college instead of on death row.

Defense de stationner: Salisbury College has begun a weekly language course for 11 new students - all car park attendants sent by the district council to help them deal with tourists. After the course, the attendants, now known as "City Ambassadors", will be able to impose parking fines in five different languages.

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