Has the cruise industry recovered from the pandemic?

1968 again

An incumbent who drops out of the race for re-election and a candidate who gets shot; this year’s US presidential election bears similarities to that of 1968. Lyndon Johnson had won the 1964 election by a landslide and was expected to win another term. But in April 1968 he withdrew from the race, under pressure over the Vietnam war and his own failing health. Vice president Hubert Humphrey was immediately touted as Johnson’s successor, although Robert Kennedy put up a strong showing in the primaries before being shot soon after winning the nomination for California. He died a day later. Less remembered about the 1968 election is how close Ronald Reagan came to being the Republican nominee – 12 years before he eventually succeeded.

Bruising for cruising

There were protests in Majorca and Alaska against cruise ships. Has the cruise industry recovered from the pandemic? Number of passengers originating on each continent:

                                    2019 / 2023

North America       15.4m / 18.1m

Europe                        7.7m / 8.2m

Asia                            3.7m / 2.3m

Australia                    1.3m / 1.3m

South America    935,000 / 996,000

Global                      29.7m / 31.7m

Source: Cruise Lines International Association

Crops up

Is climate change damaging global crop yields? Average yields of staple crops in tons per hectare:

                                       1992 / 2022

Corn (maize)                3.91 / 5.72

Potato                          14.98 / 21.07

Rice                               3.59 / 4.70

Rye                                2.01 / 3.27

Sorghum                       1.53 / 1.41

Soy bean                       2.03 / 2.61

Wheat                            2.53 / 3.69

Source: Food and Agriculture Organisation

Excluded club

Where in England are pupils most or least likely to get excluded from school? Suspension rate per 100 pupils in 2022/23:

Most

Redcar and Cleveland                        32.79

Middlesbrough                                     28.18

Doncaster                                              24.21

Stoke on Trent                                     21.40

Barnsley                                                20.85

Least

City of London                                       0.37

Isles of Scilly                                          0.38

Kingston-upon-Thames                        1.73

Barking and Dagenham                        2.67

Tower Hamlets                                       2.71

Source: Department for Education