July 27, 2026
628,000+: The number of acres burned across Europe this year as wildfires, fueled by record heat and dry conditions, sweep through France and Spain. More than 220,000 people in France have been displaced as fires threaten the Bordeaux region. In Spain, about 100,000 people remain under evacuation or stay-home orders, while more than 370,000 acres have burned — about six times the damage recorded during the same period last year. Thousands of firefighters, including international crews and aircraft, are working to contain the blazes.
1: The number of people killed after a vehicle struck a crowd at Berlin’s Pride event Saturday night, injuring 29 others, according to German officials. Authorities say the 21-year-old suspect died on scene after police shot him during a confrontation in which he allegedly ran toward officers with a bladed weapon. German officials are investigating the incident as a possible Islamic terror attack.
13: The number of consecutive nights U.S. strikes targeted Iran before the current pause in attacks over the last three nights. U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Mike Waltz said the halt is “giving diplomacy some space.” Iran says it has stopped retaliatory attacks but denies direct negotiations with the U.S.; Iranian officials say discussions are taking place with Oman, however, over the potential reopening of traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.
3: The total number of suspected Russian drones Romania shot down from Friday through Sunday. NATO says it continues to monitor the threat, while Romania’s Foreign Ministry has summoned Russia’s ambassador. Romanian President Nicușor Dan called the repeated airspace violations “inadmissible and intolerable.”
1.5 miles: The length of the Gordie Howe International Bridge connecting Detroit, Michigan and Windsor, Ontario for use by drivers, walkers and cyclists. The “multibillion-dollar, multiyear project,” which is the first new crossing between Michigan and Ontario in more than 60 years, opens Monday for drivers to ease travel and trade between the two nations. Separately, last week Pres. Trump announced 50% tariffs on certain Canadian goods; Canada, which paid for most of the bridge’s construction, rescinded celebratory invitations to American counterparts to mark the opening.
6: The number of peptide therapies an FDA advisory panel recommended making available at U.S. pharmacies, after the panel reviewed seven different peptides during a two-day meeting last week. The recommendation could expand access to peptides currently sold largely through the gray market, but the FDA has not made a final decision. Agency scientists have raised concerns about limited human research, unknown safety risks, and the lack of large clinical trials supporting these compounds.
2,852: The current number of stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Last Thursday, the organization announced the 32 entertainers selected for its Class of 2027. The group includes Pedro Pascal, Lisa Kudrow, Idris Elba, Karol G, Lil Wayne and Nicole Scherzinger, who transitioned from the Pussycat Dolls lead singer to Tony Award-winning Broadway performer for her role as Norma Desmond in “Sunset Boulevard.”
by Katie Larsen,
