Numbers

WELFARE

28 million Number of Americans projected to receive food stamps in 2008, the most since the 1960s

1 in 8 Proportion of Michigan residents who receive food stamps

PHARMACEUTICALS

$5 billion Combined 2007 sales of the cholesterol-lowering drugs Zetia and Vytorin, manufactured by Schering-Plough and Merck

26% Drop in Schering-Plough's stock price after a panel of cardiologists announced on March 30 that the drugs may not work. Merck's stock fell 15%

AIRPORTS

28,000 Number of pieces of luggage misplaced when the automatic baggage-handling system malfunctioned during the March launch of Terminal 5 at Heathrow Airport

$8.5 billion Cost of the new terminal. During the first four days of operation, nearly 250 British Airways flights had to be canceled

IMMIGRATION

21.8 million Estimated number of nonnaturalized immigrants, both legal and illegal, currently living in the U.S.

304,000 Number of immigrants currently in U.S. jails who are eligible for deportation. Immigration and customs officials estimate the number could rise to 455,000 in the coming few years

Sources: New York Times (2); Wall Street Journal (2); BBC (2); New York Times; U.S. Census Bureau