<?php

$smarty->assign('articleTitle',
                 "War Dims Hope for Peace. Child's Death Ruins Couple's Holiday.\n\n
                 Man is Fatally Slain. Death Causes Loneliness, Feeling of Isolation."
                );

?>

   

Where template is:

{$articleTitle}
{$articleTitle|count_paragraphs}

   

Will output:

War Dims Hope for Peace. Child's Death Ruins Couple's Holiday.

Man is Fatally Slain. Death Causes Loneliness, Feeling of Isolation.
2