• Liberia has 3.5 million people. Reconstruction would affect them to an extent of, say, 1 life-year each, for a total of 3.5 million life-years.
  
• Asylum seekers numbered 340,000 last year, or about 3.4 million over a decade. Increased obstacles affect them to an extent of perhaps 0.5 life-years each, for a total of 1.7 million life-years.
  
• DR Congo has 56 million people. Reconstruction would affect them to an extent of, say, 1 life-year each, for a total of 56 million life-years.
  
• Nepal's population of 28 million includes, say, 7 million children. The civil war affects them to an extent of maybe 0.3 life-years each, for a total of 2 million life-years.
  
• In Somalia, maybe 10,000 people could die monthly, or 240,000 over 2 years. At 40 life-years/person, that would make 10 million life-years. In addition, the 2 million people on aid may be affected to an extent of about 1 life-year. The total would be about 12 million life-years.
  
• The 5.7 million long-term refugees are affected to an extent of about 1 life-year each, for a total of about 5.7 million life-years.
  
• The earthquake in Pakistan on 8 October 2005 killed about 73,000 people. At an average number of life-years lost of 40 years, that would be about 3 million life-years. About 2 million lost their homes or relatives, at an average loss of 3 life-years, or about 6 million life-years. The total loss was thus about 9 million life-years.
  
• The around 1 million imprisoned children are affected to an extent of about 1 life-year each, for a total of 1 million life-years.
  
• Cooperation over water might affect, say, 10 million people to an extent of 0.1 life-years each, for a total of 1 million life-years.
  
• In Côte d'Ivoire, 0.7 million people are displaced, which affects them to an extent of 0.1 life-year each, for a total of 0.07 million life-years.
  

The total effect of the 10 stories is about 72 million life-years. Human News aims to devote 1 character to each 40,000 life-years, or 1000 average lives. Thus, the number of characters could be 72 million life-years / 40,000 life-years/character = 1800 characters. However, Human News has already had stories about Liberia and DR Congo elections totalling 200 characters, thus this article can have about 1600 characters.