Breaking news is a term that refers to new, urgent events or developments. These are often stories that capture the public’s attention due to their timeliness, immediacy and significance. These events may involve natural disasters, major accidents and political developments. They usually prompt media organizations to interrupt regularly scheduled programming and to deliver updates as they become available.
Because of the urgency and fluid nature of breaking news, journalists are forced to balance a need for speed with a responsibility to report accurate information and avoid sensationalism. Often, these reports are heavily based on information from sources, which can be subject to error. In addition, there are ethical concerns around identifying victims of tragedy before family members have been notified.
It is also important to remember that private citizens can speculate about news events, but journalists must always stick to factual reporting. This is especially true when it comes to a story that the reporter has not witnessed firsthand. Speculation can quickly turn into false information, and the more that an organization makes assumptions about a developing situation, the more likely it is to get it wrong. NPR, for example, made some erroneous assumptions about the condition of Gabby Giffords after her shooting, and ended up broadcasting inaccurate information about her death.
Among the most significant world issues are wars and conflicts that have led to many casualties, displacements, and a loss of stability in several regions. The ongoing climate crisis continues to impact nations and regions with increasing heat, droughts, storms, and floods. Unless action is taken now, experts estimate that by 2050 there will be a 50% chance of global temperatures rising more than 3.5 degrees Celsius and a 10% probability of warming above 4.7 degrees Celsius.