Facebook's new app to send you breaking news alerts

Facebook is building a mobile app that will send breaking news alerts straight to your phone.

The app will reportedly ask users to choose which publications they want to receive notifications from, and specific topics they want to receive news about, The Verge reported.

The user would get a notification of up to 100 characters whenever news in their pre-selected topics breaks.

All notifications sent through Facebook's app will link out to that publication's website.

Recently, Twitter began testing a breaking news tab in its phone app, and soon it will release the events and news-focused project Lightning.

The app is still in early stages and there is no word on when it will be out in the market.