News: Look what Facebook are introducing....

Facebook to include more ads

More ads on Facebook. That’s what users can look forward to in the new year. ‘Sponsored stories’ will enter the news feeds of Facebook users from January. The ads will only feature stories that relate to ‘likes’ of the user — or their friends – similar to the ads that currently appear in the sidebar. Facebook has said users will only see one advertisement in their feed per day – they’ll be labelled ‘sponsored’ and users will not be able to block them from their feed.

How many is too many ads for Facebook?

Asylum seeker policy: will the two parties agree?

The two major parties are still at an asylum seeker policy impasse but there appear to be slight movements in their previously stubborn positions. Leader of the Opposition Tony Abbott said both parties had common ground in the desire to re-open Manus Island, the processing centre at Papua New Guinea. But he won’t meet with Ms Gillard until she puts a meeting request and proposal in writing. Immigration Minister Chris Bowen said he was willing to negotiate on a deal that included both Nauru (previously out of bounds for Labor) and Malaysia. Mr Abbott, however, doesn’t like the Malaysia solution. Will they ever sort something out?

Gasp clothing store apologises. Sort of. Maybe.

Remember the clothing chain Gasp which sparked a viral sensation when one of its store managers wrote a dismissive email in reply to a customer who complained? The woman said she was hassled while trying on dresses at the store and when she left in disgust the manager allegedly called out ‘have fun shopping at Supre’. Well, at the time the store refused to apologise. Now it has. But is it because the chain had to close the Chapel Street store where it happened and has held 90 per cent off sales? Hmmm. “Kiera, I’d just like to say I’m sorry,” said spokesman Matthew Chidgely who fired off the original email. When asked if the apology was genuine, he replied: “Of course.” When asked to clarify whether he apologised for making the woman’s size (she described herself as a healthy size 12) an issue Mr Chidgely said: “Umm, I apologise that her … experience in ours stores wasn’t 100 per cent positive.” The apology coincided with the opening of a new store.

Breast implants might, maybe cause cancer

About 4500 Australian women have been warned their breast implants may be dangerous, deadly even, after a manufacturer in France was found out. A criminal investigation is under way in France into Poly Implant Prostheses, which was shut down after being caught using industrial, not medical, silicone in its devices to save money. MM will be posting more details on this later today. Stay tuned.

The Kardashians release their Christmas card

The family famous for doing not a lot have released their 2011 personalised Christmas card, a portrait of the family they do every year. It’s a bit of a Kardashian tradition … but does it make you feel festive?

App allows women to alert family if in danger

Indian women now have access to a mobile phone app called ‘Fight Back’ which sends an alert to friends and family if they are being assaulted or abused. The SOS comes with a tracking signal linked to the person’s mobile GPS and friends can find out where she is. In a 2010 survey by the Delhi government, the United Nations and women’s rights group Jagori (Wake Up Women), 45 per cent of women said they avoided stepping out alone after dark and 65 per cent feared taking public transport. But the app doesn’t solve any problems for poor women who can’t afford phones, or deal with ambivalence in some parts of the Indian police force to female reported cases of sexual assault and so on. Would you use a similar app here?