Facebook is working on a standalone mobile news app, according to a Business Insider report.

The company is testing an app that lets users choose publications to follow and topics for breaking news alerts. According to the report, it has selected only a handful of publications to work with for the pilot.

These partners will be able to send mobile notifications to their followers instantly, much like a Tweet. Notifications will have a 100 character limit and contain a link to the news article.

Facebook declined to comment on the story.

In May, capitalising on the popularity of articles shared by users on Facebook, particularly on its mobile app, the social media giant partnered with nine publishers to launch Instant Articles, which displays stories within Facebook rather than linking out to an external source.

In June, Facebook-owned Instagram launched a new ‘explore’ page for its app as well as a “more powerful search”, a move which, according to a Wall Street Journal report, reflected a desire to become a source for the latest news.

Other standalone apps by Facebook include Moments, Groups and Messenger.