Flavour of the Month

A controversial iPhone and Android app is to be withdrawn from the official marketplaces for all major mobile platforms after a record number of complaints. The app "Rag Hags" was aimed at young men and claimed to detect the menstrual cycles of women from their Facebook and Twitter updates. Users of the app could register to receive warning messages in the form of SMS texts and emails telling them to avoid any female friends/ followers who appeared to be experiencing pre-menstrual tension.

A particular advert for the app seems to have been the cause of most complaints. The ad pictured an angry-looking woman clutching a knife and crying. Text below read: "avoid the bitch when she's on the rag, she won't be up for it anyway". The developers remain unrepentant, issuing a public statement including the following excerpt:

We are deeply disappointed that the iPhone and Android stores failed to see the irony in our fun app. This kind of knee-jerk response belongs in the dark ages. We have the utmost respect for women, and at no point did the app do anything sexist. It was just a light-hearted take on sexuality aimed at guys who love the ladies but can't be arsed when they're being total bitches.

To date the company's other apps remain available for purchase, with the most popular a game in which players kill bespectacled vegetarians by shoving kebabs down their throats.