diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index d0f8841..350d0d4 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@ var client = new irc.Client(config.server, config.nick, {
     retryDelay: 120000
 });
 
+var mergeRequests = {};
+
 var app = express();
 
 app.use(bodyParser.json()); // for parsing application/json
@@ -57,21 +59,21 @@ var handlers = {
 
         var branchName = body.ref.replace('refs/heads/', '');
 
-        var msg = [];
+        var msg = null;
         if (!numCommits) {
             // Special case: a branch was created or deleted.
             var action = 'created';
             if (body.after === '0000000000000000000000000000000000000000')
                 action = 'deleted';
-            msg.push(projectName + ': ' + user + ' ' + action + ' branch ' + branchName);
+            msg = projectName + ': ' + user + ' ' + action + ' branch ' + branchName;
             say(msg);
         } else {
             var maybeS = numCommits === 1 ? '' : 's';
-            msg.push('push on ' + projectName + '@' + branchName + ': ' + user + ' pushed ' + commits.length + ' commit' + maybeS + '.');
-
-            var lastCommit = commits[0];
+            var lastCommit = commits[commits.length - 1];
+            var lastCommitMessage = lastCommit.message.trim().split('\n')[0].trim();
             shortenURL(lastCommit.url, function(shortUrl) {
-                msg.push('last commit: ' + lastCommit.message.trim() + ' : ' + shortUrl);
+                msg = 'push on ' + projectName + '@' + branchName + ' (by ' + user + '): ' +
+                      commits.length + ' commit' + maybeS + ' (last: ' + lastCommitMessage + ') ' + shortUrl;
                 say(msg);
             });
         }
@@ -83,7 +85,7 @@ var handlers = {
 
         var issue = body.object_attributes;
         var issueNumber = issue.iid;
-        var issueTitle = issue.title;
+        var issueTitle = issue.title.trim();
         var issueState = issue.state;
         var url = issue.url;
 
@@ -92,9 +94,8 @@ var handlers = {
             return;
 
         shortenURL(url, function(shortUrl) {
-            var msg = [projectName + ': issue #' + issueNumber + ' has changed state ("' + issueState + '")'];
-            msg.push(issueTitle.trim() + ' ' + shortUrl);
-            say(msg)
+            var msg = projectName + ': issue #' + issueNumber + ' ("' + issueTitle + '") changed state ("' + issueState + '") ' + shortUrl;
+            say(msg);
         });
     },
 
@@ -109,13 +110,24 @@ var handlers = {
         var to = request.target_branch;
 
         var id = request.iid;
-        var title = request.title;
+        var title = request.title.trim();
         var url = request.url;
         var state = request.state;
 
+        var assignee_id = request.assignee_id;
+
+        mergeRequests[id] = mergeRequests[id] || {};
+        var formerAssignee_id = mergeRequests[id].assignee_id;
+
+        mergeRequests[id].assignee_id = assignee_id;
+
+        // Abort if just the assignee changed;
+        if (typeof formerAssignee_id !== 'undefined' && assignee_id !== formerAssignee_id)
+            return;
+
         shortenURL(url, function(shortUrl) {
-            var msg = [projectName + ': merge request (' + from + ':' + to + ') #' + id + ' has changed state ("' + state + '")'];
-            msg.push(title.trim() + ' ' + shortUrl);
+            var msg = projectName + ': merge request (' + from + '->' + to + ': ' + title + ') ' +
+                      '#' + id + ' changed state ("' + state + '"): ' + shortUrl;
             say(msg);
         });
     },
@@ -131,10 +143,9 @@ var handlers = {
         var projectName = body.project_name;
         var stage = body.build_stage;
 
-        var msg = [];
-        msg.push(projectName + ': build #' + id + ' (' + stage + ') changed status: ' + status);
+        var msg = projectName + ': build #' + id + ' (' + stage + ') changed status: ' + status;
         if (isFinished)
-            msg.push('build finished in ' + duration + ' seconds. ');
+            msg += ' (finished in ' + duration + ' seconds.)';
 
         say(msg);
     }