What is Sidechat? The controversial app students have used amid campus protests, explained
CBSN
When Los Angeles Police Department officers in riot gear arrived at the University of California, Los Angeles early Thursday, the anonymous messaging app Sidechat filled with posts trying to piece together what was happening: "Is everyone ok? I just heard like 8 cop cars go by," one post read. Others shared rumors about police action and outside agitators and pointed students to live streams to watch the events unfold.
Sidechat has taken on a new role on college campuses as pro-Palestinian demonstrations and law enforcement's response to them have escalated in recent weeks. Posts on the app are anonymous, allowing students to share opinions and updates freely in a way they often can't on other platforms. But Sidechat's anonymous nature has also fueled hateful rhetoric, college administrators say, raising questions about its role in spreading division on campuses.
17-year-old girl trafficked into U.S. from Mexico rescued after texting 911 and describing landmarks
A 17-year-old girl has been rescued and a man arrested after the girl was allegedly trafficked into the United States from Mexico, authorties in Southern California said Thursday. The girl was able to text authorities asking for help and describe enough landmarks for police to find her.
Republican lawmakers in North Carolina are pushing forward with their plan to repeal a pandemic-era law that allowed the wearing of masks in public for health reasons, a move spurred in part by demonstrations against the war in Gaza that have included masked protesters camped out on college campuses.
Deadly thunderstorms blew out windows in high-rise buildings, downed trees and knocked out power to hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses in the Houston area Thursday as Southeast Texas got pummeled for the second time this month. At least four people were killed due to the storms, the Houston Mayor's office told CBS News Thursday night.