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California teacher dies after being bitten by a bat inside her classroom

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Minnesota health officials investigating rare rabies death


Minnesota health officials investigating rare rabies death

00:30

A central California teacher died last month after she was bitten by a bat that presumably had rabies inside her classroom, officials and a friend of the woman, marking the third such fatality in North America in recent weeks.  

In the wake of Leah Seneng’s death on Nov. 22, public health officials are warning the public about the dangers of bats, which are the most common source of human rabies in the U.S. Even though fewer than 10 people in the country die from rabies each year, it is almost always fatal if not treated quickly.

Seneng, 60, found a bat in her classroom in mid-October, her friend Laura Splotch told KFSN-TV. She tried to scoop it up and take it outside but it bit her, Splotch said.

Seneng did not immediately have symptoms of rabies but she fell ill weeks later and was taken to the hospital, where she was put into a medically-induced coma and died days later, Splotch told the TV station.

“It’s devastating to see her in that state, with all the machines hooked up and everything, it was pretty upsetting and scary,” Splotch told KFSN.

According to her Facebook profile, Seneng was an art teacher at Bryant Middle School in Dos Palos, California. The Dos Palos-Oro Loma Joint Unified School District, called Seneng “a dedicated and compassionate educator.”

leah-seneng-94100744-10158471520937053-2835962146725036032-n.jpg
Leah Seneng

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“We were shocked to learn that Leah’s passing was related to contracting rabies, most likely from being bitten by a bat and we are cooperating with the Merced County Department of Public Health on their investigation,” the school district said in a statement. “We live and work in a community known to have bats and other wildlife around school grounds, and we will continue to help educate our community regarding the dangers associated with coming into direct contact with any wild animal, including bats.”

Merced County confirmed the rabies exposure but, due to privacy laws, did not release the deceased’s name. The California Department of Public Health confirmed that the victim died after contracting rabies.

“Bites from bats can be incredibly small and difficult to see or to detect. It is important to wash your hands and look for any open wounds after touching a wild animal, and to seek immediate medical care if bitten,” CDPH Director Dr. Tomás J. Aragón said in a statement. “It is always safest to leave wild animals alone. Do not approach, touch, or try to feed any animals that you don’t know.”   

At least two other people in North America have died of rabies after encountering a bat in recent weeks. Last month, health officials in Canada announced that a child died from rabies after being exposed to a bat in their room. About a week before that, officials announced a U.S. citizen died from rabies after being exposed to a bat in western Minnesota in July.

How is rabies spread and what are the symptoms?

Rabies is a deadly viral infection that attacks the nervous system in humans and animals, causing brain and spinal cord inflammation. It is typically spread to humans through direct contact with the saliva of an infected animal through scratching or biting.

Rabies is commonly found in bats, raccoons, foxes, skunks and some household pets. Without proper and prompt treatment after symptoms appear, rabies is nearly 100 percent fatal in both animals and humans, according to Haldimand and Norfolk Health Services, where the child was admitted. 

Treatment has proven to be nearly 100% effective at preventing the disease if someone is exposed, though it must start before symptoms appear.  

Bats pose a unique risk because their scratches can be hard to notice due to their small teeth, and bats cannot be vaccinated through provincial programs, health officials said.

If bitten by an animal suspected of carrying the virus, health officials advise washing the wound thoroughly with soap and water for 15 minutes and immediately seeking medical attention.

According to the CDC, the incubation period of rabies may last from weeks to months, depending on the location of exposure, severity of exposure and age.

“The first symptoms of rabies, called prodrome, maybe like the flu, including weakness, discomfort, fever, or headache. There also may be discomfort, prickling, or an itching sensation at the site of the bite. These symptoms may last for several days,” the CDC says.



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Mexico announces the largest fentanyl seizure in its history. The timing may not be a coincidence.

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Mexican soldiers and marines have seized over a ton of fentanyl pills in two raids in the north, with officials calling it the biggest catch of the synthetic opioid in the country’s history.

The raids came after a sharp drop in fentanyl seizures in Mexico earlier this year, and days after U.S. President-elect Donald Trump threatened to impose 25% tariffs on products from Canada and Mexico unless those countries cracked down on the flow of migrants and drugs across the border.

Experts say the timing may not be a coincidence.

“It is clear that the Mexican government has been managing the timing of fentanyl seizures,” said security analyst David Saucedo. “But under the pressure by Donald Trump, it appears President Claudia Sheinbaum’s administration is willing to the increase the capture of drug traffickers and drug seizures that Washington is demanding.”

Saucedo said it’s clear the Mexican government “doesn’t see fentanyl as one of its own problems, and fighting it isn’t its priority,” He added there would only be big busts “when there is pressure from Washington.”

Mexico’s top security official said soldiers and marines late Tuesday spotted two men carrying guns in the northern state of Sinaloa, home to the drug cartel of the same name.

They chased the men, who ran into two houses. In one house soldiers found about 660 pounds of fentanyl, and in the other a truck packed with about 1,750 pounds of the drug, mostly in pill form.

“In Sinaloa, we achieved the biggest seizure in history of fentanyl,” Public Safety Secretary Omar Garcia Harfuch wrote in his social media accounts. Several guns were also seized and two men were arrested.

Mexican authorities seize fentanyl
The contents of a vehicle are displayed after Mexican authorities conducted a joint operation, seizing fentanyl, at an unknown location, in this social media image released December 4, 2024. 

Omar H Garcia Harfuch via Reuters


President Sheinbaum said Wednesday that “this is an investigation that had been going on for some time, and yesterday it bore fruit.”

But that claim contrasts with the seemingly random nature of the bust, which started when a military patrol “noticed the presence of two men carrying what appeared to be guns.”

In the past, Mexican security forces have sometimes used the story of following armed men running into houses as a pretext to enter homes without search warrants. In at least one case, the government version was disproved by security camera footage.

The latest haul was striking because fentanyl seizures in Mexico had fallen dramatically in the first half of the year. At some points during the summer, under former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, federal forces reported seizures amounted to as little as 50 grams (2 ounces) per week.

Figures for the first half of 2024 show that Mexican federal forces seized only 286 pounds (130 kilograms) of fentanyl nationwide between January and June, down 94% from the 5,135 pounds (2,329 kilograms) seized in 2023.

The synthetic opioid has been blamed for about 70,000 overdose deaths annually in the United States, and U.S. officials have tried to step up efforts to seize it as it comes over the border, often in the form of counterfeit pills made in Mexico from precursor chemicals largely imported from China.

As “60 Minutes” reported, the fentanyl crisis began 10 years ago when the cartels started to wrestle control of the supply chain from China, purchasing the drug’s precursor chemicals to make fentanyl themselves in clandestine labs in Mexico. In 2019, China “scheduled,” or blocked, finished fentanyl from being exported to the U.S., further cementing the cartels’ domination of the pipeline. 

López Obrador always denied that fentanyl is even produced in Mexico, though experts – and even members of his own administration – acknowledge that it is.

And if Mexico doesn’t go after those fentanyl production facilities, then they will still be churning out similar quantities in the future.

“It’s a very very big seizure,” Saucedo said. “But if they don’t dismantle the labs, this kind of production will continue.”

Also Wednesday, the U.S. State Department announced it was increasing the reward for the top leader of another cartel, Nemesio Oseguera, from $10 million to $15 million.

Oseguera, known by his nickname “El Mencho,” leads the Jalisco cartel, which like Sinaloa, is heavily involved in the manufacture and distribution of fentanyl and methamphetamines.

Last month, the son-in-law of “El Mencho” was arrested in California and charged with drug trafficking. Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco said Cristian Fernando Gutierrez-Ochoa “allegedly faked his own death and assumed a false identity to evade justice and live a life of luxury in California.”



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After UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson shot in Manhattan, police launch all out manhunt for his killer

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Manhunt for UnitedHealthcare CEO’s killer enters day 2


Manhunt for UnitedHealthcare CEO’s killer enters day 2

03:06

NEW YORK — More than 24 hours after UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was shot outside a Hilton hotel in Midtown Manhattan, a citywide manhunt continues for his killer. 

Detectives are combing through his electronics to see if he faced any threats, and they say the gunman may have dropped vital clues. 

Video shows brazen shooting outside Hilton Midtown


Chilling video shows suspect run off after murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO

00:31

Surveillance video captured the brazen and targeted attack early Wednesday morning. 

A masked shooter using a silencer approached Thompson from behind and shot him in the back and the leg. The weapon appeared to jam, but the suspect cleared it and kept shooting.

The gunman then jogged across the street, in plain view of witnesses. 

“I was looking at my phone, then I hear the shot. And when I looked, the guy was with a gun, like a silent gun,” one witness said. 

Thompson, a 50-year-old father of two, was heading to the Hilton Midtown to address investors at a UnitedHealthcare conference.

The NYPD is now working with authorities in Minnesota, where he is from, to identify any specific threats against him. Police sources say detectives uncovered rantings directed at the company, but no threats to his personal safety. 

“Many people passed the suspect, but he appeared to wait for his intended target,” NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said at a news conference Wednesday. “Every indication is that this was a premeditated, preplanned, targeted attack.”

Manhunt leads police to Central Park

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A map shows where UnitedHealtcare CEO Brian Thompson was shot and the escape route used by the gunman, who got away on a bike, according to police. 

CBS News New York


From the Hilton, investigators believe the suspect hopped on a bike and rode to Central Park. Video obtained by CBS News appears to show him leaving the park on West 85th Street about 15 minutes after the shooting.

“What we’re looking at is a gunman who was thoughtful and prepared, staked out the scene, began by shooting the person in the back,” said CBS News law enforcement contributor Richard Esposito, a former NYPD deputy commissioner. 

Police said the suspect planned carefully, but not perfectly. He went to a nearby Starbucks minutes before the shooting, where sources say surveillance images may have captured enough of his face to run through facial recognition. 

“The full investigative efforts of the New York City Police Department are well underway, and we will not rest until we identify and apprehend the shooter in this case,” Tisch said. 

Police sources say investigators are running forensic tests on a water bottle and candy bar wrapper they believe the suspect left at the Starbucks, as well as a discarded cellphone found near the scene. 

“A wonderful person with a big heart”

Thompson arrived in the city Monday from Minnesota and was scheduled to address investors at the company’s annual investor relations conference. Top executives quickly canceled the shareholders meeting. 

“The company is just distraught, his colleagues are distraught,” said Taylor Smith, who was staying at the Hilton.

Investigators are now probing every aspect of Thompson’s life to try to find a motive. 

“They’re going to look at the business end, you have a company that’s laid people off. They’re going to look at the personal stories, and they’re going to focus on letters, desperate people who were denied care or tests or something that could’ve saved a life or who blame the company,” Former NYPD Deputy Commissioner for Intelligence and Counterterrorism John Miller said.  

The 50-year-old was married with two sons. His wife, Paulette, spoke about the family’s loss. 

“Brian was a wonderful person with a big heart and who lived life to the fullest,” she said. “He will be greatly missed by everybody. Our hearts are broken and we are completely devastated by this news.”

The NYPD is offering a $10,000 reward in the case, asking the public to call the Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), or 1-888-57-PISTA (74782) for Spanish. You can also submit a tip via their website. All calls are kept confidential.  



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Biden to participate in final White House Christmas tree lighting of presidency

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President Biden will participate on Thursday in the annual Christmas tree lighting on the Ellipse, his last time taking part in the annual tradition before he departs the White House next year. 

Mr. Biden returned to the White House on early Thursday after spending the beginning of the week in Angola. Before he left, he ignited a firestorm when he issued a sweeping pardon for his son, Hunter, who had been convicted on federal drug and gun charges, and pleaded guilty to tax charges. When asked about the pardon earlier this week, the first lady, who attended every day of Hunter Biden’s Delaware trial, said “of course I support the pardon of my son.”

This year’s Christmas tree is a 35-foot Red Spruce from the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests in Virginia. A collection of 58 smaller trees are adorned with student-designed ornaments from every state and territory.  

The 102nd Tree Lighting Ceremony will be hosted by Mickey Guyton featuring performances by Adam Blackstone, Stephen Sanchez, James Taylor and Trisha Yearwood. Viewers can watch the full ceremony on CBS on Dec. 20

2024 White House holiday decorations 

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The State Dining Room of the White House is decorated for the holidays, Sunday, December 1, 2024. 

Official White House Photo by Erin Scott


The tree lighting is the last part of the White House holiday transformation, with this year’s theme being “A Season of Peace and Light.”

First lady Jill Biden unveiled the holiday decor in the East Room on Monday, speaking to volunteers who made the winter wonderland come to life. 

“As we celebrate our final holiday season here in the White House, we are guided by the values that we hold sacred: faith, family, and service to our country, kindness toward all of our neighbors, and the power of community,” she said.   

It takes over 300 volunteers from across the country along with about 9,810 feet of ribbon, 28,125 ornaments and 2,200 paper doves to deck the halls of the White House. 

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The State Dining Room of the White House is decorated for the holidays, Sunday, December 1, 2024. 

Official White House Photo by Erin Scott


The White House expects to welcome over 100,000 visitors during the holiday season. The first lady on Tuesday welcomed families of National Guard members to be the first to view the decorations. Upon arrival, visitors will see a Christmas tree dedicated to Gold Star families with six stacked stars representing all six branches of the military. Down the East Colonnade guests will be surrounded by bells “symbolizing the peaceful sounds of the holiday season.” In the East Room, a reflective canopy twinkles next to the chandeliers like snowfall as two large Christmas trees guard the main door. 

The first known Christmas tree inside the White House was in 1889 during the Benjamin Harrison administration, according to the White House. It was a much smaller affair with only a Christmas tree in the Second Floor Oval Room decorated with candles by President Harrison’s grandchildren. 

The annual gingerbread White House manages to combine 25 sheets of gingerbread dough, 10 sheets of sugar cookie dough, 65 pounds of pastillage, 45 pounds of chocolate, 50 pounds of royal icing, and 10 pounds of gum paste into the form of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. 

First Lady Jill Biden Previews The White House's Holiday Decor
The Gingerbread White House is displayed in the State Dining Room during a media preview of the 2024 holiday decorations at the White House on December 2, 2024 in Washington, D.C. 

Anna Moneymaker / Getty Images


Volunteers who bring the decorations to life 

Alisa Cooper de Uribe, a first-grade bilingual teacher at the New Mexico International School in Albuquerque and the 2021 New Mexico Teacher of the Year, was one of the volunteers who assembled the thousands of doves. She traveled to Washington, D.C., with her family to be part of the White House decorations team. 

“It’s a sisterhood, a brotherhood. It was a very collegial atmosphere,” Cooper de Uribe told CBS News. “And that was one of the things that I was really impressed by was how so many people who were gathered together without any knowledge of each other before, how well these people work together.” 

The holiday volunteers are teachers, military families, nurses, and small business owners from across the country who all apply before being selected for decor duty. Bright and early the day after Thanksgiving, the volunteers arrived at the White House to begin full days of glitter and garland before the first lady unveiled all their work. The Office of the First Lady sent out special invitations to State Teachers of the Year winners like de Uribe to join the holiday volunteer tradition. Some volunteers formed text chains and Facebook groups, intending to keep in touch long after the ornaments are taken down.

Centerpiece of the holiday decor 

The centerpiece of the holiday decor inside the Blue Room is a 18 ½ foot Fraser Fir that traveled from the Cartner Family of Cartner’s Christmas Tree Farm in North Carolina. The tree was one of the survivors as thousands of others were devastated when Hurricane Helene hit the Blue Ridge Mountains. The owners named it “Tremendous” as a tribute to the resilience of North Carolina communities affected by Hurricane Helene.

In the state dining room, there are ornaments on the Christmas tree that feature self-portraits of students, including four of de Uribe’s first graders. 

“It was an opportunity for the students to see themselves reflected in the White House and in this season, and that it’s their place, and it’s their opportunity to have their individual and unique selves and their culture shine out through their portraits,” de Uribe said.  



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