and Canada. In Mexico, cases have been concentrated in the

, a neighborhood on Mexico City’s outskirts famedTrees surround a lake at Xochimilco Ecological Park, in Mexico City, Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)

Trees surround a lake at Xochimilco Ecological Park, in Mexico City, Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)“Despite there being many varieties, the axolotl from the area is a symbol of identity for the native people,” said Cruz, who participated in activities hosted at the museum to celebrate “Axolotl Day” in early February.While there are no official estimates of the current axolotl population, the species Ambystoma mexicanum — endemic of central Mexico— has been catalogued as “critically endangered” by the

of Threatened Species since 2019. And though biologists, historians and officials have led efforts to save the species and its habitat from extinction, a parallel, unexpected preservation phenomenon has emerged.to its game in 2021 and Mexicans went crazy about them that same year, following the Central Bank’s initiative to print it on

. “That’s when the ‘axolotlmania’ thrived,” Cruz said.

Axolotls scurry around during a media presentation before their release into the canals of Xochimilco, a borough of Mexico City, Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2022. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)“Obviously, my dad being here is special,” Haliburton said. “But growing up, he was working a lot on weekends so he didn’t come to a lot of my games and when he did come to my games, I wanted to play well. So, of course, I wanted to play well.”

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Jalen Williams, the Oklahoma City Thunder’s second scoring option, looked like a budding superstar during Game 4 of the Western Conference finals.Julius Randle, the Minnesota Timberwolves’ second option, looked like a bystander.

If those results repeats themselves in Game 5 on Wednesday in Oklahoma City, the Thunder could clinch the series and be heading to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2012 while the Timberwolves likely will head into next year still having never gotten past the conference finals.Williams scored 34 points on 13-for-24 shooting in Game 4, a