Hong Kong discovers dinosaur fossils for the first time

HONG KONG (AP) — Officials in Hong Kong said Wednesday they have discovered dinosaur fossils in the city for the first time on a remote, uninhabited island that's part of a geopark.

Experts have initially confirmed the fossils were part of a large dinosaur from the Cretaceous period, about 145 million to 66 million years ago, the government said in a statement. They will need to conduct further studies to confirm the species of the dinosaur.

Experts speculate that the dinosaur was likely buried by sand and gravel after its death before it was later washed to the surface by a large flood, and subsequently buried again at the discovery site, it said.

The government said the conservation department in March informed its Antiquities and Monuments Office about a sedimentary rock containing substances suspected to be vertebrate fossils. The rock was found on Port Island in the Hong Kong UNESCO Global Geopark in the city's northeastern waters.

The government said it commissioned mainland Chinese experts to conduct field investigations.

Port Island is closed to the public from Wednesday until further notice to facilitate future investigations and excavations.

The fossils will be on display at the Hong Kong Heritage Discovery Centre in Tsim Sha Tsui, one of the city's popular shopping districts, starting on Friday. The government is also planning to open a temporary workshop for the public to observe experts' preparation of fossil specimens by the end of 2024.

This undated handout photo shows Zhang Pengjie, an expert from the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology (IVPP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, as he cleans and prepares a rock containing dinosaur bone fossil, and clears the rock covering the fossil discovered in Hong Kong's Port Island. (provided by Hong Kong's Antiquities and Monuments Office)

This undated handout photo shows the dinosaur bone fossils discovered at Port Island, with the fossil specimen outlined in red. (Hong Kong's Antiquities and Monuments Office)

This undated handout photo shows the dinosaur bone fossils discovered at Port Island, with the fossil specimen outlined in red. (Hong Kong's Antiquities and Monuments Office)

This undated handout photo shows the dinosaur bone fossils discovered at Port Island, with the two fossil specimens outlined in red. (Hong Kong's Antiquities and Monuments Office)

This undated handout photo shows Zhang Pengjie, an expert from the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology (IVPP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, as he cleans and prepares a rock containing dinosaur bone fossil, and clears the rock covering the fossil discovered in Hong Kong's Port Island. (provided by Hong Kong's Antiquities and Monuments Office)

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Erling Haaland scored an outrageous backheel volley in the Champions League on Wednesday to issue a timely reminder of his own credentials as a potential Ballon d'Or winner.

A day after Vinicius Junior hit a hat trick for Real Madrid, Haaland scored an early contender for goal of the season with his acrobatic effort in Manchester City's 5-0 win against Sparta Prague.

Vinicius Junior is the favorite to win soccer's most prestigious individual prize when it is presented at a gala ceremony in Paris on Monday. But Haaland, who came runner-up to Lionel Messi for last year's award, once again showcased his scoring prowess with two goals as City set a new Champions League record of 26 games unbeaten.

Haaland's volley in the 58th minute at the Etihad Stadium was a moment of individual brilliance. From around six meters (20 feet) and with his back to goal, the Norway striker leaped in the air and flicked the back of his foot to meet Savinho's cross from the right. Connecting powerfully with his heel, the ball shot down into the turf and bounced high into the top corner beyond Prague goalkeeper Peter Vindahl.

“If I tried to do that I’d pull my groin. I don’t know how he did it, I just think it’s just his long legs. He’s a freak isn’t he?” Haaland’s City teammate Phil Foden said. “It shows he has this talent that no one else can do.”

City manager Pep Guardiola said the goal was not normal “for a human” and likened the forward to Sweden great Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

“It’s unbelievable this talent that this guy has,” he said.

Haaland scored his second in the 68th to take his season's total to 13 goals in 12 games in all competitions. His record in the Champions League is now 44 goals in 42 games.

Cristiano Ronaldo is the all-time leading scorer in European club soccer's elite competition with 141 goals. Messi is second on 129. Haaland is 17th and rising quickly.

But he is expected to miss out on this year's Ballon d'Or with Vinicius Junior seen as the man to beat, ahead of Haaland's City teammate Rodri.

Haaland, however, is likely to contend for years to come if he continues his goal scoring exploits, with Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe leading a new generation after Messi and Ronaldo dominated the award for more than a decade.

Neither of those soccer greats, who won 13 titles between them, were nominated this year, appearing to usher in a new era.

James Robson is at https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Manchester City's Erling Haaland celebrates at the end of the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Manchester City and Sparta Praha at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England, Wednesday, Oct.23 , 2024. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

Manchester City's Erling Haaland celebrates with head coach Pep Guardiola after scoring his side's fourth goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Manchester City and Sparta Praha at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England, Wednesday, Oct.23 , 2024. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

Manchester City's Erling Haaland scores his side's fourth goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Manchester City and Sparta Praha at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England, Wednesday, Oct.23 , 2024. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

Manchester City's Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Manchester City and Sparta Praha at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England, Wednesday, Oct.23 , 2024. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)