Beijing, Dec. 5, 2019 (Xinhua) -- The world in the past 24hrs. A selection of the best daily press photos from Xinhua.

Imin's father cleans the old house in Darya Boyi Town in Yutian County, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Nov. 16, 2019. Before moving to the new settlement on Nov. 17 and Nov. 18 this year, sheep herder Imin's home was at the heart of the Taklimakan Desert, the second-largest shifting sand desert in the world.

For hundreds of years, Imin's ancestors have settled along the Keriya River, which flows from south to north into the heart of endless sand dunes, branching out like fingers and providing the source of water for human habitats.

Though the Keriya River has provided for the survival of Imin's ancestors, the environment has become less hospitable, with falling underground water level and frequent sand storms. A resettlement plan is underway to move the residents south to the edge of the desert, where better housing, drinking water facilities and roads are built.

The Yutian County government, which administers the town, started to draft plans for resettlement in 2016. So far all of the 216 poverty-stricken households, including Imin's family, have moved into the new settlement, about 110 kilometers from the old town. (Xinhua/Shen Bohan)

Aerial photo taken on Dec. 4, 2019 shows the sunrise scenery in the Heyang section of the Yellow River in northwest China's Shaanxi Province. (Xinhua/Tao Ming)

Dance drama "Confucius" is staged at the Mariinsky Theater in St. Petersburg, Russia, Dec. 3, 2019. "Confucius" was performed by the National Opera and Dance Drama Theater of China. (Photo by Vera Zaraeva/Xinhua)

Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa takes a selfie with the players and the trophy of Beach Soccer World Cup after he awarded Portugal's national beach soccer team at the Belem Palace in Lisbon, Portugal, on Dec. 3, 2019. Portugal's national beach soccer team won the Champion of FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup, after beating Italy in the final. (Photo by Pedro Fiuza/Xinhua)

A staff member cleans a homestay reconstructed on the site of an old warehouse at the Tianxin cultural and arts industry park in Luoyang, central China's Henan Province, Dec. 3, 2019. Luoyang has transformed the idled plants of a old factory into cultural and creative industry park in recent years. The park has attracted over 60 companies including publishing, performing, arts training, catering and hotel and became a famous tourist destination on internet. (Xinhua/Li An)

A man mourns for victims killed in an attack in Jalalabad city, Afghanistan, Dec. 4, 2019. Five employees of an aid agency were shot dead and one international staff member of the agency was wounded when the terrorists attacked a vehicle in Jalalabad city, capital of Afghanistan's eastern Nangarhar province on Wednesday, a provincial government spokesman said. (Photo by Saifurahman Safi/Xinhua)

Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad speaks during a press conference held after the launching ceremony of Malaysia's chairmanship of APEC in 2020 in Cyberjaya, Malaysia, Dec. 4, 2019. Malaysia will promote the principle of shared prosperity when taking over the APEC chairmanship in 2020, Mahathir Mohamad said. (Xinhua/Chong Voon Chung)

Brazilian former football player Juninho Paulista presents the Copa America trophy on the stage during the draw for the 2020 Copa America football tournament in Cartagena, Colombia, Dec. 3, 2019. (Photo by Jhon Paz/Xinhua)

NATO leaders are seen after a group photo at NATO Summit in London, Britain on Dec. 4, 2019. (Xinhua/Han Yan)

Aerial photo taken on Nov. 23, 2019 shows a village in Tajik Autonomous County of Taxkorgan, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. (Xinhua/Hu Huhu)

Two migrant birds fly at the Hengling Lake Provincial Nature Reserve, part of the Dongting Lake wetland, in Xiangyin County, central China's Hunan Province, Dec. 2, 2019. More than 50,000 migrant birds have arrived for spending the winter at the Hengling Lake area. (Photo by Guo Yudi/Xinhua)

Photo taken on Dec. 4, 2019 shows a view of the snow-covered Plitvice Lakes National Park in Croatia. (Kristina Stedul Fabac/Pixsell via Xinhua)