Xinjiang's desert-edge farmlands become winter paradise for migratory birds

Over 5,000 gray cranes have settled in the winter fields of Tiemenguan, located on the edge of the Taklimakan Desert in China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, adding a vibrant touch of life to the desert's outskirts.

In Jinshan Town of the city, approximately 4,000 hectares of recently harvested farmland have been welcoming large flocks of gray cranes.

These fields, planted with corn and edible sunflowers, offer leftover grains after the harvest, serving as an ideal winter food source for the cranes.

With the local winter climate being relatively warm and dry, these migratory birds, under national second-class protection, will spend the cold season here before gradually departing around March next year. At peak times, the number of wintering cranes in the city can reach nearly 10,000.

Xinjiang's desert-edge farmlands become winter paradise for migratory birds

Voting in Chile's presidential runoff election opened on Sunday, with leftist candidate Jeannette Jara facing Republican contender Jose Antonio Kast.

According to Chile's Electoral Service, voting began at 08:00 local time (1100 GMT) and will end at 18:00 (2100 GMT) the same day, with more than 15 million registered voters eligible to cast ballots.

In this round of voting, the candidate who receives the most votes will win the election. The president-elect will take office on March 11 next year.

No candidate received more than 50 percent of the vote in the first round on Nov. 16, meaning Jara and Kast, who won 26.85 percent and 23.92 percent, respectively, advanced to the runoff.

The two candidates have focused on improving social security, tackling illegal immigration and other issues in a bid to win over voters.

Voting begins in Chilean presidential runoff