Barbed wire and hundreds of cameras ring a massive compound of more than 30 dormitories, schools, warehouses and workshops in China’s far west. Dozens of armed officers and a growling Doberman stand guard outside. MORE

The mosque invasion of churches in France has been going on for decades, but with the recent election of pro-Islam French President Emmanuel Macron and the attitude of entitlement of new Muslim immigrants, the tide is surging like never before. MORE

The two brothers, Qaisar and Amoon Ayub, were accused in 2011 of posting material offensive to Islam on their website, and subsequently sent to the Jhelum prison in Lahore in 2015. Qaisar testified that he had shut down the offending website in 2009 but that a Muslim acquaintance of his, Shahryar Gill, had resurrected the site keeping the copyright in Qaisar’s name. MORE

A judge has blocked an illegal immigrant’s deportation on the basis of “human rights” concerns despite conceding that the man — said to pose a “serious threat” to the public after raping a 17-year-old girl — only pretended to become Christian as a ploy to stay in Britain. MORE

Pope Francis took advantage of his Angelus message Sunday to praise the U.N.’s Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM) approved in Marrakesh last week. MORE

Natalie Portman isn’t a fan of Israel’s controversial nation-state law, which defines Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people.

The Jerusalem-born actress slammed the law, which was criticized as it was debated and adopted over the summer, in an interview with BBC’s Arabic language channel published Sunday. MORE

All religions in China are regulated by the State.

Muslim inmates from internment camps in far western China hunched over sewing machines, in row after row. They were among hundreds of thousands who had been detained and spent month after month renouncing their religious convictions. Now the government was showing them on television as models of repentance, earning good pay — and political salvation — as factory workers. MORE

Each week Religion News Service presents a gallery of photos of religious expression around the world. This week’s gallery includes images  Of. Dancers in indigenous attire perform in honor of the Virgin of Guadalupe in the plaza of the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in northern Mexico City, Dec. 12 2018 on the feast day of the Lady of Guadalupe. RNS photo by Irving Cabrera Torres

In Christ, Joseph

Dear Reader:

The Church makes the months of December and January days of joy and expectation. It fits in with the Church’s spiritual care for her children. For us, therefore, we have the joyful preparation for Christmas—with a celebration that we look forward to with Midnight with its Christmas caroling and hymns.

State and federal authorities estimated Tuesday that it will cost at least $3 billion to clear debris from 19,000 homes and businesses destroyed by three California wildfires last month. MORE

Saint Damasus I, (born c. 304, Rome—died Dec. 11, 384, Rome; feast day December 11), pope from Oct. 1, 366, to Dec. 11, 384. During his rule the primacy of the Roman see was asserted. MORE

California’s economy doesn’t feel cool when it comes to tax collections.

Surging income and sales tax collections pushed California’s government revenues to $44.97 billion in the current fiscal year through November, up $2.29 billion in a year, according to the State Controller’s Office. MORE