The story: Pope Francis II has paid a landmark visit to Bahrain as part of a government-sponsored interfaith conference to promote Catholic-Muslim dialogue. The trip took place amid protests organized by the families of Bahraini political prisoners. The Pope met with Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and the Grand Imam of Egypt’s Al-Azhar mosque Ahmed Mohamed El-Tayeb. The Pontiff also called on local officials to improve human rights.

The coverage: The Bahrain News Agency (BNA) reported on Nov. 3 that the island nation’s King had received the Pope at Sakhir Palace.

• On his part, Bahrain’s monarch said he hoped that the Pontiff would see that the Gulf Arab state “fosters coexistence between the followers of different religions.”
• Pope Francis called on Bahrain to “be a beacon for promoting rights throughout the region, just and better conditions for workers, women, and youth, while at the same time…