i'm bob abernethy. it's good to have you with us. at the national prayer breakfast in washington, president obama said his faith plays a large role in public policy. he quoted scripture to plain why he wants to eliminate some tax breaks for the wealthy. >> i think that's going to make economic sense, but for me as a christian it coincides with jesus's teachers for to whom much is given, much shall be required. >> the president pointed out that islam and judism have same teachers. they held what they called the people's prayer breakfast. tha they said their vent was open to everyone, not just the rich and powerful and pray for an end toconoc inequality. religious opposition continued to the obama's administration recent decision to require all health insurance policies to cover contraception. houses of worship are exempt from the requirement but several faith-based groups said religiously affiliated organizations like sharts and hospitals should be exempt as well. many wrote letters that were ad at cathic churches arod the country. th

i'm bob abernethy. it's good to have you with us. familiar social issues led the religion news this week. in washington, the obama administration worked to resolve the huge controversy surrounding its decision not to exempt religiously affiliated organizations like charities and hospitals from its policy that under the new healthcare law, employers would have to provide their employees with insurance republicans conditioned candidates for president weighed in. mitt romney became testimony latest gop candidate to approve the president of waging an assault on religion. newt gingrich, rick santorum have launched similar attacks. on tuesday support from religious and social conservatives help santorum win the missouri primary and caucuses in minnesota and colorado. following those victories, santorum traveled to texas where he spoke to more than 100 christian ministers about his catholic faith. >>> in california, an appeals court ruled against proposition 8, the state's ban on gay marriage passed by referen

i'm bob abernethy. it's good to have you with us. violent protests broke out in afghanistan this week after copies of the quran were burned at a u.s. military base there. u.s. officials say they were burned unintentionally. two american soldiers were killed on thursday and at least 20 afghans have died in the demonstrations. in a letter to afghan president karzai, president obama apologized for the "inadvertent error." a military investigation is now underway. >>> in syria, there were new warnings of a growing humanitarian crisis as the government crackdown continues. the international red cross called for a cease fire in order to deliver emergency aid. activists in the heavily-shelled city of homs reported severe food and water shortages. meanwhile the united nations announced that it was considering investigating several top syrian leaders for possible crimes against humanity. more than 5,000 people have died since last march. about 500 of them are believed to have been children. >>> in this country,

i'm bob abernethy. it's good to have you with us. as the syrian government's crack-down intensified this week, religious leaders called for an immediate end to the violence. at the vatican, pope benedict xvi prayed for peace and issued an urgent appeal for dialogue. the world union for progressive judaism condemned the syrian regime for quote "murdering its own people" and said the international community must intervene. on thursday, the un general assembly overwhelmingly, 137-12, ssed aarab leaguback resolution calling for syrian president assad to step down. >>> in washington, tibetan activists gathered at the white house to protest the visit of chinese vice-president xi jinping. human rights and religious freedom advocates urged president obama to press him on china's treatment of tibetan buddhists, uighar muslims and some christians. meanwhile, china said it will allow the u.s. ambassador for international religious freedom, suzanne johnson cook, toisit thacountry after earlier reports that she had