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This Yomiuri discusses the approach of the labor unions Rengo and the business organization Keidanren to the efforts to revive Japan's economy under prime minister Abe. Abe has encouraged Japanese companies to increase wages so that consumption spending can be supported. One measure proposed by the Abe administration is to reduce taxes for companies which increase wages. The government is also taking action so that the temp workers -the one third of the labor force working under temporary contracts at lower wages- can be converted to regular full time status with higher salaries.

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An effort to increase inflation to 2% in Japan by the Abe administration is backed up by meetings with business leaders encouraging businesses to increase wages. This is needed to keep consumption up as prices increase.

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President Obama's call for boosting the minimum wage from $7.25 to $9.00 in his 2013 State of the Union address designed to lift millions out of poverty.

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U.S. President Obama's 2013 State of the Union address focussed on the problems facing the U.S. middle class, calling it "our generation's task" to tackle this problem. Economic changes have changed the patterns of economic growth and jobs, growth, income growth, that prevailed from the end of the Second World War to about 1989. But he offered few solutions beyond increasing the minimum wage to $9.00 from $7.25 to reduce poverty.

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Friedman on how a new IT venture in India tackles problems facing the power grid.

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Comcast buys the remaining 49% stake in NBCUniversal for $16.7 billion in Feb 2013. Comcast acquired a 51% interest in NBCUniversal in 2011 with the option of buying out G.E. in 3 and half to 7 year time frame. The deal was accelerated because it would have cost Comcast more if it waited longer.

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German public opinion on the resignation of Education minister Schavan for plagiarism in a doctoral thesis written in 1980 at Heinrich Heine University in Dusseldorf. The issue was misattributions in footnotes. Here one commentator says Germans are going too far in rejecting good public servants for relatively small errors.

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A proposal by U.S president Obama to increase the minimum wage to $9.00 per hour from $7.25 to reduce poverty and inequality. This was announced in the State of the Union address of 2013.

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Delayed FDA approval of diabetes drug Tresiba in the U.S. market. The FDA requested additional testing data which Novo Nordisk says it cannot provide in 2013. Novo Nordisk has 27% market share in the diabetes market with its fast acting NovoLog insulin. Sanofi has 19% market share with its long acting Lantus insulin. Tresiba was approved for use in Europe. About 44% of Novo Nordisk drug sales in 2012 were in the U.S. market.

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Birnbaum interviews Germany's Defense Minister Thomas de Maiziere about German thinking and policy on the use of drones. German policy is to use drones in combat zones and not remotely from Germany. German use of drones would also not be unilateral as this is required under the German Constitution.

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Michael Gerson was a policy advisor to Geroge W. Bush when Bush announced the PEPFAR program to fight AIDS in Africa. Here he reflects on its lessons. He recalls visiting sub-Sharan Africa and finding only about half a million people being treated out of about 30 million afflicted with the disease. About 14 million orphans had already resulted from AIDS, life expectancy had declined by 20 years, and in whole villages only grand parents and grand children were to be seen, says Gerson. The support came from Rep. Hyde, Rep Barbara Lee, Senators Frist and Kerry- in 4 months after the announcement in a State of the Union address the law was signed. Bush said: "a work of mercy beyond all current international efforts to help the people of Africa. This comprehensive plan will prevent 7 milion new AIDS infections, treat at least 2 million people with life extending drugs and provide humane care for millions of people suffering from AIDS and for children orphaned by AIDS." By late 2005 PEPFAR and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria had treated 800,000 people, and by 2012 this had increased to 5 million....