ROME (Reuters) - Italian center-left Prime Minister Enrico Letta declared on Thursday that a series of criminal trials involving center-right leader Silvio Berlusconi would have no impact on the functioning of the coalition government between their two parties.

Silicon Valley and the U.S. government converge; unemployment in the Philippines; success for HPV vaccine; James Gandolfini dies; and modest goals for Tahiti’s soccer team.    

By Amena Bakr DOHA (Reuters) - A fresh effort to end Afghanistan's 12-year-old war looked in disarray on Thursday after a diplomatic spat about the Taliban's new Qatar office delayed preliminary discussions between the United States and the Islamist insurgents. Talks between U.S. officials and representatives of the Taliban had been set for Thursday in Qatar but Afghan government anger ...

Sir Michael Wilshaw to deliver speech calling for improved education for disadvantaged children 'unseen' by current systemNew superteachers should be parachuted into areas with "mediocre schools", the chief inspector of schools in England will say in a radical speech on Thursday, as part of a drive to improve education for poor children "unseen" by the current system.Sir Michael Wilshaw will ...

Senators closing in on border security compromise Associated Press Copyright 2013 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Updated 1:45 am, Thursday, June 20, 2013 WASHINGTON (AP) — White House-backed immigration legislation is gaining momentum in the Senate, where key lawmakers say they are closing in on a bipartisan compromise to spend tens ...