8 reasons to trade up on trains

When is it worth the splurge for first-class rail tickets in Europe and places far beyond?

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• Meet the world's fastest hillbilly
• Kumbh Mela festival
• Dream trips
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• 2013 wish list
• Bizarre buildings
• Penguins
• Otherworldly places
• Nice, France
• Summer trips
• Virgin Islands
• Paris
• Autumn color
• London landmarks
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• 8 things to know before visiting Libya
• Intriguing summer escapes
• 6 hot resorts for adults only
• Gatsby glam: 8 grand estates

Plane makes belly landing in Newark

• Helipad build for Russia's Vladimir Putin
• Barbie Dreamhouse draws kids and protesters
• American Airlines offers priority boarding for those without roller bags
• Last-minute Memorial Day weekend getaways
• Washington Monument repair shares D.C. view
• Lenin's tomb reopens in Moscow
• LAX lets the dogs out!
• China-based company promotes North Korea day trip
• Still hatin’ on the airlines? J.D. Power says they’re gettingbetter
• Demolition begins on coaster wrecked by Sandy
• Hotel eateries follow lead of upscale restaurants
• Airlines collected record baggage fees in 2012
• Farm-to-hotel dining
• No more selfies: Travelers snap up vacation photographers
• Europeans turn crisis into tourist attractions
• It's a Snap! Viewers submit adventure pics before TODAY anchors' big trip
• Summer getaways: splurge or steal?
• TSA dog bites passenger at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson Airport
• Woman kicked off flight for singing Whitney Houston hit
• Surf's up on the dunes of the Philippines
• Tornado touches down in Hungary
• 4 affordable trips for your family
• More airport delays on the horizon?
• Richard Branson swaps suit for skirt to honor bet
• Hotel secrets: Score free perks, big savings
• Top 5 seaside towns in the United States
• One-third of airline passengers confess they don't turn off gizmos
• US cancels plan to close control towers at smaller airports
• KnowDelay.com predicts flight problems 3 days in advance

Photos: Bars to Visit Before You Die

Top 10 Bucket List Bars

• Take a Ride in the Airline Time Machine
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• Legit Ways to Get a VIP Amusement Park Experience
• College Ball Team Rescues Seizing Toddler
• Airport Wheelchair Abuse Hits Disabled
• Photos: Life-Sized Barbie Dreamhouse Opens
• Fire Chief Under Fire for Using Fire Engine as a Prom Limousine
• American Retirees Find Paradise in Ecuador
• 'Wonder Years' Star Danica McKellar On Why She Breastfed Until Son Was 2 ½
• 'Worst' Airline Passengers Ever?
• Burger King Challenges McDonald's McRib
• 6 Under-the-Radar Summer Vacation Destinations
• Despite Gripes, Airline Satisfaction Up in 7 Areas
• Watch: Plane Makes Emergency Landing to Get Rid of Singer
• Woman Singing Whitney Houston Songs Forces Emergency Landing
• Survey Ranks the Sexiest Nationalities
• How to Kill Time on Business Trips
• Mother's Day: 4 Gifts That Last Longer Than Just One Day
• South Korean Men Cosmetics-Crazed
• Amazing Picnics Around the World
• New Mega Ship in NY State of Mind
• Kids' Hilarious First Reactions to Food Caught on Camera
• Newfoundland Pitches Tourism With a Goat on a Horse
• 10 Happiest Seaside Towns
• Airlines Pile On More New Fees
• Major, Arya Show Biggest Jump in Popular Baby Names
• Mom Gets Surprise-of-a-Lifetime: Breakfast-in-Bed From Emeril, Meeting Daughter's Bone Marrow Donor
• The Secrets of Latte Art

Japan government upgrades economic assessment for first time in two months

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's government upgraded its assessment of the economy in May for the first time in two months, in a sign growth is accelerating as exports and factory output pick up.

• Hezbollah steps up Syria battle, Israel threatens more strikes
• Exclusive: Bangladesh factory banned by Wal-Mart still makes Wrangler shirts
• Insight: Despite curbs, China's vast hot money triangle flourishes
• Protesting Egyptian police block Israel border crossing
• Tunisian Islamist protester killed in clash with police
• North Korea fires short-range missiles for two days in a row
• Upmarket Pakistan district votes again as Imran Khan decries killing
• Syrian army, Hezbollah attack rebels in border town: opposition
• Netanyahu takes aim at weapons leakage in Syria
• Obama to discuss al Qaeda, drones, Guantanamo Bay in Thursday speech
• After crushing Mali Islamists, France pushes deal with Tuaregs
• Job market gains could lead Fed to taper QE3 early
• Cameron 'losing control' as rift with party core widens
• France in talks with U.S., Israel to buy drones: minister
• U.N. chief Ban says worried over North Korea missile launch
• Iran hangs two spies working for Israel and U.S.: report
• Danger and separation from families changing job of U.S. diplomats
• India's weakened Congress wondering if early elections will help
• North Korea fires three short-range missiles
• Investigators examine fractured rail in Connecticut train crash
• Republican cites IRS scandal in close Virginia governor's race
• Thirteen killed, 10 police kidnapped in Iraq violence
• Investigators seek cause of New York commuter train crash
• North Korea fires three short-range missiles
• Rome protest turns up heat on new PM Letta
• Enraged by kidnapping, Egyptian police block Gaza border
• Germany's Merkel visits Pope, urges tougher market controls
• Bernanke upbeat on innovation outlook in commencement address
• Police clash with youth in Cairo after anti-Mursi protest

British Airways to launch Gatwick-Larnaca flights

Carrier will operate new flights to Cyprus from the end of June

• ‘No quick fixes for hub capacity’ - Heathrow
• ANA reports new problem with modified Dreamliner
• Virgin Atlantic blames Olympics for higher losses
• Competition between airports must be increased – Gatwick
• Easyjet goes on corporate deals blitz
• Dreamliner flights resume at Heathrow
• Easyjet introduces fast track for business passengers
• Qatar Airways agrees codeshare with Thai carrier
• IAG raises funds to pay for Vueling purchase
• Skyteam unveils new meetings booking tool
• British Airways to pursue more codeshare deals to Australia
• Flybe admits talks over Gatwick slots
• Iberia costs send IAG deeper into the red
• 'Boris Island' airport plans should be rejected
• American Airlines and Amadeus to establish direct connection
• BA owner sees boost in premium sales
• Singapore Airlines boosts Indonesia services
• Euro watchdog raises privacy fears on NDC
• Finnair aims to double Asia-Europe revenue by 2020
• BA to launch Gatwick-Larnaca flights
• Etihad agrees deal with South African Airways
• No-frills airline boom continues in UK
• Etihad and Air France unveil codeshare flights
• Turkish Airlines expands Gatwick operation
• Lufthansa reaches deal to end strikes
• Germania to launch Gatwick-Kosovo route
• Easyjet trials mobile boarding passes
• Corporate airline deals ‘here to stay’
• Airlines reveal Dreamliner relaunch plans