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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TODAY throws a luau: Hula, Kahlua pig, and poi

• Extreme photographers capture Hawaiian lava, waves
• Hang 10! Natalie gets a lesson in surfing
• Taking in the sights and sounds of Hawaii
• Breathtaking views from atop Washington Monument
• 'Super Storm' amusement ride headed for the Jersey Shore
• GE, Boeing alert airlines about 777 engine problem
• With new tool, fewer planes forced to circle airports
• American will favor passengers without roller bags
• Hot-air balloons collide near Turkish tourist hotspot; 1 dead, 24 hurt
• Hawaii history: Remembering Pearl Harbor
• Hollywood’s love affair with Hawaii
• TODAY anchors race traditional Hawaiian canoes
• Life after the Strip: Neon graveyard in Las Vegas
• Hawaii living: Sun, surf in paradise
• 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

Army Wife Surprises Husband With 96-Pound Weight Loss on His Return From Afghanistan

Misty Shaffer has struggled with weight all her life. When her husband was deployed to Afghanistan for a year, the Leland, N.C., woman decided to use his absence to re-commit herself to losing weight so she could surprise him when he came home. In the...

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• 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
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• Newfoundland Pitches Tourism With a Goat on a Horse
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• 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

Hezbollah suffers big losses in Syria battle: activists

AMMAN (Reuters) - About 30 Lebanese Hezbollah fighters and 20 Syrian soldiers and militiamen loyal to President Bashar al-Assad have been killed in the fiercest fighting this year in the rebel stronghold of Qusair, Syrian activists said on Monday.

• Pakistan's MQM denounces Imran Khan in Karachi protest
• Yahoo buying Tumblr for $1.1 billion, vows not to screw it up
• Car bombs target Iraq Shi'ites, killing 43
• Car bombs kill eight in Russia's Dagestan: investigators
• Iran electoral watchdog hints at Rafsanjani rejection
• China offers India a 'handshake across the Himalayas'
• Powerful tornadoes strike in four central U.S. states
• Thirty Hezbollah fighters killed in Syrian town: activists
• Former Pakistani dictator Musharraf granted bail
• Hezbollah steps up Syria battle, Israel threatens more strikes
• Japan upgrades economic outlook as Abe's policies take hold
• North Korea fires sixth missile in three days
• Analysis: Shrinking deficit reduces pressure for budget deal
• Insight: The road to a greener America is littered with road-kill
• Insight: The fight for North Dakota's fracking-water market
• Analysis: At margins of shale oil boom, a tempered euphoria
• Venezuela says taking steps to restore U.S. diplomatic ties
• Obama to discuss al Qaeda, drones, Guantanamo Bay in Thursday speech
• Upmarket Pakistan district votes again as Imran Khan decries killing
• 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

Ryanair surges to record profits

O’Leary hints that airline could start adding capacity at Stansted

• British Airways to launch Gatwick-Larnaca flights
• ‘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’