News Headlines - 31 January 2012

▽A reputation shredded: Sir Fred loses his knighthood - The Guardian
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2012/jan/31/fred-goodwin-loses-knighthood?newsfeed=true
The former chief executive of the Royal Bank of Scotland, Fred Goodwin, has been stripped of his knighthood by the Queen for his role in the creation of the biggest recession since the second world war.
With unceremonial haste, a committee of five senior civil servants took away the knighthood given to Goodwin by the last Labour government in 2004 for services to banking.

▽Network Rail admits safety breaches over girls' deaths - BBC
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-16786373
Network Rail has admitted three health and safety breaches over the deaths of two girls at an Essex level crossing in 2005, a court has heard.

▽British minister to visit Falklands to mark war anniversary - Reuters
http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/01/31/uk-britain-argentina-idUKTRE80U27520120131
A British minister will travel to the Falkland Islands in June to take part in commemoration of the 30th anniversary of Britain's recapture of the islands from occupying Argentine troops, a visit that could rile Buenos Aires.

▽Syria resolution faces Russian opposition at UN security council - The Guardian
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jan/31/un-syria-resolution-opposed-russia?newsfeed=true
Russia looks set to oppose a crucial joint Arab and western attempt at the United Nations security council to force President Bashar al-Assad of Syria to step down, as the escalating crisis saw further bloodshed with government forces battling defectors near the capital, Damascus.

▽EasyJet chairman hits back Sir Stelios' claims - Telegraph.co.uk
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/transport/9052806/EasyJet-chairman-hits-back-Sir-Stelios-claims.html
EasyJet chairman Sir Mike Rake has delivered his strongest rebuttal yet to what he termed the "numerous inaccuracies and attacks on individuals" from the airline's founder Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou.