resignation

Moana Pasifika confirm Mauger's departure

The franchise on Monday afternoon confirmed media reports that Mauger had decided to leave after being at the helm for the past two years.

Mauger will finish at the end of the 2023 Super Rugby Pacific campaign, a statement from the Auckland-based franchise said. There are two games to go.

RNZ Pacific reprots he had initially signed his contract for three years in 2022.

Mauger had overseen a dismal season in which they have lost all 12 of their games so far this season.

Former Fiji PM Frank Bainimarama resigns from Parliament

Bainimarama, who was the opposition leader, made the announcement via a five-minute video on Facebook on Wednesday.

He said his suspension on February 17 was "unwarranted and most certainly unjustified".

"I did not swear nor did I make any racist or divisive comments," he said.

Boris Johnson resigns as UK Conservative leader

A Conservative leadership race will take place this summer and a new prime minister will be in place in time for the Tory party conference in October.

Johnson publicly announced his resignation outside No 10 Downing Street just after 11.30pm New Zealand time.

He said it was "clearly now the will of the parliamentary party" for there to be a new prime minister.

"I want you to know how sad I am to be giving up the best job in the world," Johnson said.

"But them's the breaks."

Russian diplomat resigns over Putin's 'witless' war against Ukraine

Boris Bondarev, whose LinkedIn says he worked at the Russian mission to the UN in Geneva, told the BBC he knew his decision to speak out may mean the Kremlin now considers him a traitor.

But he stood by his statement which described the war as "a crime against the Ukrainian people" and "the people of Russia".

Moscow has not yet commented.

Russia has cracked down on those who are critical of or veer from the official narrative surrounding the war, which it refers to only as "a special military operation".

Protesters torch leaders' homes in night of unrest in Sri Lanka

The violence capped a day of unrest that saw Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa quit amid mass protests at his government's handling of the economic crisis.

But it failed to assuage demonstrators, who attempted to storm his official residence while he was holed up inside.

Five people have died and more than 190 have been injured since Monday.

An island-wide curfew has been extended to Wednesday morning as authorities seek to quell the violence.

Will Smith resigns from Academy after Oscars slap

"I betrayed the trust of the Academy. I deprived other nominees and winners of their opportunity to celebrate and be celebrated for their extraordinary work," Smith's statement said.

"So, I am resigning from membership in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and will accept any further consequences the Board deems appropriate," the statement added.

Can the Will Smith slap live on stage force the Oscars to change their ways?

Tokyo Olympics: Composer Keigo Oyamada resigns over bullying at school

Old magazine articles resurfaced in which Keigo Oyamada, 52, boasted of the bullying and said he had no regrets.

After the scandal broke, the performer apologised. But the outrage in Japan has now led to his resignation.

It is the latest setback for the games, which are opening on Friday under the shadow of the coronavirus outbreak.

"I have become painfully aware that accepting the offer of my musical participation in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics lacked consideration to a lot of people," said Mr Oyamada, who is widely known as Cornelius.

Second parliamentary secretary resigns in Vanuatu

The Daily Post reports Vanua'aku Pati MP Tom Noam, who is from Tanna, has now resigned from the post.

Over the weekend Johnny Koanapo, from the same party and island, also resigned.

Their decision is seen as laying a challenge to the remaining secretaries from other political parties, including within the government, to make a decision ahead of a Supreme Court ruling due on Monday.

The legal case has been lodged by the opposition leader, Ishmael Kalsakau, a former attorney general.

 

Flanagan resigns as Sharks coach

Flanagan quit after he was last month deregistered by the NRL for flouting his 2014 suspension for his part in the club's peptides scandal.

With just five weeks until the club's first trial against Manly at Lottoland, Sharks assistant John Morris has been appointed interim head coach, however, it's not known whether he will permanently take over.

Flanagan said he would respond to the NRL's show-cause notice but said he was standing down so that the club could get on with his job.

World Bank president Jim Yong Kim announces surprise early resignation

His resignation will take effect from 1 February.

Mr Kim, 59, was not due to leave until 2022 after he was re-elected for a second five-year term in 2017.

He will "join a firm and focus on increasing infrastructure investments in developing countries", the World Bank said.

"It has been a great honour to serve as President of this remarkable institution, full of passionate individuals dedicated to the mission of ending extreme poverty in our lifetime," Mr Kim said in a statement.

No reason was given for his unexpected resignation.