Refugee to train with Phoenix Academy after fleeing Taliban
A young refugee will train among New Zealand’s best up-and-coming footballers just months after fleeing war-torn Afghanistan.
Fahima Yousofi’s tutors from the English Teaching College in Lower Hutt put in a call to the Wellington Phoenix after she revealed her talent at a school picnic. From February, Yousofi will begin training with the club’s academy team.
Yousofi, who played football in Afghanistan to a high level, is pleased she will be playing football again. She arrived in New Zealand in September – around the time the air force was making mercy flights to and from the Afghan capital – with her family. Members of her extended family had already settled in New Zealand.
Poll: Are Kiwis allergic to “exuberance”? 🥝
In The Post’s opinion piece on the developments set to open across Aotearoa in 2026, John Coop suggests that, as a nation, we’re “allergic to exuberance.”
We want to know: Are we really allergic to showing our excitement?
Is it time to lean into a more optimistic view of the place we call home? As big projects take shape and new opportunities emerge, perhaps it’s worth asking whether a little more confidence (and enthusiasm!) could do us some good.
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41.4% Yes
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32.3% Maybe?
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26.3% No
Brain Teaser of the Day 🧠✨ Can You Solve It? 🤔💬
How many balls of string does it take to reach the moon?
(Peter from Carterton kindly provided this head-scratcher ... thanks, Peter!)
Do you think you know the answer? Simply 'Like' this post and we'll post the answer in the comments below at 2pm on the day!
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Poll: Are our Kiwi summer holidays helping us recharge, or holding the economy back? ☀️🥝
There’s growing debate about whether New Zealand’s extended Christmas break (and the slowdown that comes with it) affects productivity.
Tracy Watkins has weighed in ... now it’s your turn. What’s your take? 🤔
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72.8% We work hard, we deserve a break!
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16% Hmm, maybe?
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11.2% Yes!
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