Refugee footballer votes after getting Australian citizenship

MELBOURNE: A refugee footballer who was detained in Thailand and threatened with extradition to Bahrain said he "feels great" after voting in Australia´s election Saturday.Hakeem al-Araibi, who became an Australian at a ceremony in Melbourne in March, shot to international fame when he was arrested during his honeymoon last year for alleged offences in Bahrain linked to the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings.Amid a worldwide outcry, Al-Araibi -- who was granted refugee status and residency in Australia in 2017 after fleeing Bahrain -- was eventually allowed to return to Melbourne, where he plays semi-professional football.Al-Araibi posted photos on Twitter and Instagram showing him at a polling station as he made a "V for victory" sign with his left hand, while wearing a black long-sleeved shirt, a backwards baseball bat and sunglasses."Today I voted for the first time in my life, it feels great to be able to vote in Australia. I wish the best for Australia," he wrote on Twitter.More than 16 million Australians, a record number, have enrolled to vote in this election.

from The News International - World http://bit.ly/2HnCGJo