Organizations from the Bahamas and Luxembourg are the newest members of the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF), according to a press release earlier this week.

Fédération Luxembourgeoise de MMA (FLMMA) and Empire Mixed Martial Arts Bahamas help promote the sport despite MMA not being formally recognized in either Luxembourg or the Bahamas.

“We are pleased to welcome representatives for Luxembourg and Bahamas to the IMMAF family, and look forward to a fruitful relationship as we work together to attain shared goals for the sport of MMA,” IMMAF president Kerrith Brown said.

Fortunately in both countries, the sport enjoys the support of municipal and various government ministries.

In Luxembourg, the non-profit “Project Streetsport” – founded in 2004 – helped create FLMMA, with the City of Luxembourg and the Ministries of Family and Education financial contributors through Project Streetsport. FLMMA is led by Miomir Vujovic, a former international competitor.

Empire Mixed Martial Arts Bahamas (EMMAB) with its Beast Mode fight team, competes domestically and internationally. Registered with the Bahamas Martial Arts Federation and the Bahamas Wushu Sanda Association.

Training out of Empire MMA gym, the EMMAB is spearheaded by Dr. Kent L. Bazard, who as Safety Officer also oversees MMA rules and regulations, certification of officials and sanctioning protocol.

By Kenai Andrews

Source: mmacrossfire.com

POLICE are awaiting the results of an autopsy to determine the cause of death of a local government official from Mayaguana who was found dead in a home in eastern New Providence on Saturday.

The deceased, identified as Mayaguana Chief Councillor Shandika Charlton, was in the capital for an awards banquet. She was married with one daughter.

According to police, Mrs. Charlton’s lifeless body was discovered in the bathroom of a home at Benson and Crouch Close in Dan Nottage Estates shortly before 5pm.

Officer-in-Charge of the Central Detective Unit Chief Superintendent Clayton Fernander said officials have not classified her death. At the crime scene, he told reporters that there was nothing to indicate foul play.

A police source said Mrs. Charlton did not appear to have wounds on her body and that officers do not know how she died.

In a statement released yesterday, Financial Services and Local Government Minister Hope Strachan confirmed Mrs. Charlton’s death.

The Sea Breeze MP said she and local government officials were “shocked and extremely saddened” to learn of the sudden passing of Mrs. Charlton while she was on assignment in New Providence.

“I am, along with the local government family, grateful for her stellar contributions to local government in the island of Mayaguana by way of her hard work and sacrifice,” the statement read.

“On my own behalf and that of the permanent secretary, director of local government, Family Island administrators and all staff members of the Ministry of Financial Services and Local Government, I extend my sincerest condolences to her husband, Garvin Charlton; her daughter Deshontae McKinney; mother, Creacetha Moss and other members of her immediate family and her extended family. May her soul rest in peace.”

Less than 24 hours before the discovery of her body, Mrs. Charlton was being honoured at the Local Government 20th Anniversary Awards Ceremony for her dedicated efforts toward the advancement of local government in the Bahamas.

Mrs. Charlton has served on the District Council for the island of Mayaguana since 2005.

The circumstances surrounding the matter are still being investigated.

Anyone with information connected to this matter is asked to call police at 911/919 or Crime Stoppers at 328-TIPS.

By Ricardo Wells, Tribune Staff Reporter

Thirty-four students representing nine countries graduated from Albert College during the school’s 159th Convocation including Bahamas own, Lucy Johnson of Nassau. Albert College is Canada’s oldest co-educational boarding and day school located in Belleville, Ontario. Albert College has been a home away from home to hundreds of students from the Bahamas since the school was founded in 1857 and Lucy Johnson is now one of those students.

On Saturday, June 18, Lucy graduated from Albert College as an Ontario Scholar with Distinction, a prestigious title meaning that she achieved an average of 80 per cent or above in six Grade 12 subjects, and she excelled in the 5 ‘A’s of Albert College: Academics, Arts, Athletics, Active Citizenship and Adventure.

In fact, 85 per cent of the graduating class received Ontario Scholar status. Eleven graduates were also Albert College Scholars, having achieved an average of 90 per cent or higher in six Grade 12 subjects.

Lucy was also the recipient of the Day House Award for finest contribution to school life. As Social Prefect this year, Lucy has been an exemplary role model in one of the highest leadership roles at the school. She made her mark in Athletics playing on the basketball, volleyball, soccer and lacrosse teams and is a talented photographer and artist. Lucy has enjoyed a number of excursions through the Duke of Edinburgh Adventure program and has volunteered over 40 hours of her time raising funds and awareness for countless organizations in Active Citizenship.

Lucy is following in her father’s footsteps who is an alumnus of the school and the class of 1980. Lucy has attended Albert College for five years and will study a Bachelor of Science in Biology at Ryerson University in Toronto, Ontario. One hundred per cent of the graduating class will be pursuing a post-secondary education next year. Other 2016 graduate post-secondary destinations include: McGill University, The University of Western Ontario, Queen’s University, University of Toronto, University of Melbourne (Australia) and University of Cologne (Germany).

Providing an enriched curriculum to boarding students beginning in Grade 7, Albert College is a home away from home to students from Canada and over 20 nations around the world. Albert College is a small school where the wonderful sense of connection is remarkably apparent. For more information please visit albertcollege.ca.

Photo Caption: Bahamian student, Lucy Johnson receives her Ontario Secondary School Diploma from Head of School, Keith Stansfield, during her Grade 12 graduation at Albert College (Ontario, Canada).

By Melanie Barrett

Lionel Messi put his penalty kick over the crossbar, grabbed his shirt, clenched his teeth and put both hands over his face. A few minutes later he walked off the field, a dazed, pained look on his bearded face. The greatest player of his generation, perhaps soccer's best ever, he was still without a title on Argentina's national team.

"The national team is over for me," he told the Argentine network TyC Sports after Chile beat Argentina for the Copa America title Sunday night. "It's been four finals, it's not meant for me. I tried. It was the thing I wanted the most, but I couldn't get it, so I think it's over."

Chile beat Argentina in the final for the second straight year, 4-2 in the shootout following a 0-0 tie that ended an expanded 16-nation edition in the United States to mark the championship's 100th anniversary.

Messi, five-time FIFA Player of the Year, winner of four Champions League titles and eight Spanish La Liga crowns with Barcelona, was crushed. Much of his nation had counted on him to bring home its first major title since 1993.

Playing two days after his 29th birthday, Messi lost a final for the third year in a row and the fourth time overall with Argentina. There was also the 2007 Copa final with Brazil, when he was still a wunderkind, and then an extra-time defeat to Germany in the 2014 World Cup.

A crowd of 82,076 filled MetLife Stadium — the largest to see a soccer game in New Jersey — and many wore his No. 10 jersey in Argentina's blue and white and Barcelona's navy and red.

Francisco Silva converted the shootout finale for the fifth-ranked La Roja after goalkeeper Claudio Bravo — Messi's Barcelona teammate — made a diving stop on Lucas Biglia's attempt. Chile, ranked fifth in the world, upset the top-ranked Albiceleste.

On an ill-tempered evening that included a first-half ejection on each side and eight yellow cards, the game was scoreless through regulation and 30 minutes of extra time, with Argentina's Gonzalo Higuain missing a clear goal-scoring opportunity for the third straight final. Argentina outshot Chile 16-4 and La Roja collapsed three, four and even five defenders around Messi, then chopped down the diminutive attacker when he tried to accelerate toward the goal.

Messi, who scored five goals in the tournament, sent a free kick that Sergio Aguero nearly headed in 10 minutes into extra time, only to have Bravo jump and extend his right hand to tip the ball over the crossbar. Messi's free kick in extra time went off the wall.

Argentina goalkeeper Sergio Romero saved the opening kick by Arturo Vidal, and up stepped Messi, considered alongside Brazil's Pele and Argentina's Diego Maradona as the sport's greatest ever. While he won the titles at the under-20 and Olympic (under-23) levels for Argentina, in the minds of many he needs a championship with his nation's senior team to solidify his place in history.

Messi sent his shot over Bravo into the stands. Nicolas Castillo and Charles Aranguiz converted their kicks for Chile, and Javier Mascherano and Sergio Aguero made theirs, leaving the teams tied 2-2 after three rounds.

Jean Beausejour put Chile ahead, and Bravo dived to his right, saving Biglia's shot and bringing up Silva, a 30-year-old midfielder. Messi briefly pulled his jersey of his face, as if not wanting to watch.

Romero dived to his left and the shot went in to his right, giving Chile another title.

Messi crouched over, as if in pain, then got up, took off his captain's armband and walked to the bench, where he was consoled by Angel Di Maria. After Messi came back on the field, Aguero put a hand on one of Messi's shoulders. And new FIFA President Gianni Infantino gave Messi a pat on the back when Messi came onto the podium with his teammates for his second-place medal. Messi almost immediately took it off.

The tournament's average crowd of 46,119 was nearly double the 25,223 in Chile last year, and attendance will be used by the U.S. Soccer Federation as justification it deserves to host a World Cup again, likely as part of a bid for the 2026 tournament.

Brazilian referee Heber Lopes became the focus in the first half, ejecting a pair of defenders: Chile's Marcelo Diaz in the 28th minute and Argentina's Marcos Rojo in the 43rd. After issuing six yellow cards during a World Cup qualifier between the nations in March, Lopes handed out eight yellows, including one to Messi for diving in the 40th minute, and the two reds.

Diaz got his first yellow for hacking down Messi about 28 yards out in the 16th minute, then got his second for obstructing a charging Messi about 30 yards out. Rojo received a straight red when he slid into Arturo Vidal from behind and poked away the ball, but Vidal's leg bent awkwardly under his body as he fell.

Higuain had the best first-half chance in the 21st minute when he picked up a giveaway from Gary Medel, dribbled in and chipped the ball over Bravo only to have it roll wide of the far post. It was almost the exact time he broke in alone during the World Cup final against Germany and also shot wide. Higuain also missed a tap-in of Ezequiel Lavezzi's cross during the final minute of regulation in last year's final, then sent his penalty kick during the shootout over the crossbar.

By Associated Press

Source: Local10 abc News