13/08/2012 BBC Weekend News

The 2012 London Games close with a A celebration of British music. The

Olympic flag has been formally passed to Rio, which will stage the

In the last few minutes, the ceremony has closed with a

spectacular fireworks display. Earlier, on the final day of

competition, the public watched in their thousands. The Olympics chief

praised organisers for enabling athletes to make history. Anthony

Joshua boxed his way to gold. Britain has secured third place on

the medals table. Will be assessing the last fortnight, the legacy of

the Games and the future for British sport. Stuart Hazell has

been charged with murdering 12- Good evening from the Olympic Park,

where the Games have closed with a celebration of British music. Some

of the biggest cheers in the stadium were for the 10,000

athletes around the world and the thousands of volunteer games makers.

Earlier, the president of the International Olympic Committee

said London praised the Games' organisers for enabling athletes to

make history. David Bond was watching. Over the last fortnight,

London has provided the stage for some of the most thrilling theatre

sport has to offer. Now it was time for the after-show party. The track

which will for ever be remembered for the exploits of Usain Bolt, Mo

Farah and Jess NSF was gone. There was a glitteringly creation of the

The aisle be full of noises. Sound so that could delight... The show

was not afraid to take risks mixing music, history and the downright

bizarre. This was supposed to represent the rush-hour. No need

for Olympic claims here. Throw daredevil Royal Engineers this time

with Prince Harry being chosen to represent the Queen. -- no

The country has been visibly lifted by the Games. It was fitting the

ceremony should reflect the joyous mood which -- with what was

But it is these performers who have left the nation spellbound. London

promised to deliver eight games for the athletes were stuck in the turn,

these competitors have produced some of the most memorable moments

in the Olympic history. -- at the athletes. After delivering their

best performance in over a century, the British team deserved to let

their hair down, as they joined At least one number manner -- one

member of the Beckham family got to play in the Olympics. Shame about

As the party drew to a close, it was time to take down the Olympic

Banting and for London to hand on the baton to 2016 hosts, Rio de

Janeiro. While the country now faces an almighty Olympic Hanover,

there will at least be pride that Britain to live at eight games that

will live long in the memory. -- delivered a Games. In one of the

final events, Anthony Joshua rounded off Great Britain's most

successful boxing performance at an Olympic Games for nearly 100 years.

In a dramatic finish, he made up a three-point deficit in the final

round to claim super-heavyweight London's Docklands has seen plenty

of change since their heyday. They witnessed a revival for Olympic

boxing. The fans had already seen two home golds and now they wanted

two more. Fred Evans could not manage it. He was outfought. His

silver makes him the most successful boxer in wealth Olympic

history. Team GB now has a second chance for a gold medal in the form

of super heavyweight, Anthony Joshua. Can he deliver a fitting

finale for what has been a remarkable Olympics for British

boxing? He struggled at first against Roberto Cammarelle. Judge-

led knew he needed to dig deep and produce something special. --

Anthony Joshua. That is what the Londoner did. At the end, it was

18-18. On countback, judges decided there was only one winner. Roberto

Cammarelle appeal but Anthony Joshua was not to be denied. That

represents my Jenny and the support from the team. It is more than just

a God Murdoch, it is a live experience. -- ate gold medal.

it is boxing's best Olympics since Elsewhere, on the final day of the

Games, Britain's Samantha Murray won silver in the women's modern

pentathlon. Uganda's Stephen Kiprotich took gold in the men's

Away we go! The 2012 Olympic marathon. Under sunny skies they

embarked on the ultimate challenge - 26 miles through the heart of

London. On show, the cream of the world's marathon runners. The early

PAC was whittled away to of Stephen Kiprotich from Uganda. He surged

clear and turned the Olympics into a victory - as macabre marathon

into a victory procession. For Uganda, a first medal at these

Games. Meanwhile, the US Dream Team successfully defend their Olympic

basketball title. They were made to work for it by Spain but eventually

won. Britain and pasture his hopes of a final medal lay with the

modern pentathlon. -- Britain's hopes. The modern pentathlon it is

one of the Olympics most gruelling events. It is slightly poignant.

After 16 days and countless memories, they are competing for

the very last gold of London 2012. It was decided at 6:10pm, a gold

for of Lisa Mac -- Laura Asadauskaite and Samantha Murray

the silver. So, our final look at the Olympic medal table. Team GB

secured third place, with their tally of 29 gold medals. USA took

the top slot with 46, ahead of China's 38 golds. Our sports editor

is at the Olympic Park now. In so many ways it has been quite a

fortnight. The stunning and fitting finale to the Games tonight. The

IOC president, in his closing address of the Games, said they had

been a happy and glorious Olympics - perhaps perfectly reflecting the

mood that London was always trying to create. Comparisons between

pasts - has never passed hosts are extremely difficult. I have been to

four games and they have been the best publicly supported. Sydney

comes closest. One seasoned observer I spoke to today's said

these were easily the best. Why? Because of the huge success of Team

GB, finishing third in the medals table, at their best performance

for over 100 years. Also because of those big international moments -

Usain Bolt, Michael Phelps and David Rudisha. Mainly because of

the organisation. London really fretted about putting a Games on

and worried that transport and security. Everything ran smoothly.

I remember Beijing, on the closing date of the Olympics, London

worrying how they would follow be Games. They could not follow it in

many ways. I think they have gone won a stage further. They have put

fun and sport back at the heart of the Olympics. -- won a stage

further. Detectives investigating the death of 12-year-old Tia Sharp

have charged her grandmother's partner, Stuart Hazell, with murder.

Christine Sharp, who was also detained on suspicion of murder,

has been released on bail. This report from Sophie Hutchinson. This

afternoon, Tia a pass to get grief- stricken mother, supported by her

partner, came to lay flowers for her daughter. -- Tia's grief-

stricken mother. The card read, our baby girl, they should not have

happened. I wish I was there to protect you. Her mother was

devastated by events in the past week. Shortly afterwards her

grandfather and father also came to remember her. They said they were

heartbroken. 12-year-old Tia Sharp went missing 10 days ago. She had

visited her grand mother's house in London where police discovered the

body. In an early hours of this morning, police charged her

grandmother a past of his boyfriend, Stuart Hazell, with her murder. --

grand mother's boyfriend. Christine Sharp was also arrested on

suspicion of murder. She has been released on bail, along with a 39-

year-old man, who has been arrested on suspicion of assisting an

offender. Tomorrow, Stuart Hazell will appear at a magistrates' court,

charged with the murder of Tia Sharp. During the day, people came

to local churches to sign books of condolence. You cannot really get

your head around what could have happened. It is such a tragedy.

This community, many of whom helped to search for Tia are stunned and

angry about what has happened. At least 250 people are reported to

have been killed by two earthquakes in Iran. Up to 2,000 others were

injured. Villages around the north western city of Tabriz were hit by

The two earthquakes had struck 11 minutes apart. Scores of villages

were damaged. Some are said to have been flattened completely. Hundreds

of people have been injured. Many casualties were in rural areas,

where homes were destroyed. The Red Crescent is providing shelter for

those left homeless or too afraid to return indoors. It has

dispatched thousands of tents, blankets and tons of food. About

16,000 people have been helped so far. President Ahmadinejad has

ordered reconstruction to begin immediately, before the onset of

winter. Iranian officials say search and rescue operations are

ending. Most people have been accounted for and the priority now

is to get help to the survivors. There have been dozens of

aftershocks but the Iranian authorities know what to expect.

The country lies on a major geological fault-line and many

people are heeding the advice to In Egypt, President Mohamed Morsi

has effectively sacked the head of the armed forces, Field Marshal

Hussein Tantawi. Relations between the Army and President Morsi's

Muslim Brotherhood have been tense since the fall of President Mubarak

last year, and this will be seen by Egyptians as a decisive move in the

power struggle. British sporting success hasn't

been confined to the Olympics. In the last hour, the golfer Rory

McIlroy has won the US PGA Championship. He took the final

major of the year at Kiawah Island, in South Carolina, by eight shots.

He is the first British winner of the tournament since 1919.

Now back to the Olympics, and the events of the past two weeks in the

capital have affected thousands of lives. Spectators who've lined the

streets, volunteers who've helped out, and traders on the fringes of

the Olympic Park. Our special correspondent, Richard Bilton, has

been finding out how they will remember the last fortnight.

The last day of the biggest party. Her this morning, it was the

marathon. Thousands came to central London for a final day in the

Olympic sun. Pot of wanting to be down here is to soak up the

atmosphere and wanting to be part of it. -- part of it. I expect

there is a big screen somewhere... The Wood family have come up from

Somerset. They are part of a London 2012 phenomenon. Those from across

the UK who have felt compelled to leave their TVs and see it for

themselves. It is just amazing! So many different nationalities.

Everybody waving their flags and cheering. Really good. I am quite

upset because I wanted to go on for a lot longer. The hope was that

these Olympics would become the people's Games. It has worked. But

there are other ways of judging London 2012. Like the impact on the

East London. This morning, like every Games morning, the Olympic

Park at Stratford was busy. But across the road, market access

there has been a price. His customers are not here. -- Turker

Ahmet says there has been a price. All of those signs, keep away from

central London because of the Olympics. People are staying away.

But some have felt the Olympic magic! Can you do the pose? Teona

Jackson is an Olympic volunteer. Part of an Army of free labour that

has helped define the UK flavour of these games. -- Games. The best

thing in my life and I will regret forever. The Wood family have their

"I was there" moment. It made us proud to be British today.

memories will live long and a Paralympics lie ahead. But all

parties end and London's golden time at the centre of the world is

nearly done. The founder of the modern Olympics

famously declared that the most important element of the Games

isn't the winning but the taking part. With that in mind, here are a

few of those memorable moments. From all of us here, goodnight.

After years of planning, the Opening Ceremony of the London

The greatest Olympic sailor of all times. That is a step forward for