Curtains down on Rio Olympics

A volunteer holds the Saudi flag as others lead their countries’ contingents in Rio de Janeiro. Brazil and the world on Sunday bid farewell to the first Olympic Games in South America, a 16-day spectacle that combined numerous highlight reel moments with ugly and even bizarre episodes that sometimes overshadowed the competitions. Thousands of fans braved strong winds and sporadic rains to watch the closing ceremony in iconic Maracana Stadium, a finale meant to be both one last bash and to take care of some business — namely signal the transition to the 2020 Summer Olympics in Japan. The United States led with a gold medal tally of 46, followed by Britain (27) and China (26). — Reuters