Dashed left edge = started before August 2021 ·
Dashed right edge = ongoing beyond August 2021
Events in August 2021 16
1926 – 2021Jane Withers (1926-2021)American child star of the 1930s, later Josephine the Plumber in TV commercials.
1929 – 2021Ed Asner (1929-2021)Died 29 August 2021, aged 91American actor whose Lou Grant won seven Emmy Awards across a comedy and a drama.
1941 – 2021Charlie WattsThe Rolling Stones' drummer for 58 yearsCharlie Watts (June 2, 1941 – August 24, 2021) was the drummer and a co-founder of the Rolling Stones. Known for his understated jazz-influenced style, he was the heartbeat of the band for 58 years. He died peacefully in London on August 24, 2021, aged 80.
1945 – 2021Gerd MüllerDer BomberIncredible goalscorer who won the 1974 World Cup and the 1970 Ballon d'Or.
2021United States begins its withdrawal from AfghanistanA twenty-year war brought to a closeThe United States began withdrawing its remaining forces from Afghanistan on 1 May 2021, ending the longest war in American history.
20212020 Summer OlympicsXXXII Olympiad - TokyoPostponed by one year due to COVID-19. Winner: USA.
2021Samsung announces $205 billion investment planSamsung announces a three-year investment plan of 240 trillion won (approximately $205 billion) — one of the largest corporate investment commitments in history — focused on semiconductors, biopharmaceuticals and next-generation display technology. The plan includes a $17 billion chip factory in Taylor, Texas — Samsung's largest investment in the United States.
2021US Open 2021Men: Daniil Medvedev · Women: Emma RaducanuEmma Raducanu, 18 and ranked 150th, won without losing a set — an unprecedented achievement in Grand Slam history.
2021Star Trek: Discovery — Season 4The fourth season of Discovery faces a galaxy-threatening anomaly and continues to refine the show's 32nd-century identity. Critical reception is mixed but the show commands a devoted audience.
2021Jane Withers dies in BurbankJane Withers dies aged 95.
2021Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of FameEnters the Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibilityManning was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, as part of his first-ballot eligible class, joined by other Hall of Fame selectees including Charles Woodson and John Lynch. His enshrinement speech emphasized his relationships with coaches, teammates, and family, including his father Archie. The induction formally recognized a career that included five MVP awards, two Super Bowl titles, and numerous NFL passing records.
2021Taliban retakes AfghanistanKabul falls as US withdrawsThe Taliban captured Kabul on August 15, 2021, as US forces completed their withdrawal from Afghanistan after 20 years. The Afghan government collapsed within hours.
2021Charlie Watts diesDrummer dies peacefully aged 80 — August 24, 2021Charlie Watts, the Rolling Stones' drummer since 1963, died peacefully in London on August 24, 2021, aged 80, surrounded by his family. His death shocked the music world. Steve Jordan replaced him on the Hackney Diamonds tour.
2021Suicide bombing at Kabul airportThirteen US service members and some 170 Afghans killedA suicide bomber attacked Abbey Gate at Kabul airport on 26 August 2021 during the evacuation, killing thirteen American service members and around 170 Afghan civilians.
2021Hurricane Ida strikes Louisiana and then the NortheastFlash flooding kills dozens a thousand miles inlandHurricane Ida made landfall in Louisiana on 29 August 2021 and its remnants caused deadly flash flooding in New York and New Jersey three days later, killing more than 90 people in total.
2021The last leaded petrolA hundred years, ended in AlgeriaThe United Nations Environment Programme announces that leaded petrol for road vehicles has ceased worldwide, Algeria having exhausted the last stocks. UNEP estimates the phase-out prevents over a million premature deaths a year. Studies of the lead era attribute measurable losses in population-level IQ and a substantial share of the twentieth-century crime wave to Midgley's additive. Small aircraft still burn it.