On this day: August 21

Tabloids Publish Detailed Accounts of 1992 Royal Affair Revelations

On 21 August 1992 British tabloids published explicit allegations about an extramarital affair involving senior royals, intensifying public scrutiny of the monarchy during a year already marked by personal and institutional crises.

NASA Confirms Near-Earth Asteroid Passed Close on Aug. 21, 2019

NASA and affiliated observatories reported that an asteroid approached Earth on August 21, 2019 at a distance close enough to be classified as a near-Earth object with a relatively small close-approach distance; no impact occurred and scientists used the pass to refine orbital data.

Investigation Reopens Into 1988 Pan Am Flight 103 Bombing

Authorities have intensified inquiries into the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, on December 21, 1988, revisiting forensic evidence, intelligence links, and procedural findings as new leads and re-examinations of past conclusions prompt renewed scrutiny.

U.S. Announces Major Troop Increase in Afghanistan

On August 21, 2009, President Barack Obama announced a significant U.S. troop surge to Afghanistan, reversing earlier plans for a smaller footprint and aiming to blunt Taliban gains while strengthening Afghan security forces.

Soviet and Warsaw Pact forces invade Prague, crushing the Prague Spring reforms

On August 21–22, 1968, Soviet and allied Warsaw Pact troops and tanks entered Czechoslovakia, ending the Prague Spring — a period of political liberalization led by Alexander Dubček — and enforcing Moscow’s model of socialism.

Elvis Presley’s Last Public Concert: August 21, 1976

On August 21, 1976, Elvis Presley made what is widely regarded as his final public concert appearance, performing in Indianapolis during a period of declining health and public engagements. The event is notable as the last widely attended concert appearance before his reduced touring and eventual final live performances in 1977.