In the news today
News from around the world
On your calendar this August 21
Name day today: Saint of the day
Today we celebrate Christopher
Astrological sign: Leo (July 23 - August 22)
Every year on August 21:
- International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism
- Ninoy Aquino Day (Philippines)
What day of the week is August 21, 2026?
August 21, 2026 is a Friday
Ongoing holidays and events
August 7-30: Edinburgh International Festival, Edinburgh (United Kingdom)
August 7-31: Fringe Festival, celebration of arts and culture, Edinburgh (United Kingdom)
August 11-23: World Equestrian Championships, Aachen (Germany)
August 20-23: Opening round of the 2026/27 Ligue 1 season in France
August 21-23: Dutch Grand Prix, Zandvoort Circuit
August 21 to September 6: Women's EuroVolley, European women's volleyball championship in Azerbaijan, Czechia, Sweden and Turkey
It happened on August 21
August 21, 1770: James Cook, British navigator, claims the eastern part of Australia, which he names New South Wales, in the name of Great Britain.
August 21, 1944: The Dumbarton Oaks Conference begins at the villa of the same name in Washington D.C. It will lay the foundations of the UN, based on the principle of the League of Nations but involving the United States of America.
News of the week and month
This week
August 17 - August 18 - August 19 - August 20 - August 21 - August 22 - August 23
Selection of events, dates, holidays and public holidays for August
Holidays, public holidays and festivals
- July 30 to August 1: Pol’and’Rock Festival, Czaplinek-Broczyno (Poland)
- August 7: Battle of Boyacá, Colombia
- August 7-30: Edinburgh International Festival, Edinburgh (United Kingdom)
- August 7-31: Fringe Festival, celebration of arts and culture, Edinburgh (United Kingdom)
- August 8: Street Parade Techno Party, Zurich (Switzerland)
- August 11-15: Sziget Festival, Budapest, Hungary
- August 12: Total solar eclipse, visible notably in Greenland, Iceland, Spain and a small part of Portugal
- August 12-16: Feria de Dax (France)
- August 15: Assumption, the elevation of the Virgin Mary to heaven
- August 25 (date may vary depending on lunar observation): Mawlid an-Nabi: Birth of the Prophet Muhammad
- August 26: La Tomatina Festival in Buñol (Spain)
National days
- August 1: Benin Independence Day
- August 1: Swiss National Day
- August 6: Bolivia Independence Day
- August 6: Jamaica Independence Day
- August 7: Ivory Coast Independence Day
- August 9: Singapore National Day
- August 10: Ecuador Independence Day
- August 11: Chad Independence Day
- August 14: Pakistan Independence Day
- August 15: Congo Independence Day (Republic of the Congo)
- August 15: Liberation Day (Gwangbokjeol) of South Korea
- August 15: India Independence Day
- August 15: Liechtenstein National Day
- August 15: National Acadian Day
- August 17: Gabon Independence Day
- August 17: Indonesia Independence Day
- August 24: Ukraine Independence Day
- August 25: Uruguay Declaration of Independence
- August 27: Moldova Independence Day
- August 31: Kyrgyzstan Independence Day
- August 31: Hari Merdeka (Independence Day) of Malaysia
National and international days
- August 1: International Belgian Fries Day
- August 7 (1st Friday of August): International Beer Day
- August 8: International Cat Day
- August 9: International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples
- August 12: International Youth Day
- August 13: International Left-Handers Day
- August 19: World Humanitarian Day
- August 21: International Day of Remembrance of and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism
- August 22: International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief
- August 23: International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition
- August 26: International Dog Day
- August 29: International Day Against Nuclear Tests
- August 30: International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances
- August 31: International Day for People of African Descent
Sporting competitions
- August 1-9: Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift
- August 10-16: European Athletics Championships, Birmingham (United Kingdom)
- August 11-23: World Equestrian Championships, Aachen (Germany)
- August 12: UEFA Super Cup, Salzburg (Austria)
- August 20-23: Opening round of the 2026/27 Ligue 1 season in France
- August 21-23: Dutch Grand Prix, Zandvoort Circuit
- August 21 to September 6: Women's EuroVolley, European women's volleyball championship in Azerbaijan, Czechia, Sweden and Turkey
- August 22 to September 13: Vuelta a España cycling race (Spain)
- August 23 to September 13: US Open in New York (USA)
Sunrise and sunset
Today's sunrise and sunset times
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