June 24: The Champlain Towers South Condominium in Surfside, Florida partially collapses, killing 98 people. Rescue and recovery operations continue for weeks. Structural concerns with the building had been noted prior to the collapse.

July 7: The Delta variant becomes the dominant variant of COVID-19 in the United States. Significantly more contagious, its spread is propelled by the unvaccinated population, which is more likely to become infected and suffer serious illness than those vaccinated.

July 20: Billionaire Jeff Bezos visits space aboard the New Shephard spacecraft as part of the first all-civilian crew on a completely automated flight.

July 23: Wildfires tear through California, including the Dixie Fire, which becomes the largest of the season. Worsening in recent years due to climate change, the fires have burned hundreds of thousands of acres.

August 8: The 2020 Olympics—held in 2021 due to COVID-19—conclude, with the US taking home the most gold (39) and total (113) medals.

August 10: Andrew Cuomo announces his resignation as Governor of New York. His announcement follows allegations of sexual harassment and an independent investigation that concluded he sexually harassed eleven women.

August 26: Two billion people worldwide are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. The world reaches this milestone amidst the surge in cases fueled by the Delta variant.

August 29: Hurricane Ida makes landfall in Louisiana as a category 4 storm, causing widespread damage. The deadly storm reaches beyond Louisiana, bringing severe flooding to parts of the Northeast over several days, and its impact remains ongoing.

August 30: The United States ends its nearly 20-year military presence in Afghanistan. The final week of the withdrawal is marked by violence, including a deadly attack on Kabul’s airport killing both US Service Members and Afghan citizens.

September 1: A ban on abortions after six weeks goes into effect in Texas after the Supreme Court refuses to stop its immediate implementation. The law, which allows exceptions for medical emergencies but not for rape or incest, grants citizens the power to sue suspected abortion providers.

This piece also appears in our September 2021 print edition.