Today in History: Scientists announce first working draft of the DNA sequence

The following are some of the major events to have occurred on June 26:

1945 – The United Nations Charter was signed by 50 nations in San Francisco, creating a successor to the League of Nations. It became effective on October 24.

1960 – British Somaliland became independent. Five days later it merged with Italian Somaliland to become the Somali Republic.

1988 – Air France Airbus A320 crashes near Mulhouse, France.

1996 – Afghan guerrilla leader Gulbuddin Hekmatyar returned to Kabul and took over as prime minister.

2000 – An international team of scientists completed a working draft of the human genome — all the genes in the human body.

2002 – A Brussels appeals court threw out a lawsuit against Israeli leader Ariel Sharon, ruling he was immune from investigation over his alleged role in a 1982 massacre of Palestinian refugees.

2003 – Former U.S. Senator Strom Thurmond, died. He was the oldest and longest-serving senator. He was 100.

2006 – U.S. billionaire Warren Buffett donated roughly $30.7 billion to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, uniting the world’s two richest people in a bid to fight disease, reduce poverty and improve education.

2011 – Police use water cannon against soccer fans at Buenos Aires at First Division playoff match.

2014 – Algeria’s soccer squad celebrate entry into World Cup knockout stage for first time.

2017 – Captain Megan Couto of the 2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI) becomes first female infantry officer to command Queen’s Guard at Buckingham Palace.