ON THIS DAY

1633:

Italian astronomer Galileo arrives in Rome and is detained by Roman Catholic Inquisition. English Parliament adopts a Bill of Rights. US warplanes firebomb Dresden, Germany, killing more than 35,000 civilians. A bomb explodes outside Sydney’s Hilton Hotel, venue of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Regional Meeting, killing two garbage collectors and a policeman. Nelson Mandela receives a hero’s welcome when he returns to the black township of Soweto Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd makes a formal apology to the Aboriginal people and the stolen generation.

Australian country music performer Smoky Dawson dies, aged 94.

Kim Novak, US actress (1933-); Len Pascoe, Australian cricketer (1950-); Peter Gabriel, British singer (1950-)

1689: 1945: 1978: 1990: 2008: 2008: Birthdays: