January 26, 2014

450 years ago
1564

Religion
The Roman Catholic Council of Trent issued its conclusions in the Tridentinum, establishing a distinction between Roman Catholicism and Protestantism.

War
The Grand Duchy of Lithuania, with forces numbering 4,000-6,000 defeated the Tsardom of Russia, whose forces numbered 17,000-24,000 in the Battle of Ula during the Livonian War.

360 years ago
1654

World events
Portugal announced that under terms of the capitulation protocol, Jewish and Dutch settlers had three months in which to leave Brazil.

90 years ago
1924

World events
The Russian city of Petrograd--originally St. Petersburg--was renamed Leningrad in honour of revolutionary leader Vladimir Lenin, who had died three days earlier.

Canadiana
Parliament approved the Red Ensign as Canada's official flag for government buildings at home and abroad.

80 years ago
1934

Diplomacy
The German–Polish Non-Aggression Pact was signed.

75 years ago
1939

War
In the Spanish Civil War, troops loyal to nationalist General Francisco Franco and aided by Italy captured Barcelona as part of the Catalonia Offensive.

70 years ago
1944

Hit parade
Variety reported the most popular songs in the United States as:
1 Shoo Shoo Baby
2 People Will Say We're in Love
3 Oh, What a Beautiful Morning

Literature
An American Dilemma by Swedish economist Gunnar Myrdal, was published. The book was an analysis of race relations in the United States.

War
The United Kingdom reported that Liberia had declared war on Japan and Germany. Allied forces made some progress in their assault below Rome; two infantry battalions supported by tanks attacked German Panzer forces, putting the Allies three miles from Cisterna. With the capture of Mednikovo, Soviet troops reached 42 miles inside the Estonian border. Chinese forces driving across the Hukawng Valley in Burma reportedly made new gains as Allied units in the upper Chindwin Valley inflicted heavy casualties on an ambushed Japanese force. Spanish Ambassador to the United Kingdom the Duke of Alba informed U.K. Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden that Spain was taking stringent measures to prevent sabotage of shipments to England.

Diplomacy
Argentina severed diplomatic relations with Germany and Japan.

U.S. Secretary of State Cordell Hull stated that the U.S.S.R. had declined American good offices to settle Soviet-Polish differences.

Politics and government
Cuban President Fulgencio Batista resigned as leader of the Socialist-Republican coalition in a move to placate the opposition.

U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt sent a message to Congress calling the "states rights" soldier-vote bill a fraud on servicemen, and endorsed the Green-Lucas federal ballot bill.

Aviation
The General William E. Mitchell Memorial Award for 1943 for "the outstanding individual contribution to aviation progress" was given to Igor Sikorsky for his work with helicopters.

Economics and finance
The U.S. War Production Board said that war need would absorb all of the estimated 593 million gallons of alcohol to be produced in 1944.

U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Sam Rayburn (Democrat--Texas) named a bipartisan committee of 18 chaired by William Colmer (Democrat--Massachusetts) to study postwar economic problems.

60 years ago
1954

On television tonight
Suspense, on CBS
Tonight's episode: An Affair with a Ghost, starring Darren McGavin and Felicia Montealegre

40 years ago
1974

Hit parade
#1 single in the Netherlands (Veronica Top 40): Dirty Ol' Man--The Three Degrees (2nd week at #1)

#1 single in the U.K.: Tiger Feet--Mud

Australia's top 10 (Go-Set)
1 Leave Me Alone (Ruby Red Dress)--Helen Reddy
2 The Ballroom Blitz--The Sweet
3 Photograph--Ringo Starr
4 Goodbye Yellow Brick Road--Elton John
5 48 Crash--Suzi Quatro
6 Helen Wheels/Country Dreamer--Paul McCartney and Wings
7 Angie--Rolling Stones
8 Summer (The First Time)--Bobby Goldsboro
9 For the Good Times--Perry Como
10 The Most Beautiful Girl--Charlie Rich

Singles entering the chart were Mind Games by John Lennon (#14); Sorrow by David Bowie (#17); Farewell Auntie Jack by Grahame Bond (#19); My Coo Ca Choo by Alvin Stardust (#24); I Remember When I was Young by Matt Taylor (#28); Way Out West by the Dingoes (#29); Shake a Hand by Johnny Farnham (#30); Star of Mykonos by Katja Ebstein (#33); The Lord's Prayer by Sister Janet Mead (#34); Do You Wanna Dance? by Barry Blue (#37); Heartbeat--It's a Love Beat by the DeFranco Family (#38); and My Friend Stan by Slade (#40).

#1 single in the U.S.A. (Billboard): You're Sixteen--Ringo Starr

U.S.A. Top 10 (Cash Box)
1 Show and Tell--Al Wilson
2 Smokin' in the Boy's Room--Brownsville Station
3 You're Sixteen--Ringo Starr
4 The Joker--Steve Miller Band
5 Americans--Byron MacGregor
6 Love's Theme--The Love Unlimited Orchestra
7 The Way We Were--Barbra Streisand
8 I've Got to Use My Imagination--Gladys Knight and the Pips
9 Living for the City--Stevie Wonder
10 Let Me Be There--Olivia Newton-John

Singles entering the chart were You Sure Love to Ball by Marvin Gaye (#78); Energy Crisis '74 by Dickie Goodman (#91); You Won't Find Another Fool Like Me by the New Seekers featuring Lyn Paul (#92); Apple of My Eye by Badfinger (#96); The Real Me by the Who (#97); Get That Gasoline Blues by NRBQ (#99); and Quick, Fast, In a Hurry by New York City (#100).

Canada's top 10 (RPM)
1 Seasons in the Sun--Terry Jacks
2 The Joker--Steve Miller Band
3 You're Sixteen--Ringo Starr
4 Smokin' in the Boy's Room--Brownsville Station
5 Big Time Operator--Keith Hampshire
6 Love's Theme--The Love Unlimited Orchestra
7 The Way We Were--Barbra Streisand
8 Time in a Bottle--Jim Croce
9 Are You Lonesome Tonight--Donny Osmond
10 Spiders & Snakes--Jim Stafford

Singles entering the chart were Eres Tu (Touch the Wind) by Mocedades (#84); Star by Stealers Wheel (#86); Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo by Rick Derringer (#87); Jolene by Dolly Parton (#88); Wang Dang Doodle by the Pointer Sisters (#90); Will You Love Me Tomorrow by Melanie (#92); Somewhere Between Love and Tomorrow by Roy Clark (#93); Guilty of Rock and Roll by Lorence Hud (#95); Going Home to Rock and Roll by Painter (#96); Meadows by Joe Walsh (#97); Jungle Boogie by Kool & The Gang (#98); Come and Get Your Love by Redbone (#99); and Stone to the Bone by James Brown (#100).

Calgary's top 10
1 Smokin' in the Boy's Room--Brownsville Station
2 Let Me Be There--Olivia Newton-John
3 The Joker--Steve Miller Band
4 Seasons in the Sun--Terry Jacks
5 Spiders & Snakes--Jim Stafford
6 I Thought of You Again--Susan Jacks
7 The Most Beautiful Girl--Charlie Rich
8 Leave Me Alone (Ruby Red Dress)--Helen Reddy
9 Goddess of Nature--Abraham's Children
10 Time in a Bottle--Jim Croce
Pick hit of the week: The Way We Were--Barbra Streisand

30 years ago
1984

Politics and government
The government of Canada announced a land claims settlement with Yukon first nations, who were to receive $620 million and title to 20,000 square kilometres.

25 years ago
1989

Hit parade
#1 single in Finland (Finnish Singles Chart): Back to the Stone Age--Stone (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Ireland (IRMA): The Living Years--Mike + the Mechanics

Diplomacy
U.S. Secretary of State James Baker ordered the closing of the U.S. embassy in Afghanistan.

20 years ago
1994

Hit parade
#1 single in Finland (Finnish Singles Chart): Back to the Stone Age--Stone (5th week at #1)

#1 single in Sweden (Topplistan): All for Love--Bryan Adams, Rod Stewart, and Sting (6th week at #1)

Politics and government
Boris Fyodorov, who had resigned as Russian Finance Minister on January 20, declined an appeal from President Boris Yeltsin that he reconsider his resignation, saying that it was unacceptable "that people who have done immense economic and political harm to the state" were serving in the cabinet.

10 years ago
2004

Diplomacy
U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell arrived in Moscow to visit Russian President Vladimir Putin and other officials. In a newspaper article, Mr. Powell sharply criticized Russia for its lack of democracy, suppression of free media, and the war in Chechnya.

Law
President Hamid Karzai signed the new constitution of Afghanistan.

Technology
A computer worm called MyDoom or Novarg spread theorugh Internet servers worldwide, infecting about 1 in every 12 email messages.

Oddities
A whale exploded in the town of Tainan, Taiwan. A buildup of gas in the decomposing sperm whale was suspected of causing the explosion.