Today is Thursday, Jan. 28, the 28th day of 2016. There are 338 days left in the year.

Today’s birthdays: Actor Alan Alda is 80. Actress Marthe Keller is 71. Senator Jeanne Shaheen, Democrat of New Hampshire, is 69. Actress-singer Barbi Benton is 66. Evangelical pastor Rick Warren is 62. Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy is 61. Movie director Frank Darabont is 57. Rock singer Sam Phillips is 54. Singer Sarah McLachlan is 48. DJ Muggs is 48. Humorist Mo Rocca is 47. Actor Elijah Wood is 35.

In 1813, the novel ‘‘Pride and Prejudice’’ by Jane Austen was first published anonymously in London.

In 1915, the Coast Guard was created as the Life-Saving Service was merged with the Revenue Cutter Service.

In 1977, actor Freddie Prinze, 22, co-star of the show ‘‘Chico and the Man,’’ shot and mortally wounded himself.

In 1980, six US diplomats who had avoided being taken hostage at their embassy in Tehran flew out of Iran with the help of Canadian diplomats.

In 1986, the space shuttle Challenger exploded 73 seconds after liftoff from Cape Canaveral, killing all seven crew members, including schoolteacher Christa McAuliffe.

In 2005, consumer products giant Procter Gamble Co. and Gillette Co. announced a $57 billion merger.

In 2011, chaos engulfed Cairo as protesters seized streets, battled police, and destroyed the ruling party’s headquarters.

Last year, Jordan offered a precedent-setting prisoner swap to the Islamic State group in a desperate, eventually fruitless attempt to save a Jordanian air force pilot held by militants.