On Feb. 22, 1732 (New Style date), the first president of the United States, George Washington, was born in Westmoreland County in the Virginia Colony.

Ten years ago

Insurgents destroyed the golden dome of one of Iraq’s holiest Shiite shrines, the Askariya mosque in Samarra, setting off an unprecedented spasm of sectarian violence. Thieves stole $96 million from a Bank of England cash depot 30 miles southeast of London in Britain’s largest cash robbery. (Six men were later caught and almost half of the money was recovered.) Eight workers at a Nebraska meatpacking plant came forward to claim a $365 million Powerball jackpot.

Five years ago

A defiant Moammar Gadhafi vowed to fight to his “last drop of blood” and roared at supporters to strike back against Libyan protesters to defend his embattled regime. A magnitude-6.1 earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand, killed 184 people. Somali pirates shot to death four Americans taken hostage on their yacht several hundred miles south of Oman. Former White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel was elected mayor of Chicago.

One year ago

At the 87th Academy Awards, “Birdman” won best picture; Julianne Moore received the best actress Oscar for “Still Alice” while Eddie Redmayne was recognized as best actor for “The Theory of Everything.” Joey Logano won his first career Daytona 500 after taking the lead following a restart with 19 laps remaining.

— By The Associated Press