Perhaps Nero didn’t play the fiddle as Rome burned, as it’s often alleged. But he certainly stands as one of the worst Roman emperors.
Born in 37 C.E. as Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus, Nero rose to power after the death of his stepfather, Claudius, in 54 C.E. It’s been alleged that Nero’s mother, Agrippina the Younger, had a hand in her husband’s death — possibly by feeding him poisoned mushrooms — in order to ensure her son’s ascendency.

https://allthatsinteresting.com/worst-roman-emperors

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US President Donald Trump has sharply reduced the time frame he set for Russia and Ukraine to agree on a ceasefire, warning that Moscow now has just 10 to 12 days to reach a deal or face sweeping new sanctions.

“I’m going to set a new deadline... about 10 or 12 days from today. There’s no reason to wait. I wanted to be generous, but we’re just not seeing any progress,” Trump told reporters on Monday in Scotland. He was sitting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. 

The US president had originally given the two sides 50 days to negotiate an end to the conflict, threatening to impose 100% tariffs on Russian imports and secondary sanctions on countries and companies that continue to trade with Russia. That initial deadline was due to expire in early September.

Trump said he was “very disappointed” with Russian President Vladimir Putin and claimed he had come close to brokering a ceasefire on five separate occasions. “I’ve spoken to President Putin a lot – I’ve gotten along with him very well,” he added.

The ultimatum, first issued on July 14, also included a warning that the US would resume arms deliveries to Ukraine, funded in part by NATO members, if no truce was achieved within the time frame.

Moscow has responded by reaffirming its willingness to negotiate but said any talks must take into account the realities on the ground and the root causes of the conflict. Russian officials have dismissed Trump’s sanctions threats as counterproductive.

“These signals serve only to prolong the war,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said earlier this month, urging Washington to pressure Kiev instead.

Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov has stated that even new sanctions would not alter Russia’s course, insisting the country will “continue to move along our independent, sovereign, and sustained path.”

Meanwhile, direct negotiations between Moscow and Kiev resumed in Istanbul in May, following a nearly three-year freeze. The latest round of talks took place last week, with modest progress on humanitarian issues, including agreements on the exchange of prisoners of war and civilians. However, no breakthrough on a ceasefire was achieved.

Trump had previously not ruled out imposing sanctions before his deadline, saying last week that action could come “at any time.”

https://www.rt.com/news/622093-trump-shorten-ukraine-peace-deadline/

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SEE ALSO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vESRCFbdLsA