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President Mugabe's economic mismanagement of Zimbabwe has brought the country poverty and malnutrition. After 36 years in charge, he's looking to extend his rule by 5 more years.

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Robert Mugabe has ruled for 36 years, but this despot's country is on its knees. Zimbabwe is one of the poorest countries in the world. Malnutrition is common and life expectancy is poor.

Mugabe's regime seized white-owned farms and gave them to cronies, destroying Zimbabwe's agricultural sector.

When the money ran out he printed more creating the worst hyperinflation in history. The value of the currency plummeted, causing the cost of goods and services to skyrocket. In 2008 inflation hit 500,000,000,000%

Local currency was abandoned and replaced by the US Dollar. Now Mr Mugabe has invented a new currency, the "Bond Note". His people have little confidence it will hold its value. Fearing more economic chaos will wipe out their savings many thousands have taken to the streets to show their anger.

Some believe the end of his regime is in sight but Mr Mugabe has other ideas. In 2018 he plans to seek office for another 5 years. At the end of which he would be 99 years old.

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This week, soldiers from Germany and Belgium are settling into a new posting in Lithuania as part of the latest NATO troop deployment. Will their hosts—and the region—feel more secure as a result of their presence?

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NATO member countries Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are feeling threatened by Russia. Why are the Baltic states so rattled?

Russia's been on the offensive; invading Ukraine and seizing Crimea in 2014. President Vladimir Putin and the Kremlin see NATO as a threat. One of NATO's founding principles is collective self-defence under the fifth article of the 1949 Washington treaty.

Fears are intensifying that Moscow will test NATO in the Baltics. These small, flat, thinly populated countries are tricky to defend. Russia has a huge military capacity compared with the Baltic states.

Why is Russia so interested in the Baltics? They were part of the Russian empire and Soviet Union. Both Estonia and Latvia have large Russian minority populations. In defence, Lithuania has restarted conscription and NATO is deploying more troops to the region but NATO's main backer could soon prove less supportive with a new president sending mixed messages about the alliance and declaring his admiration for Mr Putin. Leaders in the Baltic may have good reason to be worried.

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