Creepy castles, a looming recession, and Germany's childcare crisis

JOIN THE LOCAL: Podcast listener offer__In the newest episode of our podcast Germany in Focus, host Rachel Loxton is joined by The Local journalists Imogen Goodman and Aaron Burnett as well as culture and history expert Mike Stuchbery. We start off by talking about some public holidays and other celebrations in Germany before we dig into one of the biggest news stories of the week - Germany's relationship with China and fears over repeating the mistakes of Russia. We discuss why Chancellor Olaf Scholz has sparked a fierce debate in the coalition government over his stance on business deals with China. Why is Olaf Scholz's stance on China so controversial in Germany?We then look into why it's so hard for families in Germany to find childcare spots at Kitas, where the shortfall of childcare spaces is worst and what parents can consider if they are struggling with this issue. Germany to be short of 384,000 Kita places 'by 2023'Next, we get into the mood for Halloween by talking to history buff Mike Stuchbery about some haunted places in Germany, from the Marienberg Fortress to the Frauenkirche in Munich.Halloween: Five of Germany's most haunted placesGermany is known for being one of the most powerful economies in the world, but there are warnings that a recession is looming. We look at what that could mean for people living here and how they should prepare. FACT CHECK - Is Germany heading into a recession?We also talk about language trends, with a focus on the words that Germany's youth are using.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.