Germany’s economy slips into recession as consumers hold back

From the BBC World Service: A recession is commonly defined as the economy shrinking in two successive quarters — that’s just what’s happened to Germany, mainly because higher energy prices have hit household budgets and that’s put the brakes on spending. It’s Europe’s biggest economy, so what’s the wider impact? Plus, the International Monetary Fund has approved a multi-billion dollar loan for Ivory Coast. And, we hear from rural Spain where a plan is being considered to help subsidize bars in depopulated areas which have become vital community hubs in a country where 90% of the population lives in urban areas.