CapeTalk

Barbs Wire

Education EN ↓ 161 episodes

Primedia Digital Editor Barbara Friedman has an unstoppable curiosity for all things weird and quirky and trawls the internet to bring you her daily choice of curated stories - Monday to Thursday at 9.35am #BarbsWire

Be sure to visit the podcast's website and support the creator: www.primediaplus.com

Author

CapeTalk

Episodes

Barbs Wire: Cape Town’s safety app, the rise of redheads and Japan’s dating-app subsidy 21.04.2026 14:14

Clarence Ford speaks to Primedia Digital Content Editor Barbara Friedman on Barbs Wire about the latest trending stories. Timestamps:  00:00 Intro 00:09 City of Cape Town’s latest app update allows residents to report crime   03:56 DNA study reveals that redheads are on the rise 10:54 Japan is experimenting with subsidising dating apps to aid its demographic crisis   Views and...

Barbs Wire: Cape weather goes viral, hot air balloon emergency landing, and Madonna does Coachella 26 years later 20.04.2026 8:43

Clarence Ford speaks to Primedia Digital Content Editor Barbara Friedman on Barbs Wire about the latest trending stories. Timestamps:  00:00 Intro 00:23 Cape’s extreme weather storms go viral 04:13 A hot air balloon’s emergency landing disturbed family TV time 5:10 Madonna returned to the Coachella stage 27 year years later    Views and News with Clarence Ford is the mid...

Barbs Wire: Toxic fish alert on beaches, SANCCOB’s penguin rescue, and Dubai’s viral husband drop-off lounge 15.04.2026 8:31

Clarence Ford speaks to Primedia Digital Content Editor Barbara Friedman on Barbs Wire about the latest trending stories. Timestamps:  00:00 Intro 00:13 A toxic fish alert is in effect as dead puffer fish wash up on Cape Town beaches 04:33 Over 500 critically endangered African penguin eggs were rescued by SANCCOB in three months 06:36 Dubai’s husband drop-off lounge goes viral   V...

Barbs Wire: Trump AI controversy, Hungarian politician's election-night grooves, and the world’s cutest canine astronaut 14.04.2026 9:18

Clarence Ford speaks to Primedia Digital Content Editor Barbara Friedman on Barbs Wire about the latest trending stories. Timestamps:  00:00 Intro 00:23 Donald Trump’s AI-generated image takes over Truth Social 03:47 A Hungarian politician’s celebratory dance moves go viral after his party wins 07:41 Artemis II astronaut Christina Koch gets a warm welcome back from her pup, Sadie...

Barbs Wire: Gang taunts SANDF, dog rescue mistaken for AI and Parrot explores ocean in DIY submarine 13.04.2026 11:55

Clarence Ford speaks to Primedia Digital Content Editor Barbara Friedman on Barbs Wire about the latest trending stories. Timestamps:  00:00 Intro 00:14 Gangs taunt the SANDF soldiers on the ground 04:08 A viral dog rescue so shocking that many mistook it for AI 08:33 A parrot explores the ocean in a DIY submarine     Views and News with Clarence Ford is the mid-morning show on Cape...

Barbs Wire: India’s mega headcount, a Texas motorcycle fireball and Ireland’s honking dog 09.04.2026 7:07

Saskia Falken, standing in for Clarence Ford, speaks to Primedia Digital Content Editor Barbara Friedman on Barbs Wire about the latest trending stories. Timestamps:  00:00 Intro 00:17 India has initiated the world’s largest census, which is expected to count more than 1.4 billion people 04:02 A fiery motorcycle crash in San Antonia, Texas, caught on camera 05:42 An impatient dog in Ire...

Barbs Wire: Everest scam, Nutella in orbit and dating by PowerPoint 08.04.2026 8:30

Saskia Falken, standing in for Clarence Ford, speaks to Primedia Digital Content Editor Barbara Friedman on Barbs Wire about the latest trending stories. Timestamps:  00:00 Intro 00:41Nepali Police uncover alleged $20 million insurance scam on Mount Everest 03:21 A Nutella jar is seen spinning through the Artemis II spaceship 05:26 Online dating swipes to PowerPoint presentations   Views...

Barbs Wire: Cyclist tragedy on Victoria Road, a shooting on Jakes Gerwel Drive, and Mama Joy's fallout with Gayton 07.04.2026 12:36

Sara-Jayne Makwala King, standing in for Clarence Ford, speaks to Primedia Digital Content Editor Barbara Friedman on Barbs Wire about the latest trending stories. Timestamps:  00:00 Intro 00:33 A cyclist died after sustaining severe injuries in a collision on Victoria Road 03:52 Smash and grabber allegedly shot on Jakes Gerwel Drive 10:09 Superfan Mama Joy's public fallout with Sport, Arts a...

Barbs Wire: Moon missions, million-dollar droids, and April Fools falling flat 02.04.2026 10:05

Clarence Ford speaks to Primedia Digital Content Editor Barbara Friedman on Barbs Wire about the latest trending stories. Timestamps:  00:00 Intro 00:30 NASA launches astronauts to spin around the moon in the Artemis II mission 04:58 Star Wars character C-3PO’s prop head sells for more than $1 million at auction 06:25 April Fool falling flat this year    Views and News with Cl...

Barbs Wire: SANDF finally deployed in the Cape, Island goes bananas, and a viral dog rescue 01.04.2026 8:50

Clarence Ford speaks to Primedia Digital Content Editor Barbara Friedman on Barbs Wire about the latest trending stories. Timestamps:  00:00 Intro 00:07 SANDF soldiers are finally on the ground in the Cape 03:53 The Orkney Islands go bananas after a shopper mistakenly orders 38,000 bananas 05:25 A New Zealand dog rescue goes viral   Views and News with Clarence Ford is the mid-morning sh...

Barbs Wire: Helen Zille’s pothole pool stunt, priceless art heist in Italy, and petrol madness 31.03.2026 8:27

Clarence Ford speaks to Primedia Digital Content Editor Barbara Friedman on Barbs Wire about the latest trending stories. Timestamps:  00:00 Intro 00:15 Helen Zille swimming in a pothole pool 03:56 Thieves in Italy made off with priceless art in just three minutes 06:49 Motorists in the UK are stockpiling petrol in plastic shopping bags   Views and News with Clarence Ford is the mid-morn...

Barbs Wire: Court call gone wrong, a KitKat heist, and a beloved shark’s big release 30.03.2026 7:13

Clarence Ford speaks to Primedia Digital Content Editor Barbara Friedman on Barbs Wire about the latest trending stories. Timestamps:  00:00 Intro 00:26 A virtual court call goes wrong when a defendant joins proceedings while driving 01:26 Over 400,000 KitKats stolen as the delivery van goes missing 03:32 Beloved shark Blue released from the Two Oceans Aquarium after eight years   ...

Barbs Wire: Table Mountain helicopter crash, LAX baggage handler backlash and firefighter saves cats 26.03.2026 8:15

Clarence Ford speaks to Primedia Digital Content Editor Barbara Friedman on Barbs Wire about the latest trending stories. Timestamps:  00:00 Intro 00:10 A helicopter crash on Table Mountain goes viral 02:35 Video of a LAX baggage handler throwing around a guitar case gets social media talking   05:24 Firefighter revives cats after a retirement complex fire   Views and News with Clar...

Barbs Wire: Stolen dogs escape and trek home, drivers play rock-paper-scissors in traffic, and dancing robot causes chaos 25.03.2026 8:12

Clarence Ford speaks to Primedia Digital Content Editor Barbara Friedman on Barbs Wire about the latest trending stories. Timestamps:  00:00 Intro 00:21 A tale of seven stolen dogs who reportedly escaped from a van of dog meat traders 03:48 Two drivers play rock-paper-scissors in traffic in Boksburg 06:30 A dancing humanoid robot causes chaos in a restaurant   Views and News with Clarenc...

Barbs Wire: Panthera's tiger returns home, fitness app exposes warship, and Spotify brings music to the afterlife 24.03.2026 8:40

Clarence Ford speaks to Primedia Digital Content Editor Barbara Friedman on Barbs Wire about the latest trending stories. Timestamps:  00:00 Intro 00:12 Arabella, a beautiful tigress, has returned to the Panthera Africa Big Cat Sanctuary after a devastating fire 02:08 A warship’s location in international is revealed by an officer’s Strava fitness app 05:10 Spotify brings music to...

Barbs Wire: Epstein lookalike goes viral, Zoomers call Boomers, and tributes to Chuck Norris 23.03.2026 8:41

Clarence Ford speaks to Primedia Digital Content Editor Barbara Friedman on Barbs Wire about the latest trending stories. Timestamps:  00:00 Intro 00:31 A Jeffrey Epstein lookalike goes viral on social media 03:03 A new social experiment wants to get college students and boomers talking 06:07 The world pays tribute to the late Chuck Norris      Views and News with Clarence Ford...

Barbs Wire: North Korea’s near-perfect vote, a Buddhist robot monk, and pets evacuated to safety 19.03.2026 7:12

Clarence Ford speaks to Primedia Digital Content Editor Barbara Friedman on Barbs Wire about the latest trending stories. Timestamps:  00:00 Intro 00:45 Kim Jong Un wins near perfect 99.93% vote in the parliamentary election 03:32 A Japanese university has developed an AI Buddhist robot monk 05:01 Viral videos show pets evacuated with families from conflict zones     Views and News...

Barbs Wire: Barbs Wire: Sri Lanka fuel crisis, burning truck and viral monkey Punch finds love 18.03.2026 10:06

Sara-Jayne Makwala King, standing in for Clarence Ford, speaks to Primedia Digital Content Editor Barbara Friedman on Barbs Wire about the latest trending stories. Timestamps:  00:00 Intro 00:49 Fuel shortages have forced a weekly holiday in Sri Lanka 05:58 A sweet potato vendor driver drives his burning truck to the fire station 08:02 Viral monkey, Punch, finds love in the Japanese zoo &nbsp...

Barbs Wire: Flights dodging conflict zones, Pokémon Go feeding AI, and viral nursing home happy hours 17.03.2026 9:28

Saskia Falken, standing in for Clarence Ford, speaks to Primedia Digital Content Editor Barbara Friedman on Barbs Wire about the latest trending stories. Timestamps:  00:00 Intro 00:21 Incredible air traffic controllers guide flights around conflict zones 03:30 Pokémon Go fans unwittingly map the real world for AI 07:10 A campaign for nursing home happy hours goes viral   Views an...

Barbs Wire: Dunoon park reborn, teen F1 star wins in China, and elderly DoorDash delivery man sparks act of kindness 16.03.2026 7:02

Clarence Ford speaks to Primedia Digital Content Editor Barbara Friedman on Barbs Wire about the latest trending stories. Timestamps:  00:00 Intro 00:13 Best and after transformation of Dunoon Park goes viral 02:01 Teen sensation Kimi Antonelli becomes the youngest to win a grand prix 03:56 An elderly DoorDash deliveryman sparks over $900,000 act of kindness   Views and News with Clarenc...

Barb's Wire: Kim Jong Un’s daughter at missile tests, AI animal soapies go viral, and Cape Town swelters in extreme heat 12.03.2026 10:38

Clarence Ford speaks to Primedia Digital Content Editor Barbara Friedman on Barbs Wire about the latest trending stories. Timestamps:  00:00 Intro 00:17 Pictures of Kim Jong Un’s teenage daughter watching military missile testing go viral 02:39 AI-generated animal soap operas take over Chinese social media 05:14 Capetonians swelter in extreme record-breaking heat   Views and News w...

Barbs Wire: Iran women’s football asylum drama, runaway SUV rescue and Paris Fashion Week child star 11.03.2026 8:29

Clarence Ford speaks to Primedia Digital Content Editor Barbara Friedman on Barbs Wire about the latest trending stories. Timestamps:  00:00 Intro 00:20 The Iranian women’s football team embroiled in asylum drama in Australia 04:34 Motorists stop a runaway SUV on the freeway after the driver loses consciousness 06:35 A 10-year-old becomes the youngest designer to showcase at Paris Fashi...

Barbs Wire: LA Marathon mix-up, airline headphone rules, and a runaway otter in Sea Point 10.03.2026 8:45

Clarence Ford speaks to Primedia Digital Content Editor Barbara Friedman on Barbs Wire about the latest trending stories. Timestamps:  00:00 Intro 00:22 Confusion and drama at the Los Angeles Marathon finish 03:03 American Airlines implements strict headphones rules after passenger scrolls loudly 05:52 A cape clawless runaway otter stole the show in Sea Point   Views and News with Claren...

Barbs Wire: Anti-loneliness pub trend, Tokyo bar bans over-39s, and lost dog survives 43 days in the wild 09.03.2026 8:44

Clarence Ford speaks to Primedia Digital Content Editor Barbara Friedman on Barbs Wire about the latest trending stories. Timestamps:  00:00 Intro 00:29 The anti-loneliness pub trend has gone worldwide 03:44 A bar chain in Tokyo has banned patriots over the age of 39 05:56 A dog survived 43 days on its own in the wilderness   Views and News with Clarence Ford is the mid-morning show on C...

Barbs Wire: Curiosity around a missile, a Tesla freeway nap and an urgent call to save Tom Ro Haven 05.03.2026 8:50

Clarence Ford speaks to Primedia Digital Content Editor Barbara Friedman on Barbs Wire about the latest trending stories. Timestamps:  00:00 Intro 00:28 Images of children playing around an unexploded missile go viral 02:53 Woman caught on camera taking a nap behind the wheel in a self-driving Tesla 05:49 The non-profit Tom Ro Haven is urgently appealing for assistance   Views and News w...