<h1>NEWS WEAKLY 197 – 24th January 2026</h1><h2> </h2><h2>This week on News Weakly:</h2> <h3>• George R. R. Martin gives an interview that finally, definitively kills The Winds of Winter and with it the last surviving shard of millennial optimism.</h3><h3>• The Coalition explodes over hate-speech laws it demanded, negotiated, diluted, then rage-quit anyway, proving opposition is harder than outrage.</h3><h3>• Australia passes its “strongest ever” hate laws, handing vast discretionary power to the state and asking everyone to trust the vibes.</h3><h3>• Davos assembles the world’s elites to solve distrust, only for Donald Trump to confuse allies, geography, and colonialism with branding.</h3><h3>• Gaza is reimagined as a luxury real estate opportunity, because nothing ends mass trauma like a PowerPoint and a beachfront casino.</h3> Sami Shah is a multi-award-winning comedian, writer, journalist, and broadcaster.For more: http://thesamishah.comTheme music Historic Anticipation by Paul MottramThis podcast is written, hosted, and produced by Sami Shah.<hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

NEWS WEAKLY 197 – 24th January 2026 This week on News Weakly: • George R. R. Martin gives an interview that finally, definitively kills The Winds of Winter and with it the last surviving shard of millennial optimism.• The Coalition explodes over hate-speech laws it demanded, negotiated, diluted, then rage-quit anyway, proving opposition is harder than outrage.• Australia passes its “strongest ever” hate laws, handing vast discretionary power to the state and asking everyone to trust the vibes.• Davos assembles the world’s elites to solve distrust, only for Donald Trump to confuse allies, geography, and colonialism with branding.• Gaza is reimagined as a luxury real estate opportunity, because nothing ends mass trauma like a PowerPoint and a beachfront casino. Sami Shah is a multi-award-winning comedian, writer, journalist, and broadcaster. For more: http://thesamishah.com Theme music Historic Anticipation by Paul Mottram This podcast is written, hosted, and produced by Sami Shah. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

NEWS WEAKLY 197 – 24th January 2026 This week on&nbsp;News Weakly: • George R. R. Martin gives an interview that finally, definitively kills&nbsp;The Winds of Winter&nbsp;and with it the last surviving shard of millennial optimism.• The Coalition explodes over hate-speech laws it demanded, negotiated, diluted, then rage-quit anyway, proving opposition is harder than outrage.• Australia passes its “strongest ever” hate laws, handing vast discretionary power to the state and asking everyone to trust the vibes.• Davos assembles the world’s elites to solve distrust, only for Donald Trump to confuse allies, geography, and colonialism with branding.• Gaza is reimagined as a luxury real estate opportunity, because nothing ends mass trauma like a PowerPoint and a beachfront casino. Sami Shah is a multi-award-winning comedian, writer, journalist, and broadcaster.For more:&nbsp;http://thesamishah.comTheme music&nbsp;Historic Anticipation&nbsp;by Paul MottramThis podcast is written, hosted, and produced by Sami Shah. Hosted on Acast. See <a href="https://acast.com/privacy" rel="noopener noreferrer">acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

News Weakly 197: Strong Laws, Weak Thinking

News Weakly&nbsp;is the sharpest, funniest, and most professional news satire podcast in Australia—where we punch the news in the headlines… weakly.Hosted by multi-award-winning comedian, journalist, and author&nbsp;Sami Shah, the show delivers a fast-paced, fiercely intelligent breakdown of the biggest stories in politics, global affairs, and culture. With a background that spans stand-up comedy, radio broadcasting, and serious journalism—including bylines in&nbsp;The New York Times,&nbsp;The Guardian, and&nbsp;ABC RN—Sami cuts through the noise with biting satire, relentless wit, and just enough sarcasm to keep us all from screaming into the void.News Weakly&nbsp;isn’t just about the headlines—it’s about the hypocrisy, the absurdity, and the sheer chaos behind them. Whether it's Australian politics, international disasters, or billionaires doing dumb things, Sami delivers a fresh, fearless take that keeps listeners informed&nbsp;and&nbsp;entertained.With a growing and engaged audience of news junkies, comedy lovers, and politics obsessives,&nbsp;News Weakly&nbsp;is the perfect space for advertisers looking to reach smart, curious, and highly engaged listeners.Get in on the conversation. Stay ahead of the spin. And never trust a headline again.New episodes every week.<hr> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

Comedy

News Weakly is the sharpest, funniest, and most professional news satire podcast in Australia—where we punch the news in the headlines… weakly. Hosted by multi-award-winning comedian, journalist, and author Sami Shah, the show delivers a fast-paced, fiercely intelligent breakdown of the biggest stories in politics, global affairs, and culture. With a background that spans stand-up comedy, radio broadcasting, and serious journalism—including bylines in The New York Times, The Guardian, and ABC RN—Sami cuts through the noise with biting satire, relentless wit, and just enough sarcasm to keep us all from screaming into the void. News Weakly isn’t just about the headlines—it’s about the hypocrisy, the absurdity, and the sheer chaos behind them. Whether it's Australian politics, international disasters, or billionaires doing dumb things, Sami delivers a fresh, fearless take that keeps listeners informed and entertained. With a growing and engaged audience of news junkies, comedy lovers, and politics obsessives, News Weakly is the perfect space for advertisers looking to reach smart, curious, and highly engaged listeners. Get in on the conversation. Stay ahead of the spin. And never trust a headline again. New episodes every week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

News Weakly&nbsp;is the sharpest, funniest, and most professional news satire podcast in Australia—where we punch the news in the headlines… weakly.Hosted by multi-award-winning comedian, journalist, and author&nbsp;Sami Shah, the show delivers a fast-paced, fiercely intelligent breakdown of the biggest stories in politics, global affairs, and culture. With a background that spans stand-up comedy, radio broadcasting, and serious journalism—including bylines in&nbsp;The New York Times,&nbsp;The Guardian, and&nbsp;ABC RN—Sami cuts through the noise with biting satire, relentless wit, and just enough sarcasm to keep us all from screaming into the void.News Weakly&nbsp;isn’t just about the headlines—it’s about the hypocrisy, the absurdity, and the sheer chaos behind them. Whether it's Australian politics, international disasters, or billionaires doing dumb things, Sami delivers a fresh, fearless take that keeps listeners informed&nbsp;and&nbsp;entertained.With a growing and engaged audience of news junkies, comedy lovers, and politics obsessives,&nbsp;News Weakly&nbsp;is the perfect space for advertisers looking to reach smart, curious, and highly engaged listeners.Get in on the conversation. Stay ahead of the spin. And never trust a headline again.New episodes every week. Hosted on Acast. See <a href="https://acast.com/privacy" rel="noopener noreferrer">acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.

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News Weakly 197: Strong Laws, Weak Thinking

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