Ten Minutes On...

Two headlines. One global crisis. As Iraq pushes to pump more oil and Europe endures another deadly heatwave, these stories might seem unrelated. In fact, they're connected by a single paradox: countries are racing to extract more fossil fuels even as climate change accelerates. This Ten Minutes On... episode by Guy Burton explores why Iraq wants to leave OPEC, why oil producers are trying to...

Following Ukraine's long range drone strikes against Russia last week, this episode examines the shifting narrative around the Russia–Ukraine war, where recent commentary has begun to suggest Ukraine is gaining momentum while Russia is weakening. It challenges that assumption by showing a more uneven and unstable reality: stalled frontlines, intensified drone warfare, continued Russian mobili...

Migration sits at the centre of political tension in two very different European contexts this week. In Northern Ireland, a violent incident acted as a catalyst for a rapid and fragmented response, combining peaceful protest and grievances around housing and asylum accommodation with episodes of disorder, which were then contained through policing and public order measures. In Switzerland, voters...

With the World Cup kicking off this week, attention is fixed on goals, drama and national glory—but behind the spectacle lies a harder question: what does hosting the world’s biggest sporting event actually deliver? This episode cuts through the hype to examine the economics and politics of mega-events, asking whether tournaments like the World Cup generate lasting transformation or simply recycle...

Ebola has returned to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with hundreds of suspected cases reported and transmission now reaching across borders into Uganda. But this episode is not just about a virus — it is about what happens when outbreaks emerge in conflict zones where healthcare systems are overstretched, infrastructure is weak, and international support is shrinking. We break down what Ebo...

Pakistan was never supposed to be at the centre of negotiations between the United States and Iran. Yet, as ceasefire talks repeatedly collapse into threats, contradictions and diplomatic theatre, Islamabad has emerged as the unlikely middleman in one of the world’s most dangerous conflicts. In this episode of Ten Minutes On… , Guy Burton examines why Pakistan stepped into the role of mediator, wh...

In this episode of Ten Minutes On… , Guy Burton examines the deepening crisis in Cuba and the growing contradiction at the heart of US policy towards Havana. As fuel shortages, blackouts and protests push Cuba towards its worst humanitarian crisis in decades, Washington has intensified sanctions and tightened the blockade — while simultaneously opening quiet talks with the regime. Why? This episod...

Britain’s local elections have exposed something bigger than a bad night for Labour or the Conservatives: the collapse of the old two-party system itself. In this episode of Ten Minutes On… , Guy Burton explores why Britain now looks more like a fragmented five-party democracy — and why the UK’s First Past the Post electoral system is struggling to cope. From Reform UK’s surge and the Greens’ rise...

This episode of Ten Minutes On… examines the growing likelihood of an El Niño event in 2026–27 and why it matters far beyond weather forecasts. It explains what El Niño is, how it intensifies extreme climate patterns and why its effects are likely to be more disruptive in today’s warmer world. The episode then connects these environmental shifts to real-world consequences—rising food prices, disru...

Last week’s Berlin conference on Sudan brought together major donors—the United States, Germany, the European Union and others—to rally support for a humanitarian crisis that has displaced 11 million people and left nearly 29 million facing acute hunger. But this episode of Ten Minutes On… looks beyond the headlines to ask a harder question: why is global humanitarian aid falling short just as nee...

In this episode of Ten Minutes On… , Guy Burton examines how the US–Israel war with Iran is feeding into a global economic shock, just as the IMF and World Bank convene in Washington. With oil prices surging, energy supplies disrupted and growth forecasts under pressure, the conflict is no longer just a regional security issue but a driver of inflation, market instability and widening inequality w...

This week on Ten Minutes On… , we investigate why Big Tech is facing a reckoning reminiscent of Big Tobacco. From last week's $375 million verdict against Meta in New Mexico and $6 million ruling in Los Angeles, courts are challenging how platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube are designed — and the harm their algorithms can cause, particularly to children. We explore how these legal...

This week, Viktor Orbán made headlines by blocking a €90 billion EU loan to Ukraine, sparking outrage across Europe. But this is more than a single diplomatic row—it’s a window into how Orbán has built a political system that allows him to bend rules, sideline opponents, and consolidate power since 2010. In this episode, we unpack his long-term strategy, explore the challenges posed by the upcomin...

This week’s episode looks at the growing crisis in the Strait of Hormuz and what it reveals about the fragile geography of global trade. Following US and Israeli strikes on Iran on 28 February and Tehran’s decision to block the Strait, one of the world’s most important energy routes has been thrown into uncertainty. Around 20 million barrels of oil per day – roughly a quarter of global seaborne oi...

In this week’s Ten Minutes On… , Guy Burton examines the growing pressure the war involving Iran is placing on US weapons stockpiles. Modern conflicts consume missiles and interceptors such as Patriot and THAAD far faster than they can be produced, while demand from Ukraine, Israel, and Gulf allies is already stretching supply. The episode looks at efforts by companies like Lockheed Martin and Ray...

This week's episode of Ten Minutes On… examines the domestic political landscapes of the United States and Israel amid the latest US–Israeli military actions against Iran, including the assassination of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.  I explore reactions within Trump’s MAGA base, congressional debates over a War Powers vote and public opinion in the US, drawing on YouGov polling. On t...

In this week's episode of Ten Minutes On… , Guy Burton examines Donald Trump’s recent announcement to declassify government UFO files and explores what it really means. We unpack the political motivations behind the move, from deflection and public distraction to potential electoral considerations. The discussion situates Trump’s actions within the broader history of UFO disclosure, from Cold...

In this week's episode of Ten Minutes On… , Guy Burton examines how the 2026 Munich Security Conference (MSC) was reported and interpreted across the world. While Western media framed Munich as a test of the transatlantic alliance and Europe’s defence commitments, coverage from the Global South focused on systemic strain, shifting power balances, and the limits of Western-led security governa...

In this episode of Ten Minutes On… , Guy Burton examines the United States’ parallel attempts to shape outcomes in two very different conflicts: negotiations over Iran’s nuclear programme and efforts to end the war in Ukraine. Although Washington positions itself as an antagonist in one case and a mediator in the other, both processes are marked by deep mistrust, widening gaps between the parties...

In this week's episode of Ten Minutes On… , Guy Burton explores two seemingly separate AI stories that reveal a shared and unsettling pattern. On one side is the intensifying geopolitical battle over advanced semiconductors, as the United States, China and Europe struggle to balance national security, business interests and technological dominance. On the other is the rise of AI agents intera...

In this episode of Ten Minutes On…, Guy Burton explores how the liberal order is unraveling both internationally and within the United States. He begins with Mark Carney’s speech at the World Economic Forum, highlighting the erosion of the liberal international system and the pragmatic, transactional approach middle powers are now adopting. He then connects this to domestic US politics, examining...

In this episode of Ten Minutes On , podcast creator and host Guy Burton examines the International Monetary Fund’s latest global growth forecast and asks how much confidence we should place in it. While the headline figures suggest steady expansion, the episode looks beneath the surface at where growth is actually coming from, the risks posed by trade tensions, and the growing reliance on producti...

This week on Ten Minutes On… , Guy Burton uses the Grok controversy on X as a lens to examine football’s online choices. He asks why Premier League clubs remain active on a platform whose design amplifies abuse and misogyny, despite the FA running safeguarding and anti-racism campaigns and when more than 70% of Premier League players are non-British—the very groups targeted by online hostility. He...

In this episode of Ten Minutes On , Guy Burton examines the US operation against Venezuela and what it reveals about a world in which rules increasingly no longer hold. Using the removal of Nicolás Maduro as a starting point, the episode explores historical precedents, global reactions, and the limits of international law when exercised against powerful states. It argues that rather than moving to...

Can frozen Russian assets really be used to rebuild Ukraine — or is this more leverage than solution? In this episode of Ten Minutes On… , Guy Burton unpacks the European Union’s decision to indefinitely freeze around €210 billion in Russian central bank reserves held in Europe, and why this move matters far beyond the Ukraine war. We explain what these assets actually are, how they ended up in Eu...