Ten Minutes On...

In this episode of Ten Minutes On… , Guy Burton explores the latest US- and Qatar-brokered peace deal between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, signed last week in Washington. We examine how it builds on—or differs from—the June 2025 agreement, the humanitarian commitments it includes, and the practical challenges of enforcement on the ground. Guy looks at the ongoing violence in easter...

In this episode of Ten Minutes On… , we break down Taiwan’s $40 billion defence boost announcement last week and explore whether it can truly deter China. Host Guy Burton takes you beyond the headlines to examine the strategic, political, and military dimensions of this landmark announcement, including Taiwan’s multi-layered missile defences, asymmetric capabilities and domestic debates over secur...

In this week’s episode of Ten Minutes On… , we unpack the latest developments shaping global governance. First, we examine COP30 in Belém, exploring what agreements were reached, the pledges for the Loss and Damage Fund, and the challenges facing the UN climate architecture in tackling the growing climate crisis. We break down the funding commitments, highlight what was left out — including fossil...

In this Ten Minutes On... episode, host Guy Burton examines New Zealand’s recent Supreme Court ruling on Uber drivers — an important moment in a much wider global debate over gig-worker rights. We place the decision alongside key cases in Europe, North America, Latin America, Africa and Asia to show how courts and regulators are grappling with the same questions: employment status, platform power,...

As the world marks Armistice Day, this week’s Ten Minutes On… draws a striking parallel between the memory of past conflicts and today’s global fight against climate change. Host Guy Burton examines what’s at stake at COP30 in Belém, Brazil, where negotiators are struggling to keep the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C goal alive. With the United States pulling back under Trump’s renewed presidency, Brazil’...

In this episode of Ten Minutes On… , Guy Burton breaks down the new US–China trade deal and its global impact. From tariffs and rare-earths to critical minerals and supply chains, we explore how this “truce” affects not just the US and China, but Asia, Europe, the Americas, Africa, and the Middle East. What does the deal mean for global growth, political influence, and economic rivalry? Is it a te...

Is the AI boom creating a financial bubble poised to burst? In this episode, host and political analyst Guy Burton explores the skyrocketing valuations of AI-related companies, investor behaviour echoing the dot-com era and the real economic risks if the bubble bursts. We compare today’s frenzy with past tech and non-tech bubbles, explain why predicting a crash is so difficult, and break down what...

In this episode of Ten Minutes On… , Guy Burton unpacks a turbulent week across Latin America — from US covert operations in Venezuela to Bolivia’s post-socialist political shift and Peru’s latest presidential upheaval. What do these crises reveal about the region’s deeper fault lines: fragile institutions, economic strain, and rising global competition for influence? As China deepens its reach th...

After two years of war, Israel and Hamas have agreed to a fragile ceasefire. Hostages are set to be released, Israeli forces will withdraw from Gaza, and aid is moving again — but for how long? Guy Burton explains what the Gaza deal actually means, why it happened now, and why it may not last. From political pressure in Israel and Hamas’s weakened position to U.S. election-year diplomacy, this ten...

Nearly a year after Assad’s fall, Syria is voting again — but what do these indirect elections really mean? Join me, Guy Burton, as we unpack the fragile politics, economic challenges, and foreign influences shaping the “New Syria,” and ask whether the country can turn this tentative peace into lasting stability.

Russia’s latest drone attack on Kyiv highlights how military drones are transforming modern warfare. In this episode of Ten Minutes On… , Guy Burton explores Ukraine’s cutting-edge drone tactics, lessons from U.S. drone strikes in the Global War on Terror and the ethical and legal challenges of AI-powered and autonomous drones. Discover how drones are shaping battlefield strategy, civilian risk an...

What happens when governments hand power to algorithms? In this episode, we take a sharp look at Diella , Albania’s world-first AI “minister,” and ask whether she’s fighting corruption or just window dressing for Prime Minister Rama’s EU ambitions. From Tirana to London, Paris, and Singapore, we explore how AI is reshaping policymaking, the promises and pitfalls revealed in new OECD and Institute...

Government debt is back in the headlines. From Britain’s stretched finances to France’s budget battles and America’s ballooning deficits, the numbers look grim. In this episode, we dig into why debt has piled up in advanced economies, how today’s challenges differ from those in emerging markets, and why the old post-war model of borrowing has broken down. We’ll look at the limited — and often unpa...

Kim Jong Un just took his daughter to Beijing — signalling the future of North Korea’s dictatorship. In this episode, we unpack what her debut means for succession, nuclear power and Pyongyang’s dangerous new ties with Russia and China.

This week on 10 Minutes On , we look at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in China. Are Russia, China, and India really forming an alliance — or is the picture more about image, influence, and a shifting world order?

Last Thursday, the United States and China reached a new trade agreement, lifting export restrictions on rare earth materials. In this episode of Ten Minutes On... , host Guy Burton takes a step back from the immediate headlines to explore the broader landscape of the rare earths market. Rather than a narrow news recap, this episode offers a wider perspective on the geopolitical, economic, and env...

In this episode of Ten Minutes On , we unpack Pakistan’s surprising decision to nominate Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize — on the very same day he ordered airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. Join us as we explore the contradictions and geopolitical calculations behind this bizarre moment in international diplomacy. What motivated Pakistan’s move? How does it reflect its position betwe...

After Israel launched airstrikes on Iran and Iran hit back, we've now observed nearly a week of war between the two. But why did this happen and what are the consequences for both Israel and Iran, as well as other major actors like the US, other Western actors and supposed Iranian partners like China and Russia? To answer these questions, Guy takes a deep dive into the developments that have...

In this episode of Ten Minutes On… , we explore the shifting landscape of the global economy in 2025. From renewed US-China trade talks and China’s rare earth export controls to signs of deflation in Beijing and cautious optimism from central banks in Europe, India, and the US — what do these developments tell us about where the world economy might be heading? We unpack the data, the diplomacy, an...

In this week’s episode of Ten Minutes On... , we explore the eerie déjà vu of U.S. policy towards Iran’s nuclear programme. From the Obama-era JCPOA to Trump’s dramatic withdrawal and back again to something suspiciously similar—what exactly is America trying to achieve? And does it even know? Dr Guy Burton dissects the latest round of U.S.–Iran nuclear negotiations, the inconsistencies between pu...

 In this week’s episode of Ten Minutes On , we take a closer look at the growing political unrest and economic crisis in Argentina , where President Javier Milei’s austerity measures have triggered widespread protests. With the country grappling with inflation, pension cuts, and social discontent , we ask: what’s really driving the turmoil, and how are different groups—from football ultras to pens...

Last week US President Donald Trump's visit to the Gulf region - Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE. What does this mean for those countries as well as other regional states like Turkey, Israel and Iran, as well as for other, outside powers like China and Europe?

On Monday the militant Kurdish group the PKK announced that it would dissolve itself, supposedly bringing an end to its 40-year armed struggle against Turkey. What has been the reaction to that announcement and what are the prospects for a better political future for Turkey's Kurds as a result?

Last week the prospects of war between India and Pakistan rose, following the murder of 26 Indian tourists by Islamist militants in Kashmir two weeks ago. In this episode, Guy looks at what military action might look like, what outside actors like the US and China could do to restrain the two sides and the wider economic and development context in which these two states and their societies are ope...

Following Pope Francis's death and funeral, attention is now turning to who will succeed him at the conclave scheduled for 7 May. But as Guy points out, that's not how those in the Vatican are approaching this. He points out the importance of the general congregation that is taking right now, where interventions are being made on Francis's actions and legacy are being discussed, alo...