Ten Minutes On...

On 7 October Reuters reported that BP was scaling back its climate change strategy. To what extent was this an isolated incident or are other energy companies doing the same? In this episode we learn that other companies are also pulling back from green energy investments and both keeping and building on fossil fuel development and production, which will have severe repercussions for wider efforts...

In this episode, we explore the escalating conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, examining the current state of affairs in Lebanon or its politics and people. Additionally, we discuss Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s recent visit to the U.S., including his meeting with Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. We’ll unpack Trump’s stance on the Ukraine war and assess how...

In this episode, we delve into the recent escalation of the conflict that began on 7 October last year, with Israel expanding its military operations into Lebanon. We look beyond Israel’s attacks on Hezbollah’s communications systems and recent bombardments in southern Lebanon to ask what's driving this widening of the conflict? We consider the domestic political motivations behind Prime Mini...

This week we explore recent political and economic developments across South Asia, focusing on key recent events in countries like India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. From elections and political change to economic challenges and emerging trends, I break down what’s driving instability and uncertainty in the region. Tune in for insights on how these dynamics may shape the future, and feel...

The UK's Labour Chancellor (finance minister) Rachel Reeves is in the news this week for announcing her plans to cut winter fuel allowance as part of a reponse to the public deficit left by the previous Conservative government. Her argument echoes similar claims made by the Conservatives when they came to power and justified their decision to implement austerity measures - and which led to a...

Hello! After my summer hiatus I'm back to provide some commentary and analysis on some of the biggest stories happening each week. Because I was away, I have decided to look at 2 stories that caught my eye in the past month - the election in Venezuela and its aftermath and Ukraine's decision to invade Russian territory - as well as some more recent events, including Israel's revulsi...

The IMF published its latest estimate for the global economy in its World Economic Outlook on Tuesday. As well as looking at what it said in that and its previous April report, Guy has a look at IMF's predicted growth rates and the actual ones since 2014 to get a sense of how accurate they are and why it's important that it does so. This is the last episode ahead of a short summer break....

NATO is holding its 75th anniversary summit in Washington this week. But beyond the current challenges it faces (Ukraine, the next US president), what is holding it together or pulling it apart? And what are its future prospects?

After the first round of the French elections on Sunday, 30 June, it looks like the far right is in the driving seat. This is just the latest in a wave of far right votes and sentiment. But what's caused it? Guy digs into some of the research, noting that its rise predates the Great Recession of 2008-9 and that cultural and nativist concerns arguably trump those of (individual) economic crisi...

Last week Russian President Vladmir Putin travelled to Pyongyang where he looked to establish closer ties with North Korean leader, Kim Jong-Un. Why did this happen and why now? What are the implications of the deal for the two countries and others in the East Asia region, including China, Japan and South Korea? But while it's perceived as a threat to Western interests and those of their regi...

Arguably what makes a power great--or indeed global--is its economy. But while China has garnered considerable attention for its apparent ability to rival the United States and the West in terms of political influence, how accurate is this? In reality, China's economy is weaker than it looks, with less consumer and investor confidence and a housing market bubble that Beijing is trying to defl...

What might be the repercussions of the European elections that were concluded on June 2? What could be the effects of the boosted right (both far right and centre-right) and weaker left and centre-left (including social democracts, liberals and greens) in the European Parliament? To answer these questions, Guy looks at three important policy areas for the incoming Commission and Parliament - immig...

Elections have been held and concluded in the past week in South Africa, India and Mexico - three of the world's largest economies and three important countries in the emerging world. In this episode, Guy looks at who has won or is likely to win in each country and the underlying economic conditions. While he notes the likelihood of political continuity in economically booming India and Mexic...

The British General Election campaign got underway with a policy bolt from the blue: national service. In this episode, Guy looks at how this policy would fit in with the UK Government's most recent Defence Review, some of the findings from researchers in economic and civic terms and which other countries employ some form of mandatory military service, including Scandinavian ones like Denmark...

What's happening in Georgia? is it as simple as it's sometimes portrayed in the Western media, as a case of East versus West or Georgia caught between joining Europe or following the Russian path? To explore this, Guy Burton looks at some of the wider politics taking place in Georgia as well as the limited economic advances. He notes that although Georgia is classified as "partly fr...

Is the Russia-Ukraine war a proxy war? What can data from other proxy conflicts (most of them civil wars, admittedly) tell us about the relationship between proxies and external sponsors and the eventual outcomes of those wars? Guy Burton looks at some of the data that's been provided by the Uppsala Conflict Development Program and analysed by others to get an indication on where the conflict...

In the past week a possible ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas has broken down and Israel is following through on its long-planned offensive into Rafah. These developments have caused jitters among Israel's friends in the West. Yet even though it's unlikely the US and others will abandon Israel just yet, there are factors which may give them pause for thought, from the lack of any s...

Following the passing of the UK Government's Rwanda scheme last week, Guy takes a broader look at migration, and irregular migration in particular. He looks at the figures in the UK and globally and summarises the main reasons for migration and the policy options available to governments to respond to migration. These include more puntive ones along more reward-oriented ones. Guy then looks a...

With more than 14,000 killed, more than half the population needing humanitarian assistance and 8 million people displaced so far, Sudan has become the world's "forgotten war". As the first anniversary of the war's outbreak passes, Guy Burton looks at why the war matters, what caused the fighting to start, who is involved and what the prospects are for an eventual ceasefire.

What's going on between Israel and Iran? On Saturday Iran launched a massive missile and drone strike against Israel. Almost none of them got through the assorted air defences. But what prompted Iran to do this and what was the wider context in which this happened? What are Israel's options and why are they flawed? In slightly more than 10 minutes (!), Guy Burton highlights the risks ass...

What is Ten Minutes On...? I'm Guy Burton, a scholar, writer and occasional media commentator who is venturing into a new podcast where we delve into emerging or developing stories and events and try to bring some broader context and analysis in order to understand what's going on. Ten Minutes On... is designed to provide a short and concise look at political and world events and will be...