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 security and sovereignty. We analyse regional reactions from Japan, Europe and the United States, and consider the potential consequences of Chinese aggression for Taiwan, East Asia and global supply chains. Whether you’re interested in geopolitics, Indo-Pacific security or the future of U.S.-China-Taiwan relations, this episode offers clarity, context and insight into one of the most pressing security issues of 2025.

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 fuel phase-out plans — and discuss emerging alternative frameworks that may complement or challenge the COP process.

Next, we turn to Donald Trump’s recent peace initiatives in Gaza, Ukraine, and Sudan. We explain the contents of the 28-point Ukraine plan, the Gaza Board of Peace, and the Sudanese truce proposal, examining how these efforts compare to traditional liberal peacebuilding and the emerging post-liberal peace model. We also explore the motivations behind Trump’s diplomacy, the role of regional powers like Saudi Arabia and the UAE, and the risks and opportunities for long-term stability.

Throughout the episode, we highlight the parallels between climate and peace initiatives: ambition versus implementation, power asymmetries, and the tension between global frameworks and local legitimacy. Whether you’re following international climate policy, global conflict resolution, or the evolving landscape of post-liberal governance, this episode provides context, analysis, and critical insight into some of the most pressing global challenges today.

Listen now to understand the latest on COP30 fallout, Trump’s peace plans, and what the future holds for global crisis diplomacy. Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share to support Ten Minutes On…, and join in conversation with me on Blue Sky, LinkedIn or through my website at guyburton.net.

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, and worker protections. We also look at California’s Proposition 22 and the tens of millions spent by platforms to shape public opinion and policy. Bringing in historical parallels with earlier waves of precarious labour, the episode explores what these rulings — taken together — signal about the future of work, the gig economy’s business model, and the politics unfolding around them. This ten-minute briefing is designed to help listeners make sense of a fast-changing global landscape.

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’s unorthodox diplomacy, China and the EU’s carbon market partnership, and developing nations demanding real finance, COP30 has become a test of whether multilateral climate politics can still function—or whether we are witnessing the slow unravelling of the system built in 2015.

Ten Minutes On… COP30 in Brazil: Can the World Still Limit Warming to 1.5°C? — a sharp, accessible look at climate power politics, diplomacy, and what success (or failure) in Belém could mean for the planet’s future.

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 temporary pause or the start of a new era of managed competition? Drawing on various observations, analyses and insights made since the deal was signed, this episode delivers ten minutes of clear, expert analysis on the story everyone is watching. 

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 it all means for markets, jobs and the economy. (Slight more than) Ten minutes to understand the AI hype and its hidden dangers.

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 through lithium and infrastructure deals and Europe promotes its green-energy partnerships, Latin America finds itself at the crossroads of a new geopolitical contest. 

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-minute episode breaks down the stakes, the numbers, and the risks behind the headlines.

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 and the future of war — from precision strikes to asymmetric defence and the emerging global drone arms race.