SaralnamaAlways assume the microphone is switched. It’s a rule that world leaders must remember, but often forget. And it’s thanks to their forgetfulness that we have been able to listen in on the most unguarded, and sometimes embarrassing, moments from towering personalities, including royalty. For instance, the whole world listened in when China’s Xi Jinping and Russia’s strongman Vladimir Putin were caught discussing organ transplants and the possibility of humans living 150 years when they met on Wednesday at China’s biggest and grandest military parade to commemorate the 80 years since the end of World War II. Accompanied by North Korea’s Kim Jong-un, Xi and Putin were heard deep in conversation with the Russian leader’s interpreter being heard saying in Chinese, “Biotechnology is continuously developing. “Human organs can be continuously transplanted. The longer you live, the younger you become,… (Updated 4 Sep 2025, 14:07 IST; source: link)
Key Points
- Always assume the microphone is switched
- It’s a rule that world leaders must remember, but often forget
- And it’s thanks to their forgetfulness that we have been able to listen in on the most unguarded, and sometimes embarrassing, moments from towering personalities, including royalty