As far as grotesqueries go, it's hard to beat the candid musings of Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping caught by a hot mic in Beijing last week.

Create a free account to read this article

Login or signup to continue reading

Continue with Email

Continue with Google

Continue with Apple

There was something decidedly off seeing two of the world's leading autocrats talking about achieving immortality through organ transplants and biotechnology at a massive parade showcasing China's instruments of death.

You could almost hear humanity's collective cry at the spectacle: "Oh, spare us!"

Both men are 72, both leaders for life in their respective countries. And both, as their exchange revealed, dream of extending their tenures for as long as possible.

It's fanciful, of course, not least beca

See Full Page