【Text/Observer Network Zhang Zhaodong】
"The last and best hope on earth" "The most beloved and powerful leader in the world has come here to bless us." ”
Indian Prime Minister Rendra Modi made headlines on the front page of the US media "New York Times" and was still touted? Recently, this screenshot of the front page of the suspected New York Times on September 26 went viral on social media, and many Indian netizens were proud of it. Soon, however, a number of media outlets came forward to crack down on the forgery, pointing out that the picture was forged.
Image from the printed media "The Quint"
According to a number of Indian media reports such as "The Print" and "The Quint", a picture of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the front page of the New York Times recently went viral on social media. The headline on the front page of the online New York Times featured several big words — "The Last and Best Hope on Earth," and the subtitle was "The World's Most Beloved and Powerful Leader Came Here to Bless Us."
The image has been circulated on social media such as Twitter, Facebook and WhatsApp, and some Indian netizens are very proud of it.
"Needless to say."
"Proud of my Prime Minister."
One WhatsApp user wrote: "Modi is on the front page of America's largest newspaper, and what could be more proud of?"
However, these excited netizens were quickly poured a basin of cold water, and the pictures circulated on the Internet were counterfeited by many Indian media.
Images circulated online show the date of Sept. 26, when Modi just finished his three-day visit to the United States. During his visit, he also gave speeches to the United Nations General Assembly and met with US President Joe Biden and Vice President Harris.
However, in the front page of the New York Times on the 26th, there was no report about Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Screenshot of the front page of The New York Times on September 26
In addition, this screenshot of the heavily forwarded Modi on the front page of the New York Times is even more flawed.
The date "September" was misspelled as "Setpembe", the newspaper's number and pricing did not match the real New York Times, and the picture under Modi's large picture said that the font used was different from the original New York Times, and the content was very loose: "His Highness Modi is signing on a blank piece of paper to bless our country... Ha, ha, Modi. ”
The Observer Network found that Modi's photo was taken on March 12, 2021, when he visited the Gandhi Memorial in Sabarmati, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India, and signed the visitor register.
Screenshot from the official Twitter feed of the Press and Information Authority of India
It is worth mentioning that the phrase "The last and best hope on earth" in the big headline of this fake picture comes from President Abraham Lincoln during the American Civil War.
On December 1, 1862, Abraham Lincoln presented his second annual report to the United States Congress, in which he wrote: "While giving freedom to slaves, we also guarantee the freedom of free men—all that we give and protect are equally honorable." We will be noblely saved, or despicablely lost, the last and best hope on earth. ”
After Lincoln, this sentence was quoted by many American politicians and leaders in their speeches to boast.
This article is an exclusive manuscript of the Observer Network and may not be reproduced without authorization.