It would be funny if it wasn't so serious.
and the NY Slimes is where most of Europe gets their news about the USA...so its just sent out everywhere.
You are right.
I know people in Britain (through the internet) who think the NY TIMES is the authority on any topic.
Part of this is because the NY TIMES is apparently more easily accessed there.
They are always surprised when I tell them the NY TIMES is totally unreliable and filled with mistakes of the most basic facts on a number of different subjects.
And always has been.