Iran Dispute: Number of Ahmadinejad Fans --- 2.2 Billion or 31?

France 24 looks at the audience scorecard for Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's speech at the United General Assembly on 23 September.

The initial tally from Fars News, citing reader comments on an article on France 24.com, was 2.2 billion --- or about one comment for every three people on Earth and 1 1/2 comments for every Web user on the planet. 

Unfortunately for Iranian media and for Ahmadinejad, France 24 did some checking. Its article on the speech, in French and English, prompted 25 comments on the French version and six on the English. version, and 25 for the French. 

Fars' original article has now disappeared, but France 24 provides a very helpful screen-shot.

Iran Breaking: The False Rumour of 7 "Captured" US Troops

UPDATE 1305 GMT: Now to the Important Question....Which Iranian official started the story of the captured troops and why? 

Starting point has to be the Revolutionary Guard, given that its outlet Javan (again, not Fars, which may have repeated the story but soon deleted it) started the rumour. But with Javan soon pulling its attempted scoop and apologising, I doubt anyone will be admitting responsibility.

Indeed, Press TV brings a smile with its coverage: "Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) rejects rumors of seven US troops being detained on the border of southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchestan."

Somehow, Press TV forgets to mention who started those rumours....

UPDATE 1225 GMT: Mystery Solved. Javan, which started the story that seven US troops had been captured, has just posted that "the news is not true" and has apologised to its readers.

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The Latest from Iran (12 September): Activist Nazar Ahari Freed

2240 GMT: Picture of the Day. Activist Shiva Nazar Ahari leaving Evin Prison tonight after she was freed on $500,000 bail. Nazar Ahari had been in detention since July 2009.

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