Welcome to the week of Blue Monday. With January doldrums high, we’ve pulled together some of Reuters’ best journalism from the past week to lift your mood and inspire your story telling.

From separating fact from fiction using our exclusive Manipulated Media course, to reporting on the Royal runaround and the unexpected change in Venice’s precipitation, Reuters has got the news that’s making waves this week. 

Would you lie to me?

If you do one thing this week, take the Reuters fake video challenge; a reality bending course designed to test the user’s ability to separate fact from fiction. Reuters have worked in partnership with Facebook to create a platform where all isn’t as it seems– where people are airbrushed out of existence in minutes, and where what appears true is actually false.

There are hazardous times ahead for news gathering practices thanks to the ubiquity of fake news and video. This course is an essential companion to newsrooms across the glob; developed by Hazel Baker, Global Head of UGC Newsgathering, the 20 minute course tests the limits of perception and will help newsrooms to challenge and identify news manipulation. 

The course is developed in four languages and is free of charge via our website.

Hello, goodbye HRH

With a decision finally reached, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are set to renounce their titles in the coming days. An exit almost as contentious as #Brexit, from Argentina to Bolivia, Colombia to Vietnam, there probably isn’t a country in the world that hasn’t used our coverage of the British royal exit. 

While the story has presented a huge challenge for our news video operations- Reuters have developed fresh content driven by new angles and reactions that have driven the story forward. Adding momentum to this landmark story, Reuters has consistently delivered content which has resonated with our global audience. 

The tide is low but we’re holding on…

Only two month ago Reuters were reporting on the landmark flooding in Venice, now the iconic cities canals run dry. Whilst the low tide is not unprecedented it is certainly an interesting change– and our customers have agreed. Used across the world, our footage has been extremely popular with our customers, as the Floating City’s calling card is under strain once again.

Don’t blow it!

Our visuals team in Manila was quick on the road after a restive volcano in the Philippines spewed massive ash clouds that prompted thousands of people to flee in fear of a violent eruption. Our initial coverage on the evacuees was extremely popular, thanks to the combination of angles taken by our journalists. 

Examining the human cost of the ash eruption, Reuters reported on the effects to tourism and animal rescue, alongside compelling personal insight pieces. From a farmer harvesting grey pineapples to a grandmother sewing hundreds of face masks for free to help the community, our journalists got to the heart of this standout event. 

Flipping great news

One of the best pieces of viral news from last week came from the development of a prosthetic flipper for a sea turtle. Captured beautifully on film, the innovation could be revolutionary for injured animals in the wild. Our journalists highlighted the astonishing breakthrough with an amazing underwater clip, that shows the turtle skimming through the water. 

Animal rescue stories were of huge importance to our customers this week; the dog that can sniff out koalas, an airdrop of food for wallabies, koalas being nursed back to health were all among the most popular videos on social media last week for our clients. Our original storytelling in this arena has created huge interest amongst our customers, as audiences search for relief amid the wildlife crisis in Australia. 

Iranian Missile

In the wake of Iran missiles falling on Iraqi military base, Ain al-Asad, an exclusive group of journalists were invited to report on the destruction. Reuters journalist and Baghdad bureau chief John Davison was a member of that team. 

Using a variety of resources, John compiled a comprehensive report using audio and video that differentiated Reuters content from the competition. Pushing to use a variety of multimedia paid off, as the footage was extremely popular amongst our customers.    

Visit Reuters Connect for more footage from January to excite your audiences.