2025 wasn't all doom and gloom — there was plenty to smile about as well. Here’s a look back at some of The Associated Press video stories that captured attention around the world and provided moments of brightness throughout the year.

A humpback whale bit off more than it wanted to chew off the coast of Chile. Adrián Simancas thought he was dead, but the whale released him unharmed. His dad captured the whole thing on video. The world collectively screamed, and then cheered.

Floodwaters from Typhoon Wipha filled a Philippine church, but Jade Rick Verdillo and Jamaica Aguilar decided that love is stronger than the weather. So they went ahead with their wedding, wading through knee-deep water with their cheering guests.

A baby seal walks into a bar. That isn't the setup to a joke — it actually happened in New Zealand. Bella Evans, co-owner of the Sprig + Fern The Meadows, said "Grab the salmon!" Patrons used the fish to lure the seal into a cage and take it to safety.

In Mexico, a quinceañera is a traditional coming-of-age celebration to mark a girl’s 15th birthday. But so few guests showed up at Isela Santiago Morales' party that her father posted on Facebook that he had plenty of food that shouldn't go to waste.

What followed was a national outpouring of support — and a bash at a stadium with thousands of guests and more than a dozen musical groups. Among Isela's presents were a scholarship and a plot of land.

Leave it to a cat to turn petty crime into joy. From socks to clothespins, this furry felon stole half the laundry in his New Zealand neighborhood, earning the legendary title “Leonardo da Pinchy.”

In Nepal, joy and tradition intertwined as a tiny girl with a serene gaze was carried through festival-crowded streets to begin a sacred new chapter. At just 2 years old, Aryatara Shakya became Nepal’s newest Kuma _ a living goddess.

An AP photo captured a dapper man at the crime scene of the Louvre heist. As the photo went viral, people around the world speculated who it might be — a detective? An insider? An AI-generated image? Pedro Garzon Delvaux let them wonder, choosing mystery over the spotlight before coming out as a 15-year-old fan of fictional detectives who had accidentally wandered into global fame.

Finally, two Brazilian nuns went viral after delivering an impromptu performance on a Catholic television program.

Sister Marizele Cassiano, who helps young people struggling with drug addiction, told the AP that the whole thing was spontaneous.