A new pope, a mayoral victory and a drunk raccoon: Guardian US readers on their favorite news moments of 2025

There were some bright spots in a year of dark news stories - here are the ones that brought readers the most joy

2025 has been a trying year. From the devastating Los Angeles wildfires to mass federal layoffs in Washington DC to the assassination of the rightwing political activist Charlie Kirk, individuals of all walks of life have been affected by economic concerns, political division, climate change and beyond.

Still, there were bright spots in the darkness. We asked Guardian readers to share some of their favorite news moments of the year.