Bruno Mars is finally returning as a solo artist with his long-awaited fourth studio album, ‘The Romantic’, set for release on February 27.

This marks his first solo project in nearly a decade, following 2016’s ‘24K Magic’, a Grammy-winning record that solidified his place in pop history.

Throughout 2025, Mars maintained a strong presence through high-profile collaborations.

His duet with Lady Gaga, ‘Die With a Smile,’ topped the Billboard Hot 100 for five weeks. He also appeared alongside Sexyy Red for ‘Fat Juicy & Wet’ and Rosé for ‘APT.,’ earning critical acclaim.

While he hasn’t released a solo album recently, he certainly hasn’t been quiet.

In 2021, he swept the Grammys with Anderson .Paak as one-half of Silk Sonic. Their record ‘An Evening With Silk Sonic’ dominated the R&B charts, proving his musical magic never actually left.

In this year’s update, the Oxford English Dictionary has officially added eight new Korean words.

The new entries include everyday terms tied to food, social life, and living spaces, showing how the Korean language has moved from a niche interest to mainstream English usage worldwide.

Here are the newly added Korean words in the OED, along with their definitions:
Ramyeon (noun): Chinese-style wheat-flour noodles, dehydrated and sold pre-packaged as a convenience food to be reconstituted with hot water and mixed with freeze-dried vegetables and powdered seasonings.

• Haenyeo (noun): a female free-diver who harvests seafood as a means of livelihood.

• Sunbae (noun):  a member of a group or organization considered senior on account of age or experience, who can give guidance or assistance to a junior member. Also as a respectful title or form of address.

Ajumma (noun): a middle-aged or older woman, esp. one who is married. Also used as a form of address.

• Bingsu (noun): A Korean dessert of shaved ice with various sweet toppings such as condensed milk, red beans, chopped fruit, fruit syrup, etc.

• Jjimjilbang (noun): a bathhouse providing facilities for cleansing or relaxing such as hot and cold baths, traditional Korean kiln saunas, showers, and massage tables, as well as other amenities such as lounges, snack bars, exercise rooms, and sleeping areas with bunk beds or mats.

• Officetel (noun): a building with commercial as well as residential units. Also: a flat in such a building, typically a furnished studio apartment.

• Korean barbecue (noun): A Korean dish of thinly sliced, marinated meat such as chicken, pork, or beef, usually served raw to be cooked by the diner on a tabletop grill.

The additions mark another year of Korean vocabulary entering the OED, a trend driven by the Korean Wave.

Scholars note once a word is included, it remains permanently, underscoring how Korean language and culture are securing a lasting place in global English and modern communication.

On December 31, 2025, 68-year-old Mary Yu retired from the Washington Supreme Court, concluding 11 years of service.

As the state’s first Asian American, Latina, and openly gay justice, she leaves a trailblazing legacy, breaking barriers and championing inclusion, and representation.

Born in Chicago to a Chinese father and Mexican mother, Yu grew up immersed in diverse cultures.

She graduated from St. Mary’s High School in 1975 and went on to earn a theology degree from Dominican University in 1979.

After college, Yu worked for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago, initially as a secretary for the Office of Peace and Justice.

She eventually rose to director, advocating for social justice and community programs.

Yu spent 14 years as a trial court judge in King County Superior Court before her Supreme Court appointment in 2014.

During that time, she presided over historic moments, including marrying Washington’s first same-sex couple in 2012, a milestone she described as ‘magical.’

Yu became the first openly LGBTQ justice on Washington’s Supreme Court, as well as the first Asian-American and Latina-American.

She also became the 11th woman to serve, joining a growing number of female and LGBTQ justices shaping the court’s future.

“I have spent a lot of time mentoring and teaching those younger than me to embrace life, lead, and to make a difference,” Yu said in a statement.

“As a result of those relationships, I have confidence in the next generation. They will defend and protect the courts that I love so deeply.”