At age 22, most people are still trying to finish university, secure their first steady job, or decide what they really want to do in life. This is why the story of Surya Midha has attracted so much global attention. The Indian-origin entrepreneur based in San Francisco, California reportedly became one of the world’s youngest self-made billionaires after the rapid growth of his artificial intelligence startup Mercor, reports Forbes. What makes this achievement even more remarkable is that Midha became a billionaire at an even younger age than Mark Zuckerberg. His journey from college dropout to tech billionaire has quickly become one of the most talked-about startup success stories of 2026, especially as the AI ​​industry is expanding at an extraordinary pace.

How Surya Midha’s Mercor AI recruitment turned into a billion dollar opportunity

Mercor was founded in 2023 by Surya Midha along with his friends Brendan Foody and Adarsh ​​Hiremath. The trio reportedly shared an interest in technology, debating, and entrepreneurship before deciding to start their own company during the growing artificial intelligence boom.The platform helps companies find employees who can contribute to artificial intelligence research, AI model training, technological development, and related projects. What made the startup stand out was its heavy use of artificial intelligence during the recruitment process. According to reports, the platform uses AI systems to conduct interviews, assess skills, evaluate candidates, and match people with companies more efficiently than traditional recruiting methods. Mercor has reportedly positioned itself as a fast and scalable solution for companies struggling to quickly hire qualified talent.

How Mercor went from startup to tech giant in just a few months by 2025

Mercor’s growth during 2025 reportedly surprised even seasoned investors in the technology sector. The company’s annual revenue grew from about $100 million at the beginning of the year to nearly $500 million within a few months, Forbes reports. The growing demand for AI services encouraged major investors to invest significant money in the company. By the end of 2025, Merker is reportedly set to reach a valuation of around $10 billion. That valuation instantly turned all three founders into billionaires, while they were still only 22 years old.Surya Midha currently serves as the company’s president after reportedly transitioning from his previous role as chief operating officer. Reports show that each co-founder owns about 22% of Mercor, giving them massive individual wealth as the company continues to grow. According to recent estimates, Midha’s real-time net worth is believed to be around $2.2 billion as per Forbes report on 14 May 2026.

Surya becomes a billionaire at a younger age than Midha Zuckerberg

One of the reasons why Surya Midha’s success story has gone viral online is because of the comparisons with Mark Zuckerberg. Zuckerberg became a billionaire at the age of 23 following the explosive rise of Facebook, now known as Meta. Reportedly, Midha crossed this milestone at the age of just 22.The comparison highlights how quickly the AI ​​industry is generating enormous wealth for young entrepreneurs. During the social media era, companies like Facebook transformed the Internet. Today, artificial intelligence seems to be creating a new generation of ultra-young tech billionaires even faster.

How Surya Midha went from being a student to a startup founder during the AI ​​boom

Midha reportedly studied at Georgetown University before deciding to drop out of college and focus entirely on the startup. Leaving university is always a big gamble, especially in a competitive industry like technology. For many young entrepreneurs, especially students interested in artificial intelligence, Midha’s story represents the growing belief that age no longer limits success in the startup world. Technology, AI tools, and access to global investment networks have reportedly made it possible for young founders to scale companies faster than ever before.

For decades, stories of billion-dollar company sales have generally followed the same pattern. Founders become rich, investors celebrate massive returns, and employees often get nothing more than praise for their hard work. Recently, Graham Walker has attracted attention after reportedly sharing $240 million with 540 employees following the sale of Fiberbond Corp. to Eaton in a $1.7 billion deal. Before the sale was finalized, Walker insisted that 15% of the proceeds go directly to the employees, even if they did not own shares in the company. The average worker reportedly received approximately $443,000, creating life-changing financial opportunities for many families in the small town of Minden, Louisiana. Similarly, according to a 2025 report from CNBC, Dave’s Hot Chicken, a fast-growing restaurant chain, reportedly turned 19 employees into millionaires after a massive investment deal that valued the company at nearly $1 billion. CEO Bill Phelps says this decision was deliberate from the beginning. At a time when many employees feel disconnected from corporate success, the move has sparked conversations about loyalty, leadership and how companies reward the people who help build them.

Dave’s Hot Chicken The deal that reportedly made managers millionaires

The major turning point came when private equity firm Roark Capital acquired a majority stake in Dave’s Hot Chicken in a deal reportedly worth about $1 billion. Such large investment deals are common in the restaurant industry, but what happened next surprised many.According to Bill Phelps, 19 employees became millionaires through the transaction, NRN reports. The company reportedly rewarded corporate employees, store managers and assistant managers with bonuses that were almost equal to their annual salaries. For many workers, this was potentially a life-changing moment.“I had some investors who said, ‘You’re paying too much money, it’s not right,'” he says. “As investors they were absolutely right to stand up to other investors. They have a fiduciary duty, but I have a duty to the people who built this business, and I was true to the care of all those stakeholders in this deal.”Phelps later explained that some investors were uncomfortable with how much money was being distributed to employees. From a financial perspective, investors often prioritize earning maximum profits and protecting returns for shareholders.

How Dave’s Hot Chicken turned a $900 startup into a nationwide restaurant giant

Dave’s Hot Chicken didn’t start out as a giant corporate brand. The company reportedly started in 2017 when three childhood friends raised just $900 to open a small chicken stand in a Los Angeles parking lot. At the time, few people could have predicted how rapidly the business would grow. Customers were attracted to the restaurant’s spicy chicken, simple menu and strong social media buzz. Within a few years, the brand expanded rapidly throughout the United States and became one of the most talked-about fast-food chains in the industry.The company’s growth accelerated after Bill Phelps joined in 2019. Phelps already had extensive experience in the restaurant business after co-founding Wetzel’s Pretzels and working with several other food brands. With an investor group, he acquired a stake in Dave’s Hot Chicken and helped franchise the business across the country.

Bill Phelps reportedly called his employees ‘partners’

“One of my investors told me I had no idea what management compensation should be,” Phelps says with a laugh. “And he’s right, because I don’t see them as management. I see them as my partners in this journey, and I compensate them as partners in this journey.” According to Phelps, rewarding employees appropriately was part of staying loyal to those who had contributed to Dave’s Hot Chicken from the beginning.Phelps has also said that he does not believe in micromanaging employees because he trusts people to do their jobs well.

The number of lizards in Australia is not large for no reason. In many areas, they almost silently dominate the landscape, moving through bushes, rocks and dry grass in large numbers that become apparent only after spending time there. The continent has an unusually high concentration of reptile species, especially skinks, compared to most of the world. Scientists have been trying for years to understand how one landmass produced such extraordinary diversity while other animal groups remained relatively limited.This explanation appears to be linked to Australia’s long environmental history. Over millions of years the continent gradually changed, becoming drier, hotter and more fragmented. Habitats repeatedly expanded and disappeared. Those changes created opportunities for reptile populations to diverge, adapt to local conditions, and eventually evolve into completely different species. Everything that exists today is the result of accumulation over vast expanses of time rather than a sudden evolutionary event.

How ancient climate change boosted lizard diversity in Australia

Australia was once much wetter than it is now. Parts of the continent had large forest areas before long-term climate drying caused changes in vegetation patterns and converted much of the interior into open woodland, shrubland and desert.According to research published in ScienceDirect, titled ” Phylogeny and divergence times of the Australian sphenomorphous group are reduced.“, the major diversification among Australian skinks appears to be closely linked to these ancient climate changes. The study reconstructed evolutionary relationships in the group Sphenomorphini and found that several lineages expanded during a period when arid environments spread across the continent.Reptiles are not necessarily harmed by dry conditions. Lizards can survive on relatively limited resources and adjust their activity around extreme temperatures. In landscapes where rainfall became unpredictable and food supplies fluctuated, those traits helped them survive while conditions became increasingly difficult for many other animals. Environmental change occurred gradually rather than suddenly. It matters. Populations had time to adapt to local habitats as the ecosystem changed around them over millions of years.

Why did geographic isolation increase the diversity of lizards in Australia?

Australia’s long geographic isolation also shaped what happened next. After separation from Antarctica, the continent remained fairly isolated for the evolution of animal lineages and subsequently experienced relatively little external competition. According to the study, examining Australian desert lizard diversity, many species evolved to occupy highly specialized ecological niches. Some prefer loose dunes while others stick to rocky cliffs, woodland edges, or dense spinifex grasslands. Even closely related species often avoid direct competition by being active at different times of the day or by hunting different prey. That level of ecological isolation allows unusually large numbers of lizards to exist in the same general landscape. Areas that appear similar to humans may actually contain dozens of different micro-habitats based on shade, soil texture, shelter, and temperature variations.Frequent climate instability has probably accelerated this process. The habitat expanded during wet periods and contracted during dry periods, allowing populations to remain isolated for long periods of time and gradually became genetically distinct.

Why skinks became one of Australia’s most successful lizard groups

The Skinks became particularly successful throughout Australia. Although many appear superficially similar, they occupy a remarkable range of environments and lifestyles. Some people remain buried under sand for most of their lives. Others climb vegetation or hide under leaf litter and fallen wood.The recent evolutionary study was published in ScienceDirect, titled “ Sphenomorphini revealed: a phylogenomic framework and generic reappraisal for Australia’s most species-rich vertebrate radiation”, This suggests that the Sphenomorphini radiation continued to spread as new environments emerged across the continent. Some groups adapted well to dry inland habitats, while others remained associated with wetter coastal forests and tropical regions.That flexibility helped create diversity over time. When environmental conditions changed, some populations expanded into new areas, while individual groups adapted to local pressures. Ultimately, those populations became separate species. There are now over a thousand lizard species in Australia, with skinks being one of the largest components of that diversity.

Desert conditions encourage lizard diversity in Australia

Deserts are often imagined to be biologically sparse, yet Australian deserts support unusually rich reptile communities. In some areas, scientists have recorded very high concentrations of lizard species living in relatively small spaces.According to the report of physics.orgAustralian desert reptiles suggest that environmental unpredictability may actually encourage coexistence rather than diminish it. Precipitation falls irregularly, temperatures change rapidly between day and night, and food availability is constantly changing. In those circumstances, species survive by exploiting slightly different resources or activity periods. Small differences become important. One species may forage shortly after sunrise while the other is active later in the day. Some prefer open ground exposed to sunlight, while others stay close to shady vegetation or rocky shelter. Over evolutionary time, those distinctions reduced direct competition enough for many species to coexist. Therefore, Australia’s reptile diversity reflects long-term interactions between climate, geography and adaptation rather than any single defining cause.

US President Donald Trump has left detailed instructions for Vice President JD Vance in case of an assassination attempt or other emergency during his second term, a senior White House official has claimed.Sebastian Gorka, who serves as Deputy Assistant to the President and Senior Director of Counterterrorism, made the comments during an interview on the “Pod Force One” podcast hosted by Miranda Devine.According to the New York Post report, Gorka said, “There’s a letter in the Resolute desk drawer that’s addressed to the Vice President, in case anything happens to him.”“We have protocols, trust me. I can’t discuss them, but we have protocols,” he said.Gorka talked about succession arrangements while discussing security concerns surrounding Trump’s ongoing trip to China.

This comment has come during Trump’s visit to China

Trump is currently in Beijing for high-level talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping focusing on trade relations, artificial intelligence and broader geopolitical tensions.Gorka dismissed fears that foreign powers might attempt to target Trump during the visit, despite calling the president an “existential threat to China.”“He alone stands between them and world domination, so they have every reason in the world to take him out,” Gorka said, before adding that he did not believe such an attack would occur.“I have no fear at all of him doing anything,” he said. “The president is very safe in my estimation.”Gorka also praised Trump’s global influence and said, “Everyone wants recognition from this guy. This is the most powerful man we’ve seen since guys like Eisenhower.”

Trump has survived several assassination attempts

The comments follow several assassination attempts targeting Trump in recent years.Trump survived an assassination attempt during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, in July 2024, when gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks shot and killed the president in the ear before being shot by Secret Service personnel.Another suspect, Ryan Routh, was later arrested for hiding with a rifle near Trump’s Florida golf course. He was charged and later sentenced to life imprisonment, the report said.More recently, another incident occurred during the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in Washington in April, when a suspect identified as Cole Thomas Allen breached a security checkpoint and opened fire before being apprehended by security personnel.Trump, First Lady Melania Trump and JD Vance were evacuated safely.Under the US Constitution, the Vice President is first in line to assume the presidency. The Presidential Succession Act of 1947 further outlines the order of succession after the Vice President.

An outbreak of gastrointestinal illness in Bordeaux, France, led French authorities to order 1,700 passengers and crew to stay on board as people passed by the British cruise ship Ambition.

French authorities eased restrictions on passengers aboard the British cruise ship Ambition on Wednesday after tests confirmed a gastrointestinal virus, likely norovirus and not hantavirus, was behind the outbreak that sickened dozens of people on the ship.The ship, operated by Ambassador Cruise Line, was earlier placed under a temporary lockdown in the port city of Bordeaux after concerns emerged over a possible link to the deadly hantavirus outbreak on the Dutch-flagged MV Hondius.However, French officials said there was “no reason” to link the two incidents.

What happened on board?

About 80 people on the Ambition have developed symptoms associated with an acute digestive infection since Monday, officials said.At least 48 passengers and one crew member were showing gastrointestinal symptoms as of Wednesday morning, according to news agency AP.The ship was carrying 1,233 passengers, mostly from Britain and Ireland, along with 514 crew members.French officials said testing confirmed the outbreak was a “gastro-intestinal infection of viral origin”. No serious cases were reported and asymptomatic passengers were later allowed to disembark.Passengers who remained ill were asked to isolate in their cabin.The ship departed from the Shetland Islands on 6 May and stopped in Belfast and Liverpool before arriving in Bordeaux. It was scheduled to proceed to Spain before returning to Liverpool on 22 May.

Passenger dies during journey

Concerns initially intensified after a 92-year-old British passenger died on the plane.But health officials later said the man had suffered a heart attack and his death was not linked to a gastrointestinal outbreak.“At this stage, no link with the gastroenteritis episode has been established,” officials said, according to news agency AFP.Officials said the passenger’s body was kept on board the ship in accordance with international maritime traditions.

Passengers describe conditions on board

Officials said the restrictions were imposed “out of an abundance of caution” amid global concern over the separate hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius.Seos Guillaidhe, a passenger from Belfast, told AFP via Facebook that life on the ship was continuing relatively normally despite increased hygiene measures.“We are on the ship with extra hygiene guidelines in place. It’s not as bad as it was during Covid. People are functioning normally,” he said while “playing bingo” on the ship.He later said: “We are allowed to disembark, restrictions have been lifted.”Others described more difficult circumstances. “It’s a challenge for the two of us to live in a cabin with bugs,” one infected passenger wrote on Facebook, according to AFP.

Why were the officials alert?

The recent hantavirus outbreak on the MV Hondius led to additional investigation into this outbreak, prompting an international health response.The World Health Organization confirmed eight laboratory cases of Andes virus, the only hantavirus strain known to spread between humans on the Honduras. Three passengers linked to that outbreak died.Health officials stressed that there is currently no evidence linking the Ambition outbreak to hantavirus cases.Cruise ships regularly suffer gastrointestinal outbreaks, often linked to norovirus.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recorded 23 such outbreaks on cruise ships last year.Gastroenteritis is commonly known as stomach flu. Its primary symptoms include vomiting and diarrhea. The disease spreads easily but does not usually have serious consequences, although it can sometimes lead to more serious problems such as dehydration.This is very different from hantavirus, which has a high mortality rate but spreads only in rare cases and requires close contact.

Johnny Somali faces more problems in South Korea after second petition “severe punishment” A case was reportedly registered against him. The streamer is currently appealing his six-month prison sentence, but the new petition could make his legal situation even worse. According to legal commentator Legal Mindset, the petition comes from a separate victim related to the case. The latest update has sparked new discussion online, with many now watching closely to see how the Korean court handles the appeal.On April 14, a Korean court found Johnny Somali guilty of multiple charges, including creating and sharing deepfake videos involving other streamers. Prosecutors had originally sought a prison sentence of three years, including labor, but the court instead sentenced him to six months. Somali later appealed the verdict in hopes of having the sentence reduced or overturned.

Victim’s second plea puts more pressure on Johnny Somali’s appeal case

Legal Minds reported that the newly filed petition could be important as it could be used as evidence to increase Somali’s sentence. He also revealed that this is now the second different victim who is demanding the court to take strict action against the streamer. Since Somali appealed against the original sentence, the case will reportedly be reviewed by three judges instead of one.Another big update is that Somali’s lawyer has reportedly stopped representing him. The lawyer, who was reportedly paid by Hanzhong “Hank” Yu, had already spent months studying the case and evidence. Somali has now reportedly been given a public defender, who may need time to fully understand the complex situation.The case has also attracted attention due to leaked letters allegedly sent by Somali from detention. In the letters, he reportedly claimed that he “to have fun” And compared the detention center to a hotel. This surprised many as other reports described conditions inside as harsh, with many prisoners living in a small cell.Currently, Johnny Somali remains in custody while his appeal continues, and the new petition has drawn even more attention to the already controversial case.

YouTuber Tyler Oliveira was denied entry to Israel after landing in Tel Aviv on May 12, 2026. He claimed that authorities deported him over alleged “anti-Semitic” material associated with his controversial documentary about Jewish communities in New Jersey. Airport video showed Oliveira questioning whether he would remove security, while critics publicly confronted him. Streamer Sneekko later responded online, comparing Oliveira’s situation to his own travel bans and controversies.

Tyler Oliveira’s latest journey became a public controversy before it even started. The YouTuber and documentary filmmaker said he was denied entry to Israel shortly after arriving in Tel Aviv on May 12, 2026, posting online a photo of the official denial notice from airport officials.The matter quickly spread on social media, with Oliveira saying that the decision was related to allegations over his previous content. His post fueled heated debate online about free speech, controversial media coverage and increasing scrutiny around creators who tackle politically sensitive topics.

Tyler Oliveira’s deportation to Israel explained

According to the entry denial document shared by Oliveira, Israeli authorities denied him entry due to “illegal immigration considerations.” However, the producer strongly disputed that explanation and suggested that the real reason was related to allegations that some of his videos promote anti-Semitic narratives.The YouTuber wrote: “I was banned from Israel and deported back to the US for ‘anti-Semitic’ content.”Video circulating online showed Oliveira speaking to supporters shortly after landing in Tel Aviv. In one clip, he was seen unsure whether immigration officials would allow him to enter the country. “We get to Tel Aviv, will they let me through security, yes, or no?”The controversy appears to be linked to the documentary Oliveira released earlier this year, titled Exposed New Jersey’s Jewish Invasion… The video has received millions of views, but has also drawn strong criticism online. Many viewers argued that the title itself promoted harmful stereotypes and framed Jewish communities in a hostile manner.During his time at the airport, some onlookers openly protested against him. A viral clip captured a man calling him a “crook” while recording the conversation.Despite the denial, the document reportedly noted that Oliveira could still apply for future entry into Israel, although any request would be reviewed based on the circumstances at the time.

Sneekko reacts to Tyler Oliveira’s Israel sanctions controversy

The incident also caught the attention of controversial streamer Sneekko, who recently faced backlash over his travel-related backlash after being banned from Australia.During a livestream response, Sneekko compared Oliveira’s situation to his own and mocked the growing list of countries that ban internet personalities linked to inflammatory content.“Welcome to the club! Tyler Oliveira! Welcome to the club! Let’s go! One of us!.. I don’t know if I’m banned from Israel or not, but I’m banned from [Australia]…I mean, let’s be real.”Discussion intensified after Sneekko separately claimed that he was “being pursued by federal agents in Australia”, later posting that he was “ready to die.” Those comments sparked concern online and added another layer to the already volatile conversation around controversial streamers and political content creators.

On a summer afternoon in the Swiss capital Bern, an unusual sight unfolds along the turquoise waters of the Aare River. Office workers, students and locals gather along the riverbank carrying waterproof dry bags instead of briefcases and are swept away by the swift current past bridges, historic buildings and riverside parks. Viral social media posts often describe it as a “river trip”. While some residents occasionally use the river to get home during the summer, the practice is better understood as a popular recreational tradition rather than an everyday means of transportation. For most people in Bern, swimming along the Aare is a favorite way to cool off during the hot weather.

Switzerland’s best summer hike runs across a river

The Aare River winds around the old town of Bern, creating one of the city’s most iconic landscapes. During summer, the clear glacial water becomes a natural means of escaping the heat.Locals often enter the river upstream and let the river current carry them across parts of the city before exiting at designated swimming points. Many people use brightly colored waterproof “weave bags” to keep clothes, phones, and valuables dry while swimming.This activity is deeply linked to Bern’s summer culture and attracts both residents and tourists every year.Social media videos often show crowds swimming in the river after work, promoting the idea of ​​a “river trip”. While home sailing is not a formal or widespread means of transportation, some Bern residents use the saw as part of their journey home during warm summer evenings.For many locals, the experience blends practicality with entertainment. Because many neighborhoods are closely connected to the river banks, swimming through the Aare can serve as both a relaxing swim and an unconventional way to travel through some parts of the city.

fast river current

One reason the Aare is ideal for swimming is its strong and persistent current. Swimmers can swim long distances without much effort, especially on the popular route between Eichholz and Marzilli in Bern.The river’s striking turquoise color comes from the mineral-rich glacial meltwater that flows from the Swiss Alps. However, even during summer, the water is often surprisingly cool.Officials regularly warn visitors that Aarey is no ordinary swimming pool. The current can be dangerous, especially for inexperienced swimmers, and it is essential to know safe entry and exit points.

A tradition rooted in clean water

River swimming became far more popular in Switzerland after water quality improved following major environmental reforms during the second half of the 20th century.Decades ago, pollution made swimming unsafe in many urban rivers across Europe. Switzerland invested heavily in waste water treatment and environmental protection, helping to make rivers like the Aare clean enough for recreational swimming.Today, swimming in rivers and lakes is a common part of Swiss summer life, especially in cities such as Bern, Basel and Zurich.

Famous saw bag

One of the most recognizable symbols of Bern’s river culture is the waterproof Aare bag. These brightly colored floating dry bags allow swimmers to carry clothes, wallets, shoes and even laptops while floating down the river.The bags also function as flotation devices, making them both practical and prestigious among the locals.Tourists visiting Bern during the summer often purchase Aare bags specifically to experience the floating tradition for themselves.

A summer ritual that became famous on the internet

Videos of hundreds of people swimming in Bern’s turquoise river have recently gone viral online, with many viewers amazed at how an urban river can function partly as a recreation area and partly as an informal travel route.Swimming in the Aare has become one of Bern’s most distinctive summer traditions. On warm days, locals and tourists alike flock to the turquoise river as it winds through the Swiss capital’s historic streets and bridges. For some residents, the river also becomes part of the journey home from work, turning an ordinary commute into a uniquely Swiss summer experience.