New Mexico

A mysterious 3.6m tall metal pillar found recently in the Utah desert has been sought out by a number of tourists eager to have their photo taken with it. Discovered by a helicopter crew surveying bighorn sheep in the area, the monolith displays no indications of how it was placed there or for how long it has been in place.

Current speculation suggests it may be the work of the late John McCracken, a New Mexico based artist who passed away in 2011 and was known for his large freestanding sculptures of pyramids, cubes, and shiny slabs.

Local authorities are keeping the location of the pillar a secret, fearing hikers may risk their lives attempting to find it.

According to the New York Times data, the United States have recorded over 70,450 new Covid-19 cases in one single day, the highest single-day increase since July 24. Among the states that set a single-day case record are Wyoming, Minnesota, Wisconsin, West Virginia, North Dakota, Indiana, New Mexico, Utah and Colorado.

Virgin Galactic completed the SpaceShipTwo's second glide flight test in New Mexico on Thursday. The unpowered flight went off without a hitch and saw the spacecraft hit new speeds, as the company presses ahead with its testing program at Spaceport America.

The company announced that after completing a data review of Thursday's flight, it will begin preparing for full rocket-powered test flights.

Before the Covid-19 pandemic, Virgin Galactic said it expected to begin commercial operations during summer, and announced to shareholders that the company goal is to be profitable by next year.