Rachel Treisman

Starting Friday, wearing face masks will be the law of the land in most of Texas.

Gov. Greg Abbott issued an executive order on Thursday requiring Texans to wear face coverings in public in counties with 20 or more COVID-19 cases.

Pennsylvania officials announced Wednesday that residents must wear face coverings when outside the home, the latest in a series of mask mandates in various states to combat the spread of COVID-19.

For the first time, the familiar marble faces outside the New York Public Library will be obscured by masks.

Patience and Fortitude, the iconic lion sculptures guarding the 42nd Street library, are wearing face coverings to remind New Yorkers to stay safe and stop the spread of COVID-19.

Indoor restaurant dining in New Jersey, initially set to open Thursday, is postponed indefinitely.

Gov. Phil Murphy announced on Monday that restrictions will remain in place, citing surges in COVID-19 cases in other states "driven by, in part, the return of indoor dining."

"We've always said that we would not hesitate to hit pause if needed to safeguard public health," Murphy tweeted. "This is one of those times."

Updated at 5:11 p.m. ET

The coronavirus pandemic reached a new milestone on Sunday, with confirmed deaths surpassing half a million around the world and the number of confirmed cases topping 10 million.

Segway's iconic personal transporter is nearing the end of its ride, company officials announced on Tuesday.

President Judy Cai said in a statement that production of the Segway PT will stop on July 15, less than two decades after the scooter was first unveiled. She described the two-wheeled, self-balancing vehicle as a "staple" in security and law enforcement, and noted its popularity among travelers worldwide.

Countries around the world have placed restrictions on public gatherings, and Saudi Arabia said on Monday that this year's hajj is no exception. Officials announced in a statement that the pilgrimage, which is set to begin at the end of July, will be "very limited" in size and restricted to Saudi residents only.

The Ministry of Hajj and Umrah cited the lack of an available vaccine and the risks of crowded gatherings.

A university in Georgia is partnering with an alumna to award full scholarships to the four children of Rayshard Brooks, the Black man fatally shot by an Atlanta police officer in the parking lot of a Wendy's drive-through on June 12.

A stabbing in an English park that killed three people and injured several others on Saturday is being investigated as a terrorist incident, authorities in the U.K. announced on Sunday.

Every U.S. state implemented restrictions designed to limit the spread of COVID-19. Businesses reduced or ceased operations, people transitioned into working and learning remotely, and nonessential activities were paused. Much of the country was under strict orders to stay home, at least temporarily.

Democratic presidential candidate Amy Klobuchar declared on the debate stage Tuesday night that she was "the only one up here with the receipts." That was far from the first time the senator from Minnesota has emphatically employed the phrase along the campaign trail.

Dozens of national security specialists clustered inside a Washington hotel on a chilly December morning, warming up with coffee and checking out booths set up by intelligence agencies and defense contractors.

There were clues that the target audience for this event was a little broader than the usual D.C. security crowd: The unicorn logo behind the podium. A pop-up shop selling workplace fashion. Free child care. Talk of a line at the women's restroom.

Some low-income college students are among the 688,000 food stamp recipients projected to lose benefits as a result of a Trump administration rule announced Dec. 4.

When students in wilderness EMT Alice Henshaw's training courses grab practice dummies for CPR drills, they have their choice of a traditional, flat-chested training manikin or one that looks a little different: a manikin zipped into a neoprene vest with silicone breasts.

Updated at 12:59 p.m. ET

The Trump administration is tightening work requirements for some food stamp recipients, a change that is expected to eliminate Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits for 688,000 adults.

To Michelle Seifer, the timing was just a coincidence. After losing power in a summer storm, she came down with flu-like symptoms.

It wasn't until two days later, when a carbon monoxide detector activated and a utility company worker tested levels in Seifer's home, that she learned she was being poisoned by the portable generator she had been running in her open garage.

Chelsea and Noah Isaacs were busy new parents of twin daughters when they lost their home in the Camp Fire in Paradise, Calif. That same day — Nov. 8, 2018 — Chelsea discovered she was pregnant again; later she would learn it was with another set of twins.

"All of those things kind of created this perfect storm of appreciation for what I've got, but then at the same time [there was] this feeling of 'how is this all going to work?' that was really overwhelming initially," Chelsea said.

Turkeys frozen solid, ovens filling with smoke, and refrigerators stacked to the brim: For many, Thanksgiving meal prep means a kitchen in chaos. Luckily, several major food companies are throwing cooks across the country a lifeline — or, more specifically, a help line.

Basters and bakers can call a number of different hotlines for their turkey, dessert, and even cranberry needs. Many of these services also offer help through online chats, text messaging, email, and smart speakers such as Amazon Alexa.

Updated Nov. 12, 5:25 p.m. ET

While the number of reported hate crimes dipped slightly in 2018, violence against individuals rose to a 16-year high, according to numbers released Tuesday by the FBI.

The FBI's annual tally counted 7,120 hate crimes reported last year, 55 fewer than the year before. The main concern for extremism trackers, however, is the rising level of violence — the report showed an increase in the number of "crimes against persons," such as intimidation, assault and homicide.

Mike Lofgren is the very definition of a civil servant. He was a congressional staffer for 28 years, with most of that time spent crunching numbers on the Senate and House budget committees.

He's moderate and mild-mannered, saying, "I was on the Republican side my whole career. I wasn't a culture wars Republican, basically a fiscal conservative in the manner of say, [President Dwight] Eisenhower."