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After weeks of battling a coronavirus infection, American businessman Herman Cain has died. The 74-year-old businessman was hospitalized in Atlanta on July 1, 10 days after attending a Trump rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

“You’re never ready for the kind of news we are grappling with this morning. But we have no choice but to seek and find God’s strength and comfort to deal with it,” staffer Dan Calabrese wrote on the HermanCain.com website Thursday. “Herman Cain — our boss, our friend, like a father to so many of us — has passed away.”

Cain was born in 1945 in Memphis, Tennessee, and raised in Atlanta. The 1967 Morehouse College grad earned a bachelor’s degree in math and, four years later, earned his master’s degree in computer science from Purdue University.

Throughout his career, Cain achieved much success working for several Fortune 500 companies including Coca-Cola, Pillsbury and Burger King. Cain stepped into the role of CEO as Godfather Pizza in 1986, transforming the failing chain into a profitable business.

In 2000, 2004, and 2012, Cain ran for president as a Republican. Although he was unsuccessful in running for the office of president, Cain became an active ally in the Republican party and served as a commentator on Fox News. He was also co-chair of the group ‘Blacks for Trump.’

Cain was diagnosed with stage IV liver and colon cancer in 2006. He is survived by his wife of over 50 years, Gloria, two children and several grandchildren.

MORE ON THE PANDEMIC

According to a data analysis by advocacy group Accountable.US, congressional districts with the highest Black populations received up to $13 billion dollars less in Paycheck Protection Program funds than districts with the lowest percent of Black residents.

Districts with the lowest Black populations got $36 billion in loans compared to $23 billion for than those districts with mostly Black residents. Black-owned businesses have been disproportionately affected by pandemic shutdowns and are expected to permanently close their businesses at twice the rate of small businesses overall.

New York authorities are increasing efforts to crack down on large parties being held despite the state’s emergency orders to slow the spread of the coronavirus. An anonymous tip led authorities to break up an alleged sex party of about 30 people in Midtown Manhattan last Friday. The party organizer is expected in court soon, authorities said.

At least a dozen social media posts have surfaced advertising yacht parties and “pop-up” parties, with locations disclosed right before the beginning of the parties to avoid drawing attention. Forty-five businesses, including 12 bars in New York City, have had their liquor licenses revoked for violating executive orders.

Government data released on Thursday shows the U.S. economy contracted at a 32.9% pace last quarter, marking the worst quarter on record. The number shows just how devastating the pandemic has been on the economy as industries nationwide shut down over the past few months.

Separately, another 1.4 million Americans filed first-time jobless claims last week. For 19 straight weeks, the unemployment rate has been over one million. 17 million Americans are still receiving unemployment benefits as federal pandemic aid expires.

Texas has hit a grim milestone in its fight against the pandemic, reporting more than 418,000 infections. According to data from Johns Hopkins University, Texas has now surpassed the cases count of New York, which now ranks fourth behind California, Florida and Texas.

The main hotspot in the state has been the Rio Grande Valley, where officials say the pandemic is taking a toll on communities in Hidalgo County.

During an interview, Trump said he wants the next coronavirus relief package to be “very generous” with direct stimulus payments to Americans that are potentially more than $1,200.

“I’d like to see it be very high because I love the people,” he said. “I want the people to get it.”

Trump didn’t specify a desired amount for the direct payments.

Like many jails across the country, Colorado is being hit by ongoing COVID-19 outbreaks in many of its detention centers.

The largest outbreak in Colorado is at the Sterling Correctional Facility, which reported 605 confirmed coronavirus cases and two deaths. The Van Cise-Simonet Detention Center in Denver has reported the second largest outbreak with 467 confirmed cases. No inmates there have died.

A 29-year-old man was arrested and charged with aggravated assault in Miami Beach, Florida, after firing “four warning shots” inside a hotel lobby. The man, who was upset that a hotel guest and her son were not social distancing, confessed to firing the shots and said he thought he was being followed. He then told the hotel clerk to call the police before firing the shots. No one was injured.

Retailers Best Buy and Kohl’s are joining the growing number of stores announcing Thanksgiving closures due to the pandemic. Walmart, Dick’s Sporting Goods and Target will also be closed on Thanksgiving this year.