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--> A midday take on what's happening in politics and how to have a sense of humor about it.*

*Ha. Haha. Hahah. Sniff. Haha. Sniff. Ha--breaks down crying hysterically.

The Hill’s 12:30 Report: Breaking: House reverses decision, cancels next week’s session | Simon reopens 49 malls this weekend | Governors tiptoe towards reopening | COVID-19 fatality rate rises | Schumer calls for coronavirus relief oversight hearings | Trump’s North Korea gamble | Best Onion headlines | National Blueberry Pie Day

LATEST WITH REOPENING THE U.S.



Open sesame:

Via The Hill’s Jessie Hellmann, “Governors are tiptoeing toward allowing businesses to reopen in their states, a gamble that will have ramifications for both the coronavirus epidemic and the economy.” https://bit.ly/2SesPuE

This week: Montana, Colorado and Tennessee are beginning to allow businesses to reopen this week.

What states are next: The governors of Texas and Ohio announced yesterday that it will start reopening businesses in the next few weeks.

The tricky part: “State lawmakers are facing both political and economic pressures, as President Trump Donald John TrumpOmar fires back at Trump over rally remarks: 'This is my country' Pelosi: Trump hurrying to fill SCOTUS seat so he can repeal ObamaCare Trump mocks Biden appearance, mask use ahead of first debate MORE and protestors push for quick re-openings and the loss of sales tax revenues strangle state budgets. Governors are trying to balance public health with the health of the economy, which has seen millions of people laid off since March.”





HOW STATE REOPENINGS WILL SCRAMBLE THE NATIONAL POLITICAL PICTURE:





Via The Hill’s Niall Stanage: https://bit.ly/2ScdlqL





Where each state stands:





States that are reopening: Alaska, Colorado, Georgia, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Tennessee.

States with stay-at-home orders expiring soon: Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Idaho, Maine, Nevada and Texas

States with firm shutdown orders: Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

Details for each from The New York Times: https://nyti.ms/3bXaxWk





NEW — SIMON IS OPENING 49 MALLS THIS WEEKEND:





Via CNBC’s Lauren Thomas, Simon Property Group is reopening nearly 50 malls and outlet centers between May 1 and May 4.

The list of malls and reopening dates: https://cnb.cx/3bNOtxt





HAPPENING SOON — TRUMP’S REMARKS WITH THE GOVERNOR OF FLORIDA:





President Trump is set to speak to reporters with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis Ron DeSantisTrump may meet with potential Supreme Court pick in Miami Florida governor unveils legislation targeting protesters in 'violent or disorderly' demonstrations Names to watch as Trump picks Ginsburg replacement on Supreme Court MORE (R) after a morning meeting in the Oval Office.

Livestream: https://bit.ly/2YdzCbO

It’s Tuesday. I’m Cate Martel with a quick recap of the morning and what’s coming up. Send comments, story ideas and events for our radar to cmartel@thehill.com — and follow along on Twitter @CateMartel and Facebook.

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LATEST WITH CORONAVIRUS RELIEF



Breaking — the House cancels next week’s session:





House leadership changed its mind and will not reconvene the lower chamber next week amid fears over whether it is safe to return. https://bit.ly/2KDfdoq





FOR CONTEXT — CORONAVIRUS CASES ON CAPITOL HILL:





Via The Hill’s Scott Wong:

-- “A DOZEN Capitol Police officers have tested POSITIVE for COVID-19.”

-- “11 construction workers renovating Cannon House Office Building have tested +. Dozens of lawmakers have offices there”

-- “At least 6 lawmakers have tested +, as have staffers and reporters” https://bit.ly/35dsCgj





THE DEBATE AMONG HOUSE DEMOCRATS ON WHETHER TO RETURN:





Where the debate stands: https://bit.ly/35faFOD





WHAT ABOUT THE SENATE?:





The Senate is still scheduled to return, according to a spokesperson for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellPelosi: Trump hurrying to fill SCOTUS seat so he can repeal ObamaCare Senate GOP aims to confirm Trump court pick by Oct. 29: report Trump argues full Supreme Court needed to settle potential election disputes MORE (R-Ky.) https://bit. ly/2yT6FXO





You will hear from my people!:





Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer Chuck SchumerSenate Democrats introduce legislation to probe politicization of pandemic response Schumer interrupted during live briefing by heckler: 'Stop lying to the people' Jacobin editor: Primarying Schumer would force him to fight Trump's SCOTUS nominee MORE (D-N.Y.) is calling for the Senate to begin oversight hearing over President Trump’s implementation of coronavirus relief. https://bit.ly/2KDakMe

Schumer said on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe”: “This administration has been an abject failure at implementing most of these laws … All too often it seems the president’s ego is at stake.”

Watch Schumer’s appearance on “Morning Joe”: https://on.msnbc.com/2KIX9cs





WHERE THINGS STAND





Coronavirus cases in the U.S.: 989,357

Deaths in the U.S.: 56,386

Breakdown of the numbers: https://cnn.it/2UAgW3y





THE FATALITY RATE IS RISING:





Via The Hill’s Reid Wilson, “The percentage of people who die after testing positive for the coronavirus is rising even as thousands of new U.S. cases are identified each day, a troubling preview of the weeks and months that lie ahead.” https://bit.ly/2YeIKwS

Keep in mind about the numbers: “Epidemiologists and experts say increased case fatality rates are a natural function of a deadly virus running its course: The people who succumb today were probably infected as long as a month ago, when the number of cases began accelerating.”







IN THE WHITE HOUSE



Remember how the White House canceled yesterday’s coronavirus briefing? Then announced a press conference? ... Yeah, well that looked a lot like the canceled briefing…:





Via The Hill’s Morgan Chalfant and Brett Samuels, “What transpired shortly after 5:30 p.m. was a White House event that had all the trappings of the daily White House coronavirus task force press conferences, which have faced increasing criticism from Republicans who worry they are doing more political harm than good for the president.” https://bit.ly/35eRtAz

What made the briefings particularly controversial: Last Thursday, President Trump discussed the use of disinfectant injections as a possible treatment to the coronavirus, receiving widespread criticism. The day after, Trump held just a quick, 20-minute briefing and then did not hold briefings over the weekend.

The ~new~ and ~improved~ briefing: “Monday evening’s event, though rebranded, felt like the briefings of old if tighter — it lasted about an hour. It all suggests Trump sees some benefit from briefings after all and will raise questions about what’s to come.”

How yesterday’s press conference was different: https://bit.ly/35eRtAz





IN OTHER NEWS



Do your civic duty, Belgium!!:





Via CNBC’s Chloe Taylor, Belgians are called upon to eat more fries as the coronavirus crisis has led to a surplus of potatoes. https://cnb.cx/35dyYwd

The potato problem: Around 750,000 tons of potatoes will likely be thrown away because the lower demand.





OK, Kim Jong Un Kim Jong UnSatellite images indicate North Korea preparing for massive military parade South Korea warns of underwater missile test launch by North Korea Trump says he didn't share classified information following Woodward book MORE. Where are you…?:





Via Politico’s Nahal Toosi, “North Korea’s dictator has vanished from sight, and in doing so, he’s exposed a potentially major weakness of President Donald Trump’s negotiating tactics.” https://politi.co/35d9A9R

How so: “Trump made a bold bet: that by breaking precedent and engaging directly with Kim Jong Un, he could convince the brutal young autocrat to give up his nuclear arsenal in exchange for future economic gains. But the approach, which has included three face-to-face meetings, has resulted in no such breakthrough while arguably disempowering top aides to Trump as well as U.S. diplomats. Some U.S. officials have found it hard to even get in touch with their North Korean counterparts; in some prominent cases, they’ve been publicly scorned. Trump’s game plan also essentially sidelined U.S. allies in Asia, as well as U.S. rival China, all of whom have a great deal at stake in Pyongyang’s future.”

Op-ed: https://bit.ly/2xXAZkg





NOTABLE TWEETS:



Whoooops:

The full photo: https://bit.ly/2KJbrtU







Lol, how some are passing the time:

More of their compliments to strangers: https://bit.ly/3bNvH9t







ON TAP:





The House and Senate are out. President Trump is in Washington, D.C. Vice President Pence is in Minnesota today.

11 a.m. EDT: President Trump met with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) in the Oval Office.

12:30 p.m. EDT: President Trump receives an intelligence briefing.

12:40 p.m. EDT: Vice President Pence lands in Rochester, Minn.

1:30 p.m. EDT: Vice President Pence tours the Mayo Clinic.

5:30 p.m. EDT: Vice President Pence returns to Washington, D.C.





WHAT TO WATCH:





2 p.m. EDT: Vice President Pence participates in a roundtable discussion with Mayo Clinic employees. Livestream: https://bit.ly/35hv8T4

3 p.m. EDT: President Trump gives remarks from the Rose Garden on small businesses. Livestream: https://bit.ly/2SvEWDR





NOW FOR THE FUN STUFF...:





Today is National Blueberry Pie Day!





By far the most entertaining Twitter thread of the week:

Check out the responses --> https://bit.ly/2YcvBnZ

My favorite Onion headline — and most applicable to my life: “Man Says ‘F--- It,’ Eats Lunch At 10:58 A.M.” The full story (!): https://bit.ly/2VMSbC5





New on Netflix — ‘Coronavirus, Explained’:





Netflix released a limited series on the coronavirus pandemic. https://bit.ly/2Y9bfvK

The description: “In 2020, the world changed. This topical series examines the coronavirus pandemic, the efforts to combat it and ways to manage its mental health toll.” https://bit.ly/2Y9bfvK





And to make you laugh, here’s a puppy who is desperately trying to figure out how stairs work. We’re all rooting for you!: https://bit.ly/35dTXz8