Here are the headlines you Need2Know for Tuesday, June 15, 2021:

COVID-19 LATEST

NEW SHOT: Novavax announced that its two-dose vaccine is 90.4% effective against COVID, and 100% effective at preventing moderate or severe disease. The company is not seeking emergency authorization from the FDA just yet, but some doctors think the Novavax doses will be effective booster shots.  NYT

DELTA VARIANT: Former FDA Director Scott Gottlieb believes the Delta variant will be the dominant source of new infections in the U.S., especially as we edge closer to fall. It’s 60% more transmissible and can lead to more severe symptoms. Gottlieb said those who have received at least one vaccine dose are protected. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is extending restrictions until mid-July as Brits battle the variant. CBS NEWS

GRIM MILESTONE: The total number of COVID-related deaths in the U.S. reached 600K Monday, according to a Reuters tally. This is the second-slowest 100K jump in deaths since the pandemic began: it took 113 days to jump from half a million to 600K fatalities. REUTERS

GUN VIOLENCE RISES

This year is on track to have more deaths as a result of gun violence than 2020. This past weekend, more than 120 people died in shootings, with three especially dangerous incidents in Chicago, Austin and Savannah, Ga. So far this year, the number of shootings that have killed at least one person exceeds the total number from the first five months of 2020. WASHINGTON POST

NATO ADDRESSES CHINA, RUSSIA

NATO leaders wrapped up a one-day summit where they discussed Russian threats to Europe and China’s rising military ambitions. The summit called China a “growing influence…[that] can present challenges,” and referred to Russia’s “aggressive actions” as a “threat to Euro-Atlantic security.” Some allies are concerned about President Biden’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday -- they say Biden risks appearing to “reward” Putin with a face-to-face chat. NYT

AG WILL INVESTIGATE DATA SEIZURE

Attorney General Merrick Garland said Monday he will “move swiftly” regarding an investigation by the DOJ’s inspector general into efforts by the Trump DOJ to seize data and communications from Congress members and their staff. Records of at least a dozen people connected to the House Intelligence Panel were seized, and federal prosecutors had also previously subpoenaed Apple for data from Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.).  CBS NEWS

MALL GROUP FILES FOR BANKRUPTCY

Mall owner Washington Prime Group filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection over the weekend after the pandemic forced it to temporarily close around 100 of its shopping centers across the U.S. and businesses were unable to pay their rent. The Ohio based company formed in 2014 after a spin-off from Simon Property Group, also a mall owner. Washington Prime says it has entered a restructuring support agreement which will deleverage their balance sheet by $950M. REUTERS

YOUTUBE AXES (SOME) ADS

YouTube will stop showing ads for certain products and public figures in its homepage masthead ad section. Ads that feature casino and betting games, gambling-related content, alcohol sales and branding, and political candidate endorsements will be banned. The masthead is the most sought after advertisement spot -- but frequently scrutinized. AXIOS

DOG BREEDS BANNED

The U.S. is banning the importation of dogs from 100 countries for at least a year after the CDC discovered a sharp increase in the number of falsified rabies vaccination records. In 2020, the CDC found around 450 imported dogs with fraudulent rabies vax records -- a 52% increase compared with the two years before. Researchers think there is a correlation between the falsified records and the urge to purchase “pandemic puppies” from overseas. NPR

LIVE SPORTS A SLAM DUNK FOR TV

Sports remains one of the last programming options that fans will watch live, leading to big paydays for networks and streaming services alike as legacy platforms go fully digital. For example: the first round of the 2021 NBA Playoffs averaged 3.06M viewers, a 46% increase from 2020. The NBA is reportedly seeking a $75B rights deal over a nine-year period, while the NFL has a lucrative $113B deal with networks and streamers over 11 years. CHEDDAR

SPOTTED...

… Chrissy Teigen’s apology, posted on Medium, which references past tweets in which she bullied and harassed young women. READ IT

… The cast of “Scrubs” reuniting on “Celebrity Family Feud,” winning $25K for the Stop AAPI Hate organization. WATCH

… Bennifer kissing publicly for the first time since getting back together this spring, confirming (maybe) once and for all that the couple is more than a publicity stunt. SEE IT

LEFTOVERS: STEWART ON LAB LEAK THEORY

Former “Daily Show” host Jon Stewart was the first guest on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” as the show returned to a live audience Monday night. Stewart shocked Colbert by mentioning the lab leak theory, saying, “...I think we owe a great debt of gratitude to science. Science has, in many ways, helped ease the suffering of this pandemic, which was more than likely caused by science.” THE DAILY BEAST

Listen to the N2K Podcast! Looking for more context and analysis on the big stories of the day? Check out our podcast! Hosts Jill and Carlo break down the headlines, every weekday morning Listen on Apple or Spotify, or watch on YouTube, and send us your feedback!

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