The "Achilles heel of Finnish defense" against Russia is a demilitarized group of islands in the Baltic Sea. / Spiegel

Related: Why NATO is growing, but not to include Ukraine (for now). / Wake Up to Politics

A study finds drinking water from nearly half of US faucets likely contains "forever chemicals" that may cause cancer. / The Associated Press

Floods and landslides caused by heavy monsoon rains kill at least 42 people in northern India. / CBS News

Vermont and other parts of New England, beset by historic rainfall, expect more flooding, while the South prepares for extreme heat. / The Boston Globe, NPR

Jia Tolentino finds people talking to their therapists about "climate emotions," or feelings connected to climate change. / The New Yorker

In the first decade of the twentieth century, New York City, London, and Paris all had fleets of electric taxis and delivery vehicles. / Books in Progress

Processing times have not improved for US passports—with no improvement in sight—since the State Department announced delayed service in March. / The Points Guy

From June, frequent travelers list which airlines they least enjoy flying. / Flyer Talk

See also: A podcast on why you shouldn't drink tea or coffee served on airplanes. Also, some restaurants worth flying to. / Search Engine, Gastro Obscura

Balenciaga starts selling $27,000 jeans that are linen pants painted by hand to look like denim. / High Snobiety

A Ukrainian design group turns ammunition shells into a series of limited-edition lamps. / dezeen

Max Read: Like it or not, most of the internet is for 12-year-olds. / Read Max