After the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, the newly independent Armenia found itself in a precarious situation lacking essential infrastructure and governmental leadership previously supplied by the Kremlin. In the time since, Armenia – as well as numerous other countries of the former Soviet Bloc – has slowly but steadily been on the path to modernization. Unfortunately, however, many aspects of this process are lagging behind, perhaps the most significant being Armenia’s rising environmental stressors. 

Every two years, people from around the World come together to celebrate their nationality at the Olympics. Whether it is the Winter, or the Summer Olympics, the games attract the attention of people from all over the world through their television sets, the Internet, media publications, and even those who travel to the locations that host the Olympic games. Recent Olympic games have seen a significant cyber threat to the athletes and spectators visiting. However, this year it seems that a different threat will be affecting the athletes and those working the games; contaminated water.

On July 2, 2015, BP settled litigation from the now infamous 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill that killed 11 crewmembers and released 200 million gallons of crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico, which ultimately resulted in the deaths of thousands of marine animals and the loss of billions in economic damages. The settlement, the largest environmental settlement in American history, if approved, is between BP, the federal government, and the state and local governments of the five greatly affected states.