Genetically modified crops have the potential to eliminate hunger and starvation in millions of people, especially in developing countries because the genetic modification can produce large amounts of foods that are more nutritious. Large quantities are produced because genetically modified crops are more resistant to pests and drought. They also contain greater amounts of nutrients, such as proteins and vitamins. However, there are concerns about the safety of genetically modified crops. The concerns are that they may contain allergenic substances due to introduction of new genes into crops. Another concern is that genetic engineering often involves the use of antibiotic-resistance genes as "selectable markers" and this could lead to production of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains that are resistant to available antibiotics. This would create a serious public health problem. The genetically modified crops might contain other toxic substances (such as enhanced amounts of heavy metals) and the crops might not be "substantially equivalent" in genome, proteome, and metabolome compared with unmodified crops. Another concern is that genetically modified crops may be less nutritious; for example, they might contain lower amounts of phytoestrogens, which protect against heart disease and cancer. The review of available literature indicates that the genetically modified crops available in the market that are intended for human consumption are generally safe; their consumption is not associated with serious health problems. However, because of potential for exposure of a large segment of human population to genetically modified foods, more research is needed to ensure that the genetically modified foods are safe for human consumption.

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There are important reciprocities between conflict and memory, which often become embedded in disputed places or territories central to ethnonational conflicts. In Cyprus, the conflict and the subsequent division of the capital city of Nicosia, has disrupted the relationship between place and memory, as populations faced upheaval and displacement. The inability to cross the border running through the city center, from 1974 until checkpoints opened in 2003, resulted in the intensification of many aspects of memory, including forgetting, nostalgia and screen memory as related to the city. This article will describe Nicosia’s historic walled city center as a shell of memory by examining the material reality of the city today and investigating subjective constructions whereby the graphic image of the walled city is used as a symbol. The contested walled city is a site that negotiates between remembering and forgetting, between past and present, and between inside and outside.

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