Interesting AGM at Civil Mediation Council in December – important decision to put in placed means to register individual mediators – this may assist in professionalising an area that is increasingly used but in a relatively unregulated way.  Currently drafting proposal for new study following on from our recently published research on incapacitant/irritant sprays.  This will do a direct comparison on the effects of PAVA and CS personal incapacitant sprays in the law enforcement setting.  Good FME Audit meeting at Charterhouse Square in December – matters discussed included insulin self-injection, ligature application, failure of GMC to assist ‘orphan’ forensic physicians with identifying responsible officers/suitable persons, management of epilepsy in custody and mental health assessments.  Epilepsy management arises from a death in custody and new guidance on the management of epilepsy in short-term police custody is planned. Final proofs of 3rd Edition of Symptoms & Signs of Substance Misuse and the Irish law edition of Simpson’s Forensic Medicine are now with publishers. Two major international forensic meetings this year to diarise and attend. The 2014  Annual Congress of The International Association of Law and Forensic Science (IALFS) and the  1st International Association of Forensic Toxicologists (T.I.A.F.T.) Middle East Congress will be held in Dubai from 1st-3rd April (http://www.2014.ialfs.org). I am honoured to be one of the Keynote Speakers.   This promises to be a fascinating meeting.   Then from 13-18th October will be the World Forensic Festival in Seoul, South Korea under the Presidency of Joong-Sok Seo (http://www.wff2014korea.org). This is the 20th World Meeting of the International Association of Forensic Sciences, under the Presidency of Heesun Chung. The WWF will also host the 6th Asian Forensic Sciences Network Meeting and the 5th Meeting of Asio-Pacific MedicoLegal Agencies. Finally the World Police Medical Officers (of which I am President) will have a session dedicated to Clinical Forensic Medicine.  So if you have research, interesting cases, opinions, or wish to find out about other practice around the world, set aside that week to attend and submit your own work for consideration.