Hello and welcome to The Midge, the e-bulletin that takes a bite out of politics in Scotland and elsewhere. 

Front pages

The Herald:

In The Herald, health correspondent Helen McArdle reports on a call for the smoking ban to be extended in Scotland following a study showing child health here is among the worst in western Europe. 

The same report from the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health leads the Mail with the headline, “We’re failing our children”. 

The National imagines Nicola Sturgeon and Theresa May as contestants on the Channel 4 quiz show Countdown, with the headline: “The countdown to indyref2 is on.”

The Times reports that Neal Ascherson, the Scottish journalist and author who once served in the Royal Marines, says he shot two badly wounded men “to put them out of their misery”. Mr Ascherson is backing the campaign to quash a Marine’s conviction for murdering an injured Taliban fighter. 

The Guardian splashes on Theresa May’s trip to the US, saying she is on a “two-day charm offensive”. 

The FT reports that Mr Trump’s first week in office has seen the Dow Jones pass 20,000 for the first time as new projects get the green light. 

The Telegraph leads on official figures showing Scotland’s exports to the UK are four times that of sales to the EU. 

The Herald:

In the Evening Times, Stewart Paterson reports on a growing revolt against new charges at Glasgow Airport. 

Camley’s cartoon

The Herald:

Camley reckons some changes might have to be made to Scotland's baby box scheme following a dismal report on children's health. Story here. 

FFS: Five in five seconds

What’s the story? President Donald Trump has backed waterboarding for terrorism suspects. 

History? The torture method that induces feelings of drowning came to prominence during the presidency of George W Bush, but the New York Times traced the first mention back to the 1970s. Was ruled against the law domestically, but its use overseas was a grey area. Formally banned in 2015 following a Senate select committee report saying it did not work. 

Mr Trump’s view?  In an interview with ABC News last night, asked if he backed waterboarding, he said: “When they're shooting, when they're chopping off the heads of our people and other people, when they're chopping off the heads of people because they happen to be a Christian in the Middle East, when Isis is doing things that nobody has ever heard of since Medieval times, would I feel strongly about waterboarding? As far as I’m concerned we have to fight fire with fire.”

So it’s back? He rowed back slightly, saying he would work within the law, but he believes it works. "I will rely on Pompeo (CIA director) and Mattis (Defence Secretary) and my group and if they don't want to do it that's fine. If they do want to do then I will work toward that end. I want to do everything within the bounds of what you're allowed to do legally but do I feel it works? Absolutely I feel it works.”

Reaction? Swift. Former CIA director Leon Panetta said it would be a mistake, it is not necessary, and it would damage America in the eyes of the world. Here, a Tory MP has commented:

Afore Ye Go

The Herald:

A silver quaich

The gift Theresa May is bringing to Donald Trump in honour of his Scots ancestry. Above, the Duke of Rothesay drinks from a wood and silver quaich, a wedding present, at the Mey Games in 2005. Meanwhile, the Scots political editor of the BBC gives her colleagues a lesson on pronunciation. Christopher Furlong/Getty Images

The Herald:

“On Friday, Theresa May meets Donald Trump. On Saturday, she goes to see another charming fellow in touch with his feminine side, Turkey’s President Erdogan. Who have they got lined up for the poor woman on Sunday - the ghost of Josef Stalin?”

Allison Pearson, Daily Telegraph. Jack Taylor/Getty Images

Private Eye on the Trump inauguration. 

The Herald:

"He meant to say 'nearly died'. Obviously, the last thing that was intended was any offence.”

A spokesman for Jeremy Corbyn attempts to explain why the Labour leader, speaking at PMQs, expressed his condolences “to the family of the police officer who lost his life over the weekend in Northern Ireland”. The officer survived the attack in north Belfast and is stable in hospital. Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images

The Herald:

"Have just received word from the Pentagon that one of our Poseidon submarines has just collided with a Soviet submarine.”

A cable, marked "secret eyes only”, and addressed to US secretary of state Henry Kissinger, details a collision between American and Russian nuclear submarines near Holy Loch in November 1974. The note was one of millions released online this month by the CIA. SNP defence spokesman Brendan O'Hara MP said the incident looked like “a very, very, lucky escape”, adding: ‘"We keep asking the UK Government to realise how dangerous, how unsafe, how unreliable these weapons of mass destruction are.” CIA/PA Wire 

Next stop The X Factor?

The Herald:

“Kellyanne Conway is like someone trying to do a Jedi mind trick after only a week of training.”

Late Night with Seth Myers on the Trump aide responsible for putting the phrase “alternative facts” into the lexicon. Mark Wilson/Getty Images

The Herald:

“The White House has admitted that Donald Trump did not write his inauguration speech. The speech was written late last Thursday by a disgruntled postal worker.”

Conan O’Brien, above. Nigel Waldron/Getty Images

The Herald:

“I’m married to an Englishman and my daughters speak with English accents ... I love so much about England. But this song for me exquisitely captures the sensation of having Scotland in your soul and only ever feeling truly complete when you are there. That’s how I feel.”

Desert Island Discs host Kirsty Young explains why Caledonia, by Dougie Maclean, would be among her choice of eight tracks to take to the famous island. Guardian. Eamonn M. McCormack/Getty Images

For your viewing pleasure tonight.

Just in case you are stuck for a birthday present idea.

Thanks for reading. See you tomorrow. Twitter: @alisonmrowat