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

Front pages

The Herald:

Exclusive: In The Herald, education correspondent Andrew Denholm reports on a claim by Alex Cole-Hamilton, Scottish Liberal Democrat MSP for Edinburgh Western, that schools are promoting a culture of elitism based on how talented pupils are at sport. 

"A betrayal of our most vulnerable" is the headline in The National, reporting on plans to shut 16 more job centres in Scotland.

Theresa May’s speech to Republican leaders is the splash for several papers, with the Times and Telegraph highlighting her declaration that there should be no more failed wars like Iraq. See Afore Ye Go, below. 

The FT notes that her non-interventionist position echoes that of Mr Trump. 

The Guardian and Express pick up on her “opposites attract” quip in response to whether she would get on with the US president, while the Mail dubs her “Barnstorming Theresa” and says she is wooing America. 

The Herald: In the Evening Times, Caroline Wilson speaks to a Glasgow mother with a warning for others.

"A hate crime if you call someone old" is the splash in the Mail, which says the public could face criminal charges if they make ageist or sexist remarks.

Camley’s cartoon

The Herald:

Full moon river: Camley drops in on two dreamers off to see the world …

FFS: Five in five seconds

What’s the story? BBC Scotland’s Timeline, the newest kid on the Scottish media block, made its debut at 7.30pm last night with hosts Shereen Nanjiani and Glenn Campbell.

Running order? Piece on youngsters being prescribed antidepressants without parental knowledge; tributes to Tam Dalyell; interviews with Judy Murray and Sir David Attenborough; and a look at T2 Trainspotting from former addict turned filmmaker, and second unit director on T2, Garry Fraser. 

Any surprises? Only at the end, with the reading of a poem for Burns Night when contributors included FM Nicola Sturgeon. 

Snap review? Money clearly spent, passed the topicality test by including the late breaking news about Dalyell, but interviews with Murray and Attenborough were soft rather than newsy and covered familiar ground.  

A fitting rival for STV’s Scotland Tonight? Different time slot, different vibe. Better question is how it will stack up against STV’s new domestic/international news bulletin starting in the Spring. Even better question: is Timeline in addition to, or instead of, a Scottish Six? For full review, click here. 

Afore Ye Go

The Herald:

“The days of Britain and America intervening in sovereign countries in an attempt to remake the world in our own image are over.”

PM Theresa May speaking to Republicans in Philadelphia at the start of her two day visit to the US. 

From Channel 4's Matt Frei

The Herald:

“The media here is the opposition party. They don’t understand this country. They still do not understand why Donald Trump is the president of the United States.”

Steve Bannon, Donald Trump’s chief strategist, above, in an interview with the New York Times. Mr Bannon added that the media should “keep its mouth shut and just listen for awhile.” Win McNamee/Getty Images

The Herald:

"A tax on Mexican imports to the United States is not a way to make Mexico pay for the wall, but a way to make the North American consumer pay for it through more expensive avocados, washing machines, televisions.”

Mexican foreign relations secretary Luis Videgaray after the US president floated the idea of a 20% tax. The Mexican president, Enrique Pena Nieto, above, pulled out of a planned Washington meeting on January 31, amid declarations from his government that the US import tax would be met with a Mexican one. The US is the number one buyer from Mexico, with washing machines and televisions among the biggest sellers. John Moore/Getty Images.

Glasgow's take on the US-Mexican trade war. Thanks to Kevin McDermott

The Herald:

That’s all folks … the Bill to trigger Article 50, starting the process for the UK to leave the EU. Nick Ansell/PA Wire.

The Herald:

“I wore Dr Martens back in the day and such were the preconceived notions about what women should wear I was once asked by a male executive: ‘I hope you don’t mind me saying … Have you ever had polio?’”

Deborah Ross throws her hat in the air for the Commons select committee report that said women face dress code discrimination, including having to wear high heels, in the workplace. Alexander Koerner/Getty Images for Ewa Herzog.

The Herald:

"A huge part of a dad's role is to empower their daughters to be confident, imaginative and sure of who they are.”

A Mattel UK director as the firm that makes Barbie launched a campaign to encourage fathers to join in their daughters’ playtime with the dolls. Mattel/PA Wire 

The Herald:

“Meryl Streep has been Oscar-nominated for ‘Florence Foster Jenkins,’ Natalie Portman for ‘Jackie’, and Hillary Clinton for smiling her way through the inauguration.”

Late Night with Seth Myers. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

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