As Colombia approaches presidential elections next year, the US decision to decertify the country in the war on drugs plays into the hands of its allies on the political right, writes NICK MacWILLIAM
Nobody believes in the Loch Ness Johnson
Some people may believe in Nessie – but no-one is taken in by the (current) Prime Minister's ludicrous diversions, writes CONRAD LANDIN

IT’S not every day I get a call from a major broadcaster asking if I’ll grace the airwaves to discuss the authenticity of the Loch Ness monster.
Still, when the BBC Scotland producer telephoned yesterday, I decided my relative indifference to the matter was enough to get me off the hook this time round.
I ate my breakfast in relative bemusement, but Nessie was soon out of my mind. Not so for Boris Johnson, however, who was asked about the legend as he began a trip to Scotland.
More from this author

CONRAD LANDIN offers a guide to the diverse shows at Edinburgh Art Festival