Craig Gordon has returned to the Scotland squad for the home World Cup qualifiers against Greece and Belarus.
The 42-year-old goalkeeper has not played since early May and is yet to feature in a Hearts squad this season as he returns to full fitness after a neck injury.
Capped 81 times, Gordon replaces club-mate Zander Clark, with Derby County full-back Max Johnston and Blackburn Rovers central defender Dominic Hyam also dropping out.
Scotland have four points after opening with a 0-0 draw in Denmark and a 2-0 victory against Belarus in Hungary.
The Greeks visit Hampden Park on 9 October and Belarus are in Glasgow three days later, with both matches live on the BBC.
Greece, who beat Belarus then lost to Denmark in Athens, have good memories of their last trip to Hampden.
Trailing 1-0 from the first leg of a Nations League play-off in March, the visitors ran out comfortable 3-0 winners in what was Gordon’s most recent international appearance.
With head coach Steve Clarke opting for a smaller squad, there is no room for Hearts captain Lawrence Shankland, who has hit seven goals so far this season, or Middlesbrough forward Tommy Conway.
Anthony Ralston, who withdrew from the previous squad along with fellow Celtic full-back Kieran Tierney, made his club return at the weekend after a month out.
Angus Gunn kept two Scotland clean sheets earlier this month but has not featured for Nottingham Forest since signing in the summer, while Rangers goalkeeper Liam Kelly has only played against Alloa Athletic in the Premier Sports Cup during this campaign.
Jared Gordon says he “maybe” made the wrong decision to fight Rafa Garcia at UFC Noche on Saturday a day after being hit by a car.
The American lightweight, 37, was stopped in the third round by Mexican-American Garcia following a succession of elbows on the ground in San Antonio, Texas.
Gordon fought with a sleeve covering his knee before later revealing he had sprained a ligament a day earlier after being hit by a car.
“Two hours after weigh-ins I was standing in the street while a car was backing out behind me, I was looking down the street away from the car,” Gordon wrote on X., external
“The front end of the car started turning, and the right wheel ran my right foot over as the bumper started turning and buckled my knee inward, spraining my MCL (medial collateral ligament).
“I thought about pulling out, but decided not to. Was it the wrong decision? Maybe so. After a hard, good camp I didn’t wanna pull out. It is what it is. I’ll move forward. Sorry to all my fans for the performance.”
Gordon has fought 17 times in the UFC, winning nine bouts since debuting in the promotion in 2017.
Britain’s Alfie Hewett began his bid for a third straight US Open wheelchair singles title with a commanding victory over American Charlie Cooper.
Second seed Hewett needed just 61 minutes to record a 6-0 6-2 win against the 17-year-old.
Wheelchair tennis is making its return in New York after conflicting schedules with the Paralympics meant the competition was not held last year.
Hewett, who won the title in 2022 and 2023, is chasing a second Grand Slam singles title this season after triumphing at the Australian Open in January.
His long-term doubles partner Gordon Reid won later on Wednesday, claiming a hard-fought 7-6 (7-4) 4-6 6-1 victory over Spain’s Daniel Caverzaschi after two hours and 33 minutes.
Fellow Britons Greg Slade and Andy Lapthorne also made it through to the second round of the quad singles.
Slade saved three match points before wrapping up a 6-3 4-6 7-6 (11-9) win against Brazil’s Leandro Pena, while Lapthorne – a two-time winner at the US Open – beat South African Donald Ramphadi 6-2 6-3.
In the women’s wheelchair singles, Lucy Shuker fell to a 6-3 6-0 defeat by Dutch 23-time Grand Slam champion Diede de Groot, who has yet to win a major title this season after making her comeback from hip and shoulder surgery.
Gordon Ramsay has a message for you this holiday weekend: wear sunscreen.
The Michelin-starred celebrity chef posted Saturday on Instagram that he was diagnosed with skin cancer and had the basal cell carcinoma removed from the side of his face.
Ramsay shared two photos, one of a bandage stretching from his cheek to his neck. Another, a close-up, showed stitch marks directly below his earlobe.
“Grateful and so appreciative for the incredible team at The Skin Associates and their fast reactive work on removing this Basal Cell Carcinoma thank you! Please don’t forget your sunscreen this weekend,” Ramsay wrote in the caption.
His post was not without humor: “I promise you it’s not a face lift! I’d need a refund …” he said.
Ramsay — the host, most recently, of the reality TV show “Hell’s Kitchen” — has not been shy about sharing his health issues on social media, as well as offering cautionary advice to his followers. Last year he posted a video on Instagram after he was in a bicycle accident in Connecticut. In the video, the Scottish-born restaurateur lifted his white chef coat and pointed to expansive bruising on his torso. He urged his followers to “WEAR A HELMET.”
Skin cancers are among the most common cancers diagnosed worldwide, according to the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer. More than 1.5 million new cases were estimated in 2022.
Basal cell carcinoma in particular, which Ramsay was diagnosed with, is a type of non-melanoma skin cancer and the most common overall, says Elizabeth Bahar Houshmand, a double board certified dermatologist based in Dallas.
“But the good news,” Houshmand says, “is there’s a less than 1% chance of metastasis, meaning it would spread to other organs, regions. But it is a skin cancer and needs to be addressed promptly. Usually the treatment is surgical excision and that’s what Gordon Ramsay had done.”
Early detection of basal cell carcinoma, Houshmand says, is key. As are preventative measures, such as wearing sunscreen and SPF clothing.
“It’s generally slow-growing and rarely spreads to other parts of the body, and with early detection and treatment the cure rate is very high,” she says. “Always see your dermatologist if you see an irregularity that’s not going away. Don’t wait. And protect yourself — I like an SPF of 50 or greater and apply it 15 minutes before going outside.”
So if you fire up the grill this weekend — even attempting one of Ramsay’s barbecue favorites — still, make sunscreen the main course.
Out on the moody, flame-licked front patio of Mojave Gold in Yucca Valley, Ryan and Alexis Gutierrez took in their first goth show in their new neighborhood.
The couple had just moved to the high desert from the Inland Empire, and given the considerable face tattoo count between them, they’d been looking for some witchy fellow travelers.
After watching the electro project Tantra Punk’s set — a singer marauding across the stage, fogged over with blood-colored lights — the couple passed by a merch booth hawking fresh herbs planted in tiny metal pots. The two were pleasantly surprised they’d found their people here.
“I didn’t even know there was a scene for this out here,” Alexis said. “I literally just passed this place and thought it looked hip. We used to drive to San Diego for something like this.”
“It’s kind of slower out here in the desert, but there’s things like this that make it fun,” Ryan said, “Being in the alternative scene, having shows like this is really important to us.”
The six-week-old Mojave Gold is the most promising new entry in a desert music scene that, lately, has seen its share of high-stakes ownership drama at venues like Pappy & Harriet’s and the Alibi. Mojave Gold’s owners are betting on a more permanent, independent-minded scene for local acts and edgier nightlife in its wake.
“A part of why we moved here 10 years ago was that there are so many amazing musicians, and a lot more people live here now,” said the venue’s co-owner Cooper Gillespie. “I’m like, ‘Yes, bring on all the amazing music venues and new places for the music community to be.’”
The bar inside the nightclub is decorated in gold colors at Mojave Gold, a brand new music venue near Joshua Tree that’s counting on a continued interest in year-round nightlife in the fast-gentrifying area.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
While Joshua Tree is famous for its rough-and-tumble (if sometimes set decorated) roadhouse aesthetic, Mojave Gold looks more like it zigged left up the 111 from Palm Springs. A black and gilt disco vibe permeates the 500-capacity space, from the undulating wood ceiling made from salvaged Hollywood Bowl seats to velveteen booths and a winking poster advertising Quaaludes.
“There’s a purposeful make-out corner,” said Mojave Gold’s interior designer Brookelyn Fox, wryly arching her eyebrows toward the rear of the venue.
Mojave Gold’s attached restaurant is worth a visit in its own right (a cactus and citrus ceviche, charred cauliflower steak and a chocolate mole custard looked especially eye-catching). But in a small town with an outsize presence on the region’s music scene, it could help turn the area into a year-round tour stop in its own right and become a new festival-season mainstay.
“If you’ve got all these bands playing Coachella every year, well, only one of them is going to be able to play Saturday night at Pappy’s,” said Dale Fox, who manages the venue’s financing. “Now, there’s another place.”
Landers residents Gillespie and her Mojave Gold co-founder Greg Gordon are both former Pappy’s employees, working under longtime owners Robyn Celia and Linda Krantz. They suspected there was room for more live music than that beloved and hotly contested venue could handle year-round. They had their eyes on the former AWE Bar space since it closed after a brief run in 2023, with ambitions to rebuild it into a locals-first venue.
Patrons gather in the outdoor patio adjacent to the nightclub at Mojave Gold.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
“The space and the time we’ve had is so much more than we could have done in L.A.” Gillespie said. “Everything takes a lot of time and money in the city, and out here, I feel like there’s a lot more space in all aspects of your life to create. We’ll have national acts, but also bring up our local talent and give them opportunities to have a place to call their own.”
They got lucky when Liz Garo, the talent buyer for the late, lamented Alibi in Palm Springs, was unexpectedly free and looking for a new project in the area after decades booking the Echo, Regent and other venues in Los Angeles. The shows so far have spanned the modern desert’s full range of scenes — country dance nights, the scuzzy punk of Throw Rag, cabaret drag acts and gothic folk from Blood Nebraska.
“It was a part of some music scenes where you didn’t even know who’s playing, but you went to the Echo because you knew all your friends were going to be there,” Gillespie said. “That’s what we want this place to be.”
Mojave Gold arrives as a new crop of nightlife spots have opened to serve both desert lifers and newcomers to the small towns near Joshua Tree National Park. The Red Dog Saloon, Más o Menos and the ad hoc gay bar Tiny Pony Tavern have found their footing for more ambitious desert nightlife. There’s still room for more, Gordon said.
“The big surprise for me when we opened, is that there was not one moment where I felt a sense of competition,” Gordon added. “None of the other restaurants or venues had this kind of cutthroat mentality. There’s no zero-sum thinking. I think we’re still so young out here that … everybody adds something to the market.”
Patrons dance to music from local artists on Desert Gothic night at Mojave Gold.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
But passions about development run deep out here, especially after the pandemic-fueled boom in property flipping. The sad fate of the now-shuttered Alibi, the brutal court skirmish over Pappy’s and the gleaming nearby Acrisure Arena (which just landed the kickoff date and sole SoCal stop of Paul McCartney’s tour) prove that moneyed interests still have their eye on the area’s land and cultural scene.
For now though, the string of little desert towns are happy the Airbnb flippers have taken a beating and longer-term visions for local culture are taking root. “Shout-out to the city government in Yucca,” Gordon said, saluting. “They’re constantly thinking of ways to beautify the area and respect Old Town and encourage curated growth.”
Patrons dance to Tantra Punk on Desert Gothic night at Mojave Gold.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
The Mojave Gold team hopes that this sometimes-shaky boomlet of independent music in the desert can foster a scene like Silver Lake’s in the early 2000s — big enough to be nationally influential, but neighborhood-y enough to roll in twice a week and see where the evening takes you. Even if it’s straight to hell on goth night.
“A big part of those scenes were free or very inexpensive nights when you even if you didn’t have a lot of money, you could go out and have a great time,” Gillespie said. “I hope that the focus here is on fostering the local creative community and not just profiting.”
Two-time defending wheelchair doubles champions Alfie Hewett and Gordon Reid got their campaign off to a winning start at Wimbledon.
The British pair beat Takuya Miki of Japan and American Casey Ratzlaff 6-3 6-2 to progress to the semi-finals.
Six of their 22 major triumphs have come at the All England Club, while Hewett has 10 Grand Slam singles titles and Reid has two.
Both continue their singles campaigns on Thursday, with defending champion Hewett taking on China’s Ji Zhenxu and Reid facing Argentine fourth seed Gustavo Fernandez.
Another all-British pair – Ben Bartram and Dahnon Ward – were also in last-eight action on Wednesday but they lost 7-5 6-4 to Ji and Israel’s Sergei Lysov.
In the women’s wheelchair doubles, Briton Lucy Shuker and her Dutch partner Diede de Groot advanced to the semi-finals with a 6-4 6-4 victory over all-Netherlands pair Lizzy de Greef and Aniek van Koot.
Another British-Dutch pairing, Cornelia Oosthuizen and Jinte Bos, could not join them in the last four as they were beaten 6-4 5-7 6-4 by Chile’s Macarena Cabrillana and Japan’s Saki Takamuro.
Greg Slade reached the semi-finals of the men’s quad wheelchair singles, defeating Chilean Francisco Cayulef 7-6 (7-2) 3-6 6-4, but 2019 finalist Andy Lapthorne was beaten 6-2 1-6 6-2 by Turkey’s Ahmet Kaplan.
Both Slade and Lapthorne are back in action on Thursday in the men’s quad wheelchair doubles.
Lapthorne is partnering Cayulef against top seeds Guy Sasson and Niels Vink of Israel and the Netherlands respectively, while Slade and South African Donald Ramphadi face Kaplan and Dutchman Sam Schroder.
Over the past few years, the forecast has been cloudy when it comes to couches. Cumulus-like sofas have descended from the skies into living rooms across Los Angeles and the country at large.
To some, like Annie Elliott of Annie Elliott Design, sinuous sofas are often an unwelcome, alien presence. “I just don’t like them,” she says, describing many as “massive, space-age blobs” in white boucle that don’t fit most spaces. “I’m manifesting that they’ll be out of style in 15 minutes.”
“There’s always an opportunity for a curved sofa,” he says, “whether the setting is traditional or ultra-modern.” Circular and S-shaped couches might seem newfangled, but they’re classic, he adds.
Initially popular during the Art Deco era, this type of seating was back in fashion in the 1950s (when designer Vladimir Kagan introduced hisSerpentine Sofa). Now that Midcentury Modern is wildly popular again, it’s no wonder the curved couch has made a comeback. But if you’re still on the fence about getting one, consider these reasons and picks.
Where to place a curvy couch
Place a serpentine sofa in the middle of a room and you’ll instantly transform it from wan white box to theater-worthy. A curvy couch is outside of the box, literally, and can help achieve a more custom, interesting look, says Andrews.
One reason for these couches’ star power? Their curves contrast with the angularity of most spaces and depart from the conventional rectilinear profile of sofas. Curvy couches can soften all those 90-degree angles and add femininity, says Los Angeles-based Kim Gordon of Kim Gordon Designs. She describes including them as akin to “bringing in some girly hips.”
A curvy couch adds interest to this room designed by Kim Gordon.
(Tyler Hogan )
But their benefits are more than aesthetic. Curvy couches can also be practical, especially in open-plan spaces. Large rooms can feel cold and cavernous. But a large-scale serpentine sofa in the center can break up a space, acting as both seating and separation. Including one or two of these couches is an alternative to creating two or three distinct seating areas with several pieces of furniture, says Gordon. Because of their curves, the couches create a space within a space, adds Atlanta-based Jessica Davis of Atelier Davis, who describes them as hug-like and enveloping. Even if you’re sitting at the opposite end from someone else, you can still have a conversation with them, she says.
While these sofas are often found in large spaces, they can work in small ones too. A single couch can take the place of a sectional or a sofa and a chair or two, Gordon says. In a cozy room, one curvy couch with a coffee table and side tables might be all the furniture you need.
Since they’re not rectangular, you can also be creative and play around with their positioning, adds Andrews. Unlike a traditional couch, a curvy couch doesn’t need to be pushed against a wall — in fact, it shouldn’t be. Tuck it into a corner or float it in the center of a room, he says. “You can angle it different ways for different feelings, depending on where you’re trying to center the attention.”
How to pick the right couch
Curvy couches are often deeper than their traditional counterparts, says Beth Diana Smith of Beth Diana Smith Interior Design. So before you fall for the wrong one, whip out the measuring tape. Measure each contender or confirm its specs with the manufacturer, suggests Davis. Pay attention to overall depth versus seat depth — different manufacturers can specify depth differently. Then use painter’s tape to outline the silhouette on your floor, ensuring the couch will fit.
Also consider how highly you value comfort. Some curvy couches, especially more sculptural models, might not be deep enough for you to curl up in, says Julia DeMarco of Kim Gordon Designs. Test each one and seek out down- or feather-filled cushions, which will “give” when you sit, DeMarco adds.
If you’re not a fan of the couch’s material (many come in “gray, icky” stock fabrics, says Gordon), you can always reupholster.
Finally, don’t pair your curved couch with similarly curvy tables and chairs, says Smith, since “too much of the same thing isn’t visually pleasing.” In fact, it can feel almost … square.
Curvy couches that inspire
Consider these couches across the price spectrum, some of which have changing prices due to sales.
Jacqueline 89.4-inch Upholstered Sofa ($1,399): This couch with a curved back and gold legs feels glam and feminine. In the Kelly Clarkson Collection available from Wayfair, it features a deep seat and comes in five fabrics (including light blue and pink).
Crate & Barrel Martina 94-inch Sofa ($2,159): Here’s a subtle take, featuring a kidney-shaped, 43-inch-deep bench seat and pillows with feather-down fill. The base is solid walnut, and the off-white upholstery is a linen blend.
Eternity Modern Savelle Modern Curved Sofa ($3,659-$5,779): Designed by Swedish architect Jonas Wagell, this couch comes in six boucle or sheepskin fabric choices, all in neutral hues. With a medium-firm, customizable cushion and a seat depth of 23 inches, it’s “comfy” and “our go-to,” says DeMarco.
Edra Standard Francesco Binfaré (price upon request): “If you want to go ‘bananas,’ this one is orgasmic,” Gordon says. “It’s just heaven.” The deep, customizable couch features backrests and armrests you can mold with just a touch of your hand. It’s sold at Spazio Edra Los Angeles by Diva Furniture in West Hollywood.
Following a first set which saw six breaks of serve – four of them by the British team – the second was much more straightforward for the perennial champions, in spite of the conditions.
It capped a slightly odd day for Reid and Hewett, which they started as opponents in the singles quarter-finals.
Hewett, the second seed, triumphed 6-2 6-4. He will play fourth seed Fernandez in the singles semi-finals.
Elsewhere, Britain’s Andy Lapthorne suffered double elimination in men’s quad wheelchair events on Thursday.
The Englishman’s day started with a 6-4 6-4 defeat in the singles semi-final to top seed Niels Vink of the Netherlands.
He then suffered another last-four loss in the doubles as, along with Dutch partner Sam Schroder, he was beaten in the match tie-break by Ahmet Kaplan of Turkey and South Africa’s Donald Ramphadi, losing 6-3 2-6 10-7.
Lapthorne and Schroder, the second seeds, fought back from losing the first set by winning the second in 35 minutes, and were ahead in the first-to-10 shootout decider before suffering defeat against their unseeded opponents.
Aston Villa show Jadon Sancho interest, Newcastle make Burnley’s James Trafford their top target and Liverpool consider Anthony Gordon move.
Aston Villa have become the latest club to show an interest in signing England winger Jadon Sancho, 25, from Manchester United following his loan at Chelsea. (Teamtalk), external
Liverpool are not looking to sell Colombia winger Luis Diaz, 28, and have received no offers, despite reported interest from Barcelona and Saudi side Al-Nassr. (Times – subscription required), external
But should Diaz leave, Newcastle’s £80m-rated England winger Anthony Gordon, 24, is being seriously considered by Liverpool as a replacement. (Teamtalk), external
Arne Slot’s Liverpool could also compete with Arsenal to sign Benjamin Sesko from RB Leipzig, with the 22-year-old Slovenia striker the subject of a £67m bid from the Gunners. (TBR Football), external
Harvey Elliott is most likely to join a Serie A club if the English midfielder, 22, leaves Liverpool this summer. (Football Insider), external
Everton would have to match Thierno Barry’s release clause of 40m euros (£33.7m) to sign the French striker from Villarreal. (Teamtalk), external
Chelsea are unwilling to pay the £25m AC Milan want for their 29-year-old France goalkeeper Mike Maignan. (Standard), external
Brentford will look to appoint Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna if current manager Thomas Frank leaves to replace Ange Postecoglou at Tottenham. (Football Insider), external
West Ham have contacted Club Brugge about signing 24-year-old Nigeria midfielder Raphael Onyedika, but face competition from AC Milan. (TBR Football), external
Manchester City and Barcelona have expressed an interest in Arsenal’s 15-year-old English midfield prospect Max Dowman. (FootballTransfers), external
