contested

African island nation decides its future as Wavel Ramkalawan seeks a second term against Patrick Herminie.

Voters in Seychelles have been casting their ballots in a tightly fought presidential run-off between incumbent Wavel Ramkalawan and opposition leader Patrick Herminie.

Polls opened in the African island nation on Saturday, with results expected on Sunday.

The election will determine whether Ramkalawan of the governing Linyon Demokratik Seselwa party secures a second five-year term or Herminie’s United Seychelles party returns to power after losing control five years ago.

The United Seychelles party, led by Herminie, was the governing party between 1977 and 2022, before losing power.

It regained ground in last month’s parliamentary elections, winning 15 of 26 seats.

Neither candidate won outright in the first round two weeks ago.

Herminie led with 48.8 percent of the vote compared with Ramkalawan’s 46.4 percent, forcing a final round run-off in the nation of 120,000 people.

Early voting began on Thursday at special locations including elderly care homes, schools and several outer islands. Main polling stations opened after 7am (03:00 GMT) on Saturday for the more than 77,000 registered voters.

Several contentious issues have dominated this electoral cycle.

A controversial land lease has emerged as a central campaign flashpoint, with the government granting a Qatari company a 70-year agreement to build a luxury resort on Assumption Island for $20m.

Environmental groups filed a legal challenge to halt the project, arguing it threatens a fragile ecosystem near the UNESCO-protected Aldabra atoll, home to 400 unique species.

Herminie has pledged to cancel the hotel development if elected, while also promising to lower the retirement age and reduce public transport costs. Ramkalawan, the incumbent, has defended the Qatar deal as a necessary investment for the tourism-dependent economy.

Drug addiction has also dominated voter concerns. The country faces one of the world’s highest rates of heroin use, with an estimated 10 percent of working-age residents struggling with addiction. Critics say both candidates failed to adequately address the crisis during their time in government.

Ramkalawan, a former Anglican priest, became the first opposition leader to win the presidency in 2020, ending United Seychelles’ 43-year hold on power. His opponent Herminie served as parliamentary speaker and previously chaired the national drug prevention agency.

The victor will lead Africa’s smallest and wealthiest nation in per capita terms through mounting challenges including climate vulnerability and protecting sovereignty amid competing international interests.

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.”

The sun-soaked British Overseas Territory is a slice of the UK on the southern coast of Spain – and has been a popular holiday hotspot for Brits looking for a break closer to home

With its iconic red phone boxes, traditional full English breakfasts, and a vintage-style M&S, it’s like stepping into a 1970s British high street. But this isn’t a charming village in the English countryside – it’s Gibraltar.

Nestled on Spain’s southern coast, this British Overseas Territory offers all the home comforts of the UK, with just a few hints – such as scorching sunshine and a wandering monkey population – to remind visitors they’re over 1,000 miles from Blighty.

Gibraltar is home to familiar brands like Morrisons, Costa Coffee and Card Factory, while locals enjoy hearty roasts, afternoon tea and other British favourites, according to MailOnline.

Earlier this week, the UK reached a landmark agreement with the EU, securing a ‘fluid’ border with Spain – meaning travellers can cross the land border without checks, paving the way for a long-awaited post-Brexit deal.

READ MORE: Brits swap traditional dates for ‘extreme day trip’ jet-set romanceREAD MORE: British holidaymakers will avoid long airport queues after border deal agreed

However, those entering via land will enjoy seamless travel, anyone flying into Gibraltar from the UK will face two checks – one by local Gibraltarian authorities and a second by the Spanish acting on behalf of the EU, as the land border provides direct access to Europe’s Schengen area, reports the Express.

Despite the updated arrangement, the UK and Gibraltar have been quick to emphasise it does not affect the territory’s sovereignty. Locals still use the British pound and hold UK passports, even though they’re closer to Morocco than Manchester.

Gibraltar could soon be a rising star in holiday destinations, with airlines considering new international routes to the British overseas territory. It promises visitors a unique blend of British charm and Mediterranean flair, as evidenced by countless TikTok expat and local creators.

Meg Leigh, a Yorkshire lass turned Gibraltarian, has been documenting her sun-kissed adventures on TikTok for four years, giving followers a peek into her idyllic life that includes seaside strolls and monkey meet-ups.

In a viral TikTok video, Meg reveals her love for her adopted home: “I wouldn’t move back to the UK. Four years on and I own my house, have a job for life and better quality of life. Three years later and as much as I miss my family & friends, I love my life in Gib,” while cautioning that Gibraltar can be “super expensive” and recommending job security before relocating.

With Rightmove noting an average housing price at a steep £491,867 due to high demand and import costs, residents are feeling the financial impact, albeit tourists remain cushioned from this with no currency exchange worries and duty free shopping for luxuries like jewellery and perfume.

Another popular TikToker, Hannah (@lidbetterlidbetter) from the south of England, is racking up millions of views with snippets revealing her daily existence in this sunny sliver of Britain.

“It’s like the UK but actually in the sun,” she joked in one viral video, showcasing marching bands, traditional phone boxes, and familiar high street brands – not to mention sandy beaches, dolphin-watching excursions, and Gibraltar’s notorious monkeys.

“Welcome to living in the UK but in the sunshine,” she declared in another snippet.

She pointed out that while you’ll come across a McDonald’s, Burger King and Costa, the menus might vary – and that most locals are bilingual, blending English and Spanish in their daily chat.

“It’s small! But a real sense of community and excellent school and health systems,” she continued.

Perhaps the most peculiar feature?

The airport.

Hannah captured the moment cars paused to cross the runway, which oddly cuts through a main road. Traffic is stopped until planes have taken off or landed, before vehicles are given the green light to drive over.

“One of the craziest things about Gibraltar is probably the whole runway, airport scenario. It’s honestly so bizarre,” she remarked.