Manx Newscast

Three sixth-form students are back home after attending this year’s United Space School in Houston, Texas. All pupils at Ballakermeen High School, they were selected to attend the school on a River Advisers scholarship, which this year celebrated its 25th anniversary. Siobhán Fletcher went to meet this year's cohort - Hollie Patterson-Hannay, Patrick Williams and Guy McGuinness, as...

An MHK says the way whistleblowers are treated by government is 'appalling', and they should be welcomed rather than ostracised. Arbory, Castletown and Malew member Tim Glover compiled a dossier in 2023 looking at the findings of a whistleblowing committee, how the topic had been discussed in Tynwald since, and hearing from those going through the whistleblowing process. The report includes quotes...

The chief constable has rebuked suggestions that making armed police officers more visible on the Isle of Man indicates a shift to so-called 'woke' policing. The comments from Russ Foster come in response to opinions shared by a former MHK on Manx Radio's Perspective programme on Sunday (14 September). Chris Robertshaw said that Mr Foster had brought 'the UK mindset to the...

A local football club is appealing for help from the community to build new changing rooms.  Pulrose United FC has been in 'negotiations' with Douglas Council for a new facility after its former building was condemned and demolished and a temporary site put in its place.  The changing rooms are currently owned by the local authority, but it's hoping to take on the lease under 'South Doug...

A Ramsey Commissioner has come under fire over comments she made on social media. In reply to a Facebook post about US political commentator Charlie Kirk, who was shot dead last week, Elizabeth Shimmin wrote he should "burn in hell". Her remarks drew criticism from MHK Stu Peters, who described them as "ignorant, crass and unnecessary". Ramsey Town Commissioners have said they’re aware o...

Are government's departments overspending or underfunded? That's the question being raised by Speaker of the House of Keys and Chair of the Public Accounts Committee, Juan Watterson. It's after Treasury revealed four government departments are already projecting overspends in the first quarter of this financial year. Mr Watterson's been speaking to Amy Griffiths:

Treasury Minister Alex Allinson discusses the government’s quarterly accounts, showing budget pressures across several departments.

With a brand new, multi-million pound facility to support people with cancer and their loved ones just weeks away from completion, we've been invited for a look around the centre. We speak to the people from the charities that have made it possible:

As thirteen Manx landmarks are given protected status, we hear from the DEFA Minister. Clare Barber tells Amy Griffiths how they choose which ones go on the list and how important it is to get the decisions right:

A brand-new Island business is hoping to break down barriers by transforming printed materials into formats that work for people with a visual impairment. Dot & Type offers professional braille transcription of any printed material including menus, bills, letters, and documents, and also has a line of customisable greeting cards. Founder Tasha Molyneux-Smith told Siobhán Fletcher more.

A group of talented young musicians from the Island are set to perform at the Royal Albert Hall later this year. Scran, whose members are between the ages of 13 and 17, is described as a 'Manx supergroup' and is heading to the Music for Youth Proms in November.  The event will feature more than 1,200 young musicians from across the UK and further afield. But to get there - sponsors are being...

An MHK says the current policies for whistleblowers in government are still "quite weak". Onchan member Julie Edge chaired a committee looking into whistleblowing during the last administration. She's recently met with the chief minister to highlight her concerns. Ms Edge has been speaking to Manx Radio's Sian Cowper

A conference regarding financial crime saw a turnout of around 600 professionals at the Villa Marina in Douglas. Designed to showcase international developments and emerging risks, the Countering Financial Crime Conference 2025 featured guest speakers and panels. The event comes ahead of the Island's upcoming MONEYVAL assessment, which gets underway next year. In...

The majority of people attending a public meeting to discuss proposals for an offshore windfarm off the Island's east coast were against the plans. It was organised by Garff Commissioners about the Mooir Vannin Offshore Windfarm proposal by Ørsted. The local authority was using the meeting to gauge the views of residents before submitting its own response to the consultation and submitting its vie...

A local dad who campaigned for new equipment in Governor's Hill play area says it's 'great' that Douglas Council has started to invest in it but feels more needs to be done. Richard Little started a campaign to put pressure on the local authority to resolve some longstanding issues at the park including problems with the flooring, improving picnic benches and routine maintenance.  The council...

Further calls for better apprenticeship support have been heard at a Construction Skills Conference held on the Island. Construction Isle of Man wants a full review of changes to the way apprenticeships are funded on the Isle of Man. Amy Griffiths attended an event, dubbed an 'emergency conference', at the Comis Hotel to find out more:

Female runners on the Island have been telling Manx Radio about their experiences of catcalling and harassment. It's after a study showed that more than two-thirds of women in north-west England had dealt with such incidents whilst out exercising. In this edition of Newscast, Lewis Foster speaks to the founder of the all-female running club Run Like a Girl, Emily Knop, and fellow club member Chloe...

It's hoped the Island's dental waiting list will be almost eliminated by the end of this financial year. Manx Care has agreed new contracts with its dental providers enabling them to take on more NHS patients. It's expected to cost around an extra £700,000 each year to incentivise the providers to continue the work. Amy Griffiths has been finding out more:

This week marks Rainbow Baby Week on the Isle of Man. This year's theme is 'Community Matters', in the hope of highlighting the importance of strong support networks for families navigating pregnancy after loss. Amy Griffiths has been speaking to Manx Care's Maternity Bereavement Lead, Dianne Ruberry, about what a rainbow baby is:

A Manx charity that provides pet food for owners who're facing hard times says demand has sky-rocketed recently. The Pet Food Pantry says it's been getting requests from 'eight to ten' new users a week. The organisation was established in 2023 in response to the rising cost of living to help owners keep their existing family pets when faced with giving them up. Founder Helen MacAffer says the need...

How can charities protect themselves from rising cyber threats? We speak to Andy Starr, Managing Director of Just Technology Group, about the company’s decision to offer free security software to Isle of Man charities. He explains how the tool works, why ransomware attacks are becoming more common, and what organisations can do to strengthen their digital resilience.

It's hoped a Construction Skills Conference being held later this week will help bring together construction industry professionals from all disciplines and walks of life with budding apprentices.

Here we meet 18-year old Kimi Gautschi who is on the Island for a six-week placement, working alongside Head Golf Professional at the Comis Hotel and Golf Resort Stephen Crooks.

To coincide with National Allotment Week Simon Richardson headed west to meet up with 'allotmentarian' Pete Heyes at his plot near Peel, to discover the allure of the allotment.

The health minister says the Isle of Man would probably match the UK when dealing with the immigration health surcharge.  Currently, the fee across is £1,035 per year for adults and £776 per visa for those aged 18 and under.  Immigration Lawyer Maria Bridson says the surcharge might have a negative impact on the number of applications to the Island, but for businesses, it's just an addit...