The Manx Independent this week leads on a court case involving two brothers who smuggled drugs to the island.

We tell the full story.

Also this week:

An intiative designed to persuade cruise passengers to spend more money in the island when they visit.

A fireman who ran 18 miles in the London Marathon with a broken foot.

How will the UK’s crackdown on pornography websites affect the Isle of Man.

The new Emperor of Japan once visited the Isle of Man.

The new headteacher of St Mary’s Primary School in Douglas.

A man who cut himself breaking into his own flat could have bled to death if police had not helped him, a court heard.

We meet a man who’s determined to do the Parish Walk after having a stroke.

A worker who stole a JCB.

Two TT winning bikes have failed to sell at an auction in the UK when neither reserve price was met.

The Department of Infrastructure has raised concerns that the number of proposed housing developments in the south would take two road junctions ’beyond capacity’.

The latest on the speed limits on the main route between the south and Douglas.

Mountain bikers braved wet and windy conditions to ’Paint the Plantation Pink’. We have lots of photos.

Our food and farming pages hear a call for farmers to grow more oats.

Reporter Sam Turton went to this week’s Positive Action Group meeting and heard arguments about whether the Isle of Man could declare independence.

An initiative that aims to help the public ditch single-use plastic water bottles by setting up refill stations has reached a milestone - its 100th one.

The government says it is committed to dredging silt from the marina at Peel - despite a delay in starting work.

An objection to the plan to renovate the Marine Biological Station in Port Erin.

The highlights of our 16-page leisure and entertainment section, Island Life, include a look forward to the Isle of Man Arts Festival and a fire festival in Peel at the weekend.

Our sports pages are full of action and look forward to the weekend’s events.

Plus there’s Isle of Man’s What’s On guide, a page of pictures from the past, a seven-day television guide and lots of community news.

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