Tasmanian police found only one piece of forensic evidence at the crime scene: a leech, engorged with blood.

The NZ grandfather of a teenager trying to become the youngest to sail solo non-stop around the world is convinced she can do it.

A racing yacht built for a Kiwi Rich Lister was yesterday wrecked on rocks off the New South Wales coast.

Farmers are bracing themselves for another dumping of snow and motorists are being warned to take care as another low moves over NZ.

A band of cold and wet weather is set to cover the country from tomorrow.

Police searching for toddler Aisling Symes are now looking at any reports of suspicious behaviour in the Henderson area.

Police searching for toddler Aisling Symes are now looking at any reports of suspicious behaviour in the past few weeks in the area where she disappeared.

The aunty of two-year-old west Auckland toddler Aisling Symes, missing since Monday, tells her possible kidnapper the family "just want her home".

Police have begun interviewing and profiling people that they have 'concerns about' in the area where two-year-old Aisling Symes went missing.

This week's snow storm could have killed up to 200 lambs on each Hawkes Bay hill country farm affected, Federated Farmers says.

Police say the Napier-Taupo highway will stay closed until all of the abandoned cars have been removed.

Two major highways may re-open this afternoon after unseasonal heavy snow in the last two days stranded motorists for two nights.

Aucklanders young and old yesterday searched for toddler Aisling Symes, who disappeared on a bitterly cold Monday.