A small insurer headquartered in New Zealand is suspected of helping in the trade of tens of billions of dollars of Iranian and Russian oil by providing vessels skirting Western sanctions with the insurance they need to enter ports.

Fresh faced police officers got a lesson in winter driving from a Southern police veteran last night after getting their patrol cars stuck in the snow, along with about 200 others.

Category 5 storm Hurricane Melissa, packing sustained winds of up to 282 kph, is on course to barrel into Jamaica, in what could be the largest storm on record for the Caribbean island.

Labour has agreed to campaign on a capital gains tax (CGT) covering just property - excluding the family home and farms - to help fund three free doctor visits for everyone.