Kiwi comedian Dai Henwood has postponed two comedy shows due to medical circumstances - referring to "tumour activity" in his lungs.

Powerful waves are set to impact Australia's east coast, with a tropical cyclone expected to become "severe" in the coming days.

Blood cancer patients in Christchurch and Auckland will soon have a chance to join an expanded clinical trial using their own immune cells to fight the disease.

Pope Francis, battling double pneumonia, remains in a critical condition for a second day running and has shown an "initial, slight insufficiency" in his kidney function, the Vatican said.

An attempted break-in of a South Dunedin home was foiled after the would-be burglar started making a ruckus by jumping up and down on the roof.

For the first time in a very long time, all couches made it through the annual madness of Flo and O-week unburnt and unscathed, making a veteran campus cop proud.

Police have seized dozens of patches and laid hundreds of charges against people since a new law was introduced three months ago.

Defence Minister Judith Collins says the presence of Chinese warships carrying out live-fire exercises in the Tasman Sea is "unusual", but nothing Kiwis need to be worried about.