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TRANSCRIPT:
- Iran denies it asked the United States for a ceasefire
- Victorian government has settled a COVID 19 class action
- Danish cyclist Jonas Vingegaard wins the Paris-Nice race.
Iran says it has no reason to negotiate with the United States, taking issue with President Trump's claim that the country has asked for a ceasefire.
President Trump has asked countries to send warships to help US naval forces re-open the Strait of Hormuz for shipping.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says Iran has been approached by a number of countries seeking safe passage for their vessels.
He says Iran did not ask for a ceasefire and has no reason to negotiate with the United States.
"We never asked for a ceasefire and we have never asked even for a negotiation. We are ready to defend ourselves as long as it takes. We don't see any reason why you should talk to the Americans because we were talking to them when they decided to attack us and that was for the second time."
The federal government has defended the decision to offer humanitarian visas to members of the Iranian women's football team.
A fifth member of the Iranian women's football team has withdrawn their application for asylum in Australia, leaving only two remaining in Australia.
Iran's state media, via the Islamic Republic News Agency, named the fifth member as the team's captain, Zahra Ghanbari.
Advocates say the women have faced pressure to return to Iran over concerns for the safety of their loved ones.
The Assistant Minister for Immigration, Matt Thistlethwaite, says the two footballers who remain in Australia will be supported.
He has told Sky News, it is important that the women were given a choice to stay.
"It is a complex situation. They were removed to a safe destination, once they decided to take up our offer of protection here in Australia. But obviously, they have been able to communicate with family; and with others. I understand some of them did make contact with the Iranian embassy. We can't cut off communications for them. We did all we could to support them."
The Victorian government has settled a class action brought by businesses that suffered losses in 2020 when the state's hotel quarantine failures led to a deadly wave of COVID-19 and a 112-day lockdown.
About 16,000 businesses registered to take part in the class action.
Minister Gabrielle Williams says the $125 million dollar settlement needs to be approved by the Supreme Court and says reaching a settlement was the right decision.
"It's certainly to prevent further protracted legal proceedings which obviously come at significant cost. I think that's reasonable when we've got to weigh and balance those important considerations and being fiscally responsible withing that context as well."
At least 66 people in Kenya have died in the past week as heavy rain causes widespread flooding.
The rain has caused flash floods as rivers burst their banks causing damage to roads and flooding homes.
Authorities have urged people in low-lying areas to move to higher ground.
The black comedy action-thriller One Battle After Another has won six awards at the Oscars, including best picture and best supporting actor for Sean Penn.
Michael B. Jordan has taken out best actor for his role in Sinners.
Jessie Buckley collected the best actress award for playing the wife of William Shakepeare, Agnes Hathaway, in Hamnet.
In cycling news, Danish cyclist Jonas Vingegaard has won the Paris-Nice race.The two-time Tour de France champion finished second in the final stage, but was still more than four minutes faster than any other rider overall over the race's eight stages.It's the fourth-biggest winning margin in race history.Chris Hamilton was the highest-ranked Australian finisher on stage eight, crossing in 35th place, with countryman Jenson Plowright best placed at 18th in the General Classification.Vingegaard was ecstatic with the win, and now has his Giro d'Italia debut in May to look forward to - in a bid to win all three Grand Tours.
"Today was almost a perfect day we had a lot of fun today, we raced full gauge racing all day and finally I'm able to win Paris Nice and ... it's been a tough one for me but I'm extremely happy to sit here in the yellow jersey today. Of course I would have loved to win the stage as well, but Lenny was very strong, and he deserves the win as well."
