The Easter long weekend is here and for many this presents the chance to unwind and spend time with friends and family.

While some stores might have once stayed closed for the whole four days to give staff a break, many major businesses now open their stores during the Easter weekend.

In general, most major stores across the country will be closed on Good Friday. On Easter Saturday most of them will reopen, but then on Easter Sunday it changes from state to state.

On Easter Monday, shops will generally open up again with altered trading hours.

While the major retailers have indicated which stores will stay open across the public holiday, shoppers should check with their local store before making any trips out over the weekend.

From groceries to bottle shops: here are all the Easter trading hours for the major retailers across Australia.

READ MORE: Easter public holidays differ across Australia – so when are yours?

What is open on Good Friday?

Good Friday is a national public holiday and recognised as a "restricted trading day".

This means that some major retailers and venues may be open, but expect the large majority of them, including bottle shops, to be closed.

All Woolworths stores around the country will be closed on Good Friday. Find out the long weekend trading hours for your local your local Woolworths supermarket here.

All Coles stores across the country will be also be closed on Good Friday, with only some select stores in South Australia open. Find out the long weekend trading hours for your local Coles supermarket here.

Aldi locations around Australia will also be closed on Good Friday, meaning all major supermarkets will be closed.

Westfield shopping centres will be closed on Good Friday, with the exception of some WA centres which will stay open.

Some regional IGA locations will be open on Good Friday. While most metropolitan stores will be closed, several IGA stores across NSW, Qld, SA, Vic, and WA will be open. Shoppers can check if their local store will remain open online.

Major retailers like Big W and Kmart stores across Australia are closed on Good Friday as well. Likewise, all Bunnings stores will be closed on Good Friday

Bottle shops including Liquorland, BWS, and Dan Murphy's will be closed on Good Friday, with only a few select Liquorland stores in South Australia staying open.

READ MORE: Australia's public holidays for 2023 and 2024

What is open on Easter Saturday?

Supermarkets and major retailers around the country will reopen after Good Friday, with some retailers expecting a major weekend of sales. 

All Coles stores across the country will be open, with some select stores in South Australia remaining closed.

Woolworths stores around the country will be open on Easter Saturday, with the exception of some Woolworths Metros in NSW, Victoria and Queensland. All Aldi stores will be open as well.

IGA stores in every state will remain open on Easter Saturday, with shoppers advised to check the opening hours with their local store.

All Kmart stores across the country will be open again on Easter Saturday, and all Big W stores will be also open, but opening hours may change from store to store.

Around the country Bunnings will open on Easter Saturday, but shoppers are encouraged to check the Bunnings website for opening hours.

Most Westfield shopping centres will be open around the country on Easter Saturday, however opening hours will vary from state to state, and from store to store.

All Liquorland, Dan Murphy's and BWS stores across the country will be open.

What is open on Easter Sunday?

Easter Sunday will see each state enforce their own rules regarding trading hours and openings.

In most of the country, Woolworths stores will be open on Easter Sunday – with the exception of NSW, the ACT, and SA, where some stores will be closed.

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This year, all Coles stores across the country will be open on Easter Sunday, with some select stores in South Australia remaining closed.

All Aldi stores in Victoria and WA will be open on Easter Sunday but in the rest of the country, openings will vary from store to store. Shoppers can visit the ALDI store locator closer to the Easter weekend for information on individual store trading hours.

Most Kmart stores in NSW and SA will be closed on Easter Sunday. Meanwhile, their stores in all other states will be open on Easter Sunday, likewise, shoppers are encouraged to look up the schedule for their local store.

Big W will be closed in most major cities on Easter Sunday, but some regional locations may be open with reduced hours.

Bunnings will open on Easter Sunday for most of the country, but some Bunnings stores in NSW will remain closed due to Easter Trading regulations.

Most bottle shops that are part of the major chains will be open across the country on Easter Sunday.

IGA stores in every state will remain open on Easter Sunday, with shoppers advised to check opening hours with their local store.

Westfield shopping centres in NSW and SA will be closed on Easter Sunday (with the exception of Westfield Tuggerah). All other Westfield locations around the country will be open with various trading hours.

What is open on Easter Monday?

Major stores around the country will stay open on Easter Monday, while the nation takes advantage of the public holiday.

Across the country, most Woolworths stores will be open, with the exception of some Woolworths Metros in NSW, Victoria and Queensland. Stores in Adelaide metropolitan areas and Millicent will be closed.

You can check the opening hours of your local BIG W store here.

All Coles stores across the country will be open, with some select stores in South Australia remaining closed.

IGA stores in every state will remain open on Easter Monday, with shoppers advised to check the opening hours with their local store.

Around the country Bunnings will open on Easter Monday, but shoppers are again encouraged to check with their local store.

Westfield shopping centres will be open on Easter Monday everywhere except South Australia. Shoppers should check online for exact Westfield opening hours.

Bottleshops and most major retail outlets will be open on Easter Monday.

Since South Australia has different rules around public holiday trading, some select stores in the state will stay closed on Easter Monday. 

Find out if your local Kmart will be open over Easter here.

The provided trading hours and information are subject to change according to individual stores.

We highly encourage readers to check the operating hours of their local stores online before making the venture. 

A Russian tourist has been deported from Bali after a semi-nude photo he took on top of a sacred mountain went viral and sparked heated public debate about misbehaving tourists on the island.

The 24-year-old Russian national, identified by Balinese immigration authorities as Yuri Chilikin, was deported on Tuesday, April 4, to Moscow via Dubai, officials said in a statement issued on Wednesday.

Photos released by the immigration authorities showed Chilikin, wearing a backpack and holding a cup of coffee while being escorted by officers at the Ngurah Rai International Airport in Denpasar during the deportation process.

READ MORE: Easter exodus chaos continues on roads and in airports

"Please enjoy Bali by adhering to regulations. If you commit a violation, we will not hesitate to take firm action," spokesperson Barron Ichsan said.

Chilikin has also been barred from entering Indonesia for at least six months over the incident, he added.

Chilikin is one of a handful of Russian tourists who have made headlines for inappropriate behaviour on the popular Indonesian holiday island.

He had posted a photo of himself on Instagram naked from the waist down at Mount Agung, Bali's highest peak and a sacred religious site.

Locals – who are predominantly Hindu – believe that the mountain represents the god Shiva and a permit is required for anyone who wishes to hike it.

Following backlash, Chilikin removed the offending photo from his page, replacing it with an apology video.

READ MORE: Indonesia makes an example of Aussie in Bali who fumed over $25 fine

"There is no excuse for my actions. The only thing that led to what happened was my personal ignorance," he said.

"Agung is a sacred symbol for the Balinese. After studying the culture and religion of Bali, I realised my mistake."

He also detailed an "offering ceremony to the Gods" which took place on April 2.

"I participated as well as I could, I kept my word," he said, sharing that he had spent money on the ceremony.

"Now I am calm and clear before me. I did everything to correct this situation – and for the rest (I was) showed a good lesson on how not to behave," Chilikin said, adding that he was "ready" for any outcome from the authorities.

"Now I am waiting to be deported and I hope that I will be able to fly to Thailand for my mother's birthday," he added.

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Russians: the most deported nationality

Indonesia's most popular holiday island has become a magnet for thousands of Russians and Ukrainians seeking to escape the horrors of war.

Russians make up the second largest tourist group in Bali, after Australians. More than 43,000 Russian nationals arrived on the island in the first three months of 2023, according to Indonesian government figures.

But public resentment towards them has been rising, with complaints about Russian tourists behaving badly increasing in recent weeks, officials said.

Out of 40 foreign tourists who were deported from Bali between January and April this year, 35 per cent of them (14 individuals) were Russian – making up the largest group of foreign deportations, officials added.

In March, Bali governor Wayan Koster called on the Indonesian government to revoke visa on arrival privileges for Russian tourists as well as Ukrainians. "Why these two countries? Because they are at war so they flock here," Wayan said.

READ MORE: What's open on Good Friday and Easter Sunday?

He also announced that foreigners would no longer be allowed to rent motorbikes and that international visitors would not be able to work on the island without proper visas.

Russian ambassador to Indonesia Lyudmila Vorobieva expressed displeasure with his call for a ban, saying that majority of Russians respected and obeyed laws in Indonesia.

"Of course, just like any nationality, there are several people who do not really obey the law, but I don't think that is something to be focused on," she told local reporters.

"The removal of visa upon arrivals for Russian tourists is just a proposal and I hope the matter does not become a problem," she added.

With large-scale data breaches and cyber attacks becoming more and more common, the importance of privacy and data security has been thrust right into the public eye.

But for years, it's been entirely possible for someone to go online and get a close look at your home, potentially even being able to find a side entrance or vulnerable back window, all without having to even log in, thanks to Google Maps' Street View feature.

But it's straightforward to get your property blurred on the platform. Here's how.

READ MORE: What to do if your data is compromised in a company hack

How to blur your home on Google Maps Street View

Getting your home blurred on Street View is pretty straightforward.

First up, find the address on Maps and view it in Street View. Then click on the small "report a problem" link in the bottom-right corner.

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From there, you'll need to adjust the red box at the top of the following page so it completely surrounds your property, and select the "My home" option under "Request blurring".

You'll then need to add some extra information to outline why you want the home blurred, as well as help Google blur the correct building.

READ MORE: Trump has been charged. What happens now and why didn't we see a mug shot?

Then enter your email address so you can receive a confirmation message, fill out the verification section to prove you're not a robot, then hit submit.

Google's team should then get in touch to either ask more questions or confirm that action has been taken or not.

You can also go through the same page to request blurring of other things, such as if you see your face or number plate in street view. 

It's worth noting that getting a property blurred is a permanent step and can't be reversed.

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Protesters disrupted vehicle traffic at Paris' main airport and police fired clouds of tear gas in other French cities as people marched in their thousands in a new round of strikes and nationwide demonstrations on Thursday seeking to get President Emmanuel Macron to scrap pension reforms that have ignited a months-long firestorm of public anger.

Talks between trade union leaders and Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne broke up on Wednesday without a breakthrough, setting the stage for protesters' return to the streets, while unions called yet another day of protests for April 13.

However, the number of strikers has fallen, particularly in the transportation sector, since protests began in January.

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About 400,000 people joined the protest in Paris Thursday, down from 450,000 the week before, said the powerful CGT union. Interior Ministry estimates of the marchers' numbers weren't immediately available but are always much lower.

On Thursday, the Paris Metro ran almost normally, in stark contrast to previous days of action. Less than eight per cent of teachers were on strike, according to the Education Ministry. However, the sizeable TotalEnergies oil refinery in Gonfreville-l'Orcher remained closed.

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In Paris, police were pelted by projectiles when the protest reached La Rotonde, a restaurant patronised by Macron during the 2017 presidential election that he went on to win.

Some parts of the awning of the chic venue were set on fire, before the flames were extinguished by officers. At least 20 people were detained by police in Paris.

Officers dispersed violent protesters, who were in the minority, with tear gas after they smashed up a branch of Credit Agricole bank.

A member of the Paris riot police momentarily fell unconscious after being hit by a cobble stone. The officer quickly regained consciousness.

Experts say violence seen in the nationwide protests, with dozens of demonstrators and police hurt, has turned off less activist parts of the population.

"The demonstrations have become more violent as they've gone on. That means many in France are now staying away," said Luc Rouban, research director of a center at Sciences Po, the prestigious Parisian university.

Paris marcher Khadija Philip disagreed there was a drop in will, vowing "we won't give up as long as they haven't taken the time to hear us and reconsider their decision".

Union representative Sylvain Challan Belval said Macron's government was simply playing for time and hoping that the protest movement "will blow itself out."

In Lyon, police fired tear gas — for many a new normal in France — to disperse a crowd outside a Nespresso coffee store that was being looted.

The Interior Ministry on Thursday deployed some 11,500 police officers nationwide, including 4,200 in Paris, to try to avert more of the clashes and moments of vandalism that have marred previous protests.

In France, a country that prides itself on being a pioneer in human rights, the right to protest is fundamental — and experts say violent factions from other parts of Europe travel to Paris to incite instability and unrest.

A member of the Paris riot police momentarily fell unconscious after being hit by a cobble stone. The officer quickly regained consciousness.

In Paris, rat catchers hurled rodent cadavers at City Hall Wednesday in one of the more memorable illustrations of how Macron's plans to raise the national retirement age have stoked workers' fury. Broadcaster BFMTV showed rodent corpses being tossed by workers in white protective suits.

Natacha Pommet, a leader of the public services branch of the CGT trade union, said on Thursday that Paris' rat catchers wanted "to show the hard reality of their mission" and that opposition to Macron's pension reforms is morphing into a wider movement of worker grievances over salaries and other complaints.

"All this anger brings together all types of anger," she said in a phone interview.

Ten previous rounds of nationwide strikes and protests since January have failed to get Macron to change course, and there was no sign from his government that Thursday's 11th round of upheaval would make it back down.

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Largely peaceful crowds marched behind unions' coloured flags and banners in Marseille on the Mediterranean coast, Bordeaux in the southwest, Lyon in the southeast and other cities. In Paris, strikers again closed the Eiffel Tower.

In the western city of Nantes, rumbling tractors joined the parade of marchers and thick clouds of police tear gas were deployed against demonstrators.

The use of police tear was also reported in Lyon and the Brittany city of Rennes.

At Paris' Charles de Gaulle airport, about 100 demonstrators blocked a road leading to Terminal 1 on Thursday morning and entered the terminal building, the airport operator said.

It said flights were unaffected, but travellers towing their luggage had to weave their way past flag-waving protesters.

A CGT representative at the airport, Loris Foreman, told BFM TV that the demonstrators wanted "to show the world and Europe that we don't want to work to 64 years old."

Striking workers had less of an impact on transport services than during previous days of protests and fewer demonstrators were reported in some cities.

Still, even if somewhat diminished, the marches around the country showed that opposition to the pension reform remains strong.

It's "a deep anger, a cold anger," said Sophie Binet, the newly elected general secretary of the CGT union. She described Macron's government as "completely disconnected from the country and completely bunkerised in its ministries."

"We can't turn the page until the reform is withdrawn," she said, promising more protests.

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A Brisbane woman has apologised for attempting to pin a traffic fine on the Sea World helicopter pilot who died in the chopper tragedy.

Ashley Jenkinson, 40, was the pilot of one of the helicopters which collided with another chopper, snapped off its rotor blade and plummeted from the air at the Gold Coast Broadwater on January 2.

Police allege Stephanie Louise Bennett, 33, found Jenkinson's details from an obituary and nominated him as the driver a week after his death.

READ MORE: Queensland woman accused of trying to dodge fine by blaming deceased Sea World chopper pilot

Bennett did not appear in court today and instead sent an email to the Beenleigh magistrate with an offer to plead guilty to the two fraud charges.

The guilty plea was not accepted and the magistrate said the gravity of the offence is too serious to allow her appearance to be excused.

In the email, Bennett apologised for the turmoil caused and admitted she didn't know the person she signed the ticket over to as she found his details in an obituary.

Bennett also wrote she tried to withdraw her declaration the day after making it online, but the system wouldn't allow it.

A warrant has now been issued and she will be required to appear in court later in the month.

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There are fears that leaching from the dump could pollute the river nearby.

A 15-year-old boy is in custody, suspected of murdering his mother with a friend at an inner Melbourne home last night.

The boy and his 14-year-old friend were arrested today in Learmonth, about 135 kilometres from where a woman was found with stab wounds in Abbotsford last night.

The 41-year-old woman later died in hospital.

READ MORE: Airports bracing for surge in travellers over Easter holidays

A 13-year-old boy, who police said was also the woman's son and the older boy's brother, was at the house at the time of the alleged attack.

He was not injured and is speaking to police.

The two arrested teens were seen in a car at St Kilda Junction about 11.20pm on Wednesday night before the abandoned SUV was found in a nearby street at 7.30am today after what appeared to be a crash.

Police were hunting the boys before they were spotted by a local police officer in Learmonth at 2.30pm.

9News understands the teens were in camouflage gear when they were arrested and police found rations in the bush.

The boys are being interviewed by police.

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Opened in the early 1920s, it has been used for a variety of events.

Suspicious her partner was cheating, she attacked the man and then set fire to his home.

A Queensland man has been charged for allegedly removing a platypus from the wild.

The 26-year-old faces a fine of more than $430,000 if he's convicted of taking the Australian native, endangered in some states, from a waterway in Morayfield yesterday.

Police allege he got on a train to Caboolture with the platypus "wrapped in a towel, patting it and showing it to fellow commuters" before going to a local shopping centre.

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The platypus has not been found and its condition is unknown.

Police were told it was released into the Caboolture River after the man was arrested by the railway squad this afternoon in Caboolture.

An urgent appeal was issued for the platypus to be returned yesterday, with authorities fearing it could die without immediate veterinary help.

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"The animal may become sick, be diseased or die the longer is it out of the wild and should not be fed or introduced to a new environment," Queensland Police said in a statement.

"It may also have venomous spurs which can cause significant injury to people and animals.

Unlawfully taking and keeping a platypus, which is endangered in some parts of Australia, is an offence that carries a maximum fine of $431,250.

The man has been charged with taking a protected animal and breaching restrictions on keeping or taking a protected animal.

"If you are lucky enough to see a platypus in the wild, keep your distance," police added.

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