Marbella council has started works to remove six high-voltage pylons in the Nueva Andalucia district and bury nearly two kilometres of electrical cabling safely underground. The project targets lines for Marbella Paraiso and Cosol Nueva Andalucia, right in the heart of this residential zone and next to homes. Residents will benefit from improved safety once the structures and overhead wires go.

Council actions hope to clear these installations and return space to local people for everyday use. Investment reaches around €2 million, paid for by a private urban development now underway in the area.

Safety gains and neighbourhood space recovery

The council has called the district a priority area backed up over recent council terms. Similar tower removals have already finished in Calle Castilla and around Calle Salduba. Cable burial work continues at the moment in Calle Rio Real.

Older developments from past decades often ignored key requirements such as communications networks, sanitation systems, steady electricity supply and smooth urban fit for high-voltage lines. Current efforts are now looking at fixing these shortfalls and preparing the town for coming growth.

More areas targeted in coming phases

The council also plans similar works across zones such as Bello Horizonte, Las Medranas, Nueva Andalucia and Rio Real. These steps could eventually clear close to 50 high-voltage pylon towers across the whole city in the medium to long term.

Close ties with electricity provider Endesa have supported a specific plan for the removal and burial of medium voltage lines. One major element involves a new substation in the northern section of the San Pedro Alcantara industrial estate. Local business groups have long called for this facility to support future housing and commercial projects.

Impulse for modernised infrastructure across Marbella

The council has said that expansion in the district should also upgrade the town and make up for past infrastructure shortfalls. The approach looks past just new homes alone and is meant to raise daily living standards for people already there through better facilities overall.

Carnival Cruise Line has now confirmed a cyber attack in April that let unauthorised actors reach the passport numbers and personal details of nearly six million passengers. Hackers relied on social engineering to trick an employee rather than exploiting technical flaws. The company detected the intrusion on April 14 and moved quickly to limit further damage while bringing in outside experts.

Details of the April cyber attack

Carnival stated that the intruders reached only a limited section of its systems. The accessed information included names, home addresses, email addresses, phone numbers, dates of birth and government-issued identification such as driving licences and passports. Notifications to affected passengers started in late May. Carnival now provides two years of free credit monitoring and identity protection through TransUnion.

Scale of the attack and data exposed

A filing with the Maine Attorney General revealed the precise figure of 5,995,277 people potentially impacted. Carnival has expressed deep regret over the incident and any worry it may have caused. The operator added that it has introduced extra security controls and improved monitoring tools. It also pledged to carry out ongoing reviews to strengthen its security programmes.

Dangers for those with compromised passport information

People whose passport numbers now sit together with other personal details in the open and available for sale on the black market, now face a higher chance of identity theft and fraud. Criminals are able to combine the data to open bank accounts or credit cards in someone else’s name. They may also file false tax returns or apply for government benefits. Passport details prove especially useful for creating fake travel documents or attempting visa fraud.

Financial losses often follow when fraudsters make unauthorised purchases or damage credit scores through new accounts opened without permission. Victims can often spend months or years disputing charges and restoring their records. The information also can be used behind highly targeted scams. Messages that mention a recent cruise or specific travel history appear more believable and trick people into revealing further details or clicking on malicious links.

Longer-term effects include lasting credit rating harm that can affect mortgages or rentals. Many report anxiety and frustration after dealing with banks, credit agencies and passport offices. The data can circulate on criminal forums for years, so the threat does not go away that quickly. A passport number alone carries limited value, yet the full set of details from this breach creates a powerful package for misuse.

Immediate actions for affected individuals

Carnival has already begun contacting passengers and offers free credit monitoring, although many commentators on social media scoff at this. Experts advise placing a credit freeze with major agencies to block new accounts. Setting up fraud alerts adds another layer of protection.

People should keep an eye on bank statements, credit reports and email inboxes for unusual activity.

Those planning travel soon may consider applying for a replacement passport if they feel concerned, though replacement is not always required unless clear misuse appears.

GDPR breach compensation: The essential guide to your claim

Carnival’s previous security problems

Carnival has dealt with several earlier cyber incidents. In 2019 unauthorised persons reached systems linked to multiple brands and exposed customer and employee data. A ransomware attack followed that in 2020 that encrypted files and stole further records, including passport numbers in some cases. Data security specialists have criticised the operator for failing to prevent repeated breaches despite earlier warnings. One consultant noted that the latest case shows Carnival has not addressed weaknesses in employee training and access controls.

Comparable large-scale data incidents

In 2018 Marriott revealed that hackers had accessed records belonging to up to 500 million guests, including passport numbers. The breach exposed similar identity details and raised parallel concerns about fraud and travel document misuse. The 2017 Equifax incident compromised personal information of 147 million people, including social security numbers and dates of birth. Both cases led to years of monitoring offers and legal action as victims faced identity theft risks.

Residents across the Costa del Sol can now welcome updates to Sunday opening times at major supermarkets and shopping centres. Adjustments will run until the end of September and focus on longer hours for customer convenience during the busy summer season. Planning weekly food shops becomes simpler with these new schedules in place.

Al Campo and La Cañada open to 10pm on Sundays

Al Campo and La Cañada open their doors from 10am until 10pm on Sundays until September concludes. People living nearby or passing through the area can now complete larger shopping trips later in the day without rushing during peak summer months. This schedule applies specifically to Sundays and gives families extra flexibility when balancing leisure and errands on their day of rest.

Miramar shopping centre in Fuengirola and Mijas

Miramar shopping centre in Fuengirola and Mijas and Carrefour open from 10am to 10pm on Sundays until the end of September. Visitors and locals in that part of the coast now have access to extended trading at this popular retail spot.

Carrefour Estepona seven day operation

Carrefour in Estepona switches to 10am until 10pm openings across all seven days until September ends. Estepona shoppers therefore enjoy Sunday access at the store for an extended period this summer.

Carrefour Torremolinos adopts same hours

Carrefour in Torremolinos adopts identical 10am to 10pm hours seven days a week until the end of September. Torremolinos customers benefit from the same daily consistency offered at the Estepona and Mijas branches.

Aldi and Lidl Sunday openings along coast

Aldi and Lidl introduce Sunday openings right along the Costa del Sol coast from now. Inland locations including the Carrefour in Coin begin their Sunday service later in June to complete the rollout. Coastal towns see immediate changes while inland areas prepare for the addition in coming weeks.

Mercadona Sunday and bank holiday closures continue

Mercadona branches continue their policy of Sunday and bank holiday closures through the most of the summer. Individual stores closer to the coast will no doubt confirm local exceptions in the near future as details become available.

Dia supermarkets keep limited Sunday hours

Most Dia supermarkets on the Costa del Sol coast remain open on Sundays until 3pm. Inland Dia branches generally follow a more restricted approach to Sunday trading at present.