Latest updates from top global and Saudi news sources
Last updated: 13 Jun 2026, 12:11 PM (Saudi time)
Saudi Arabia has begun its annual replacement of the Holy Kaaba's Kiswa, with 154 craftsmen installing a new 1,415kg covering of 47 silk panels embroidered with 68 Quranic verses in gold-plated thread.
A wooden platform once placed beside the Black Stone, used by a soldier to direct Tawaf, is now on display at the Exhibition of the Two Holy Mosques' Architecture in Makkah.
With Hajj 2026 over, Saudi authorities have launched a vast operation to dismantle temporary facilities, inspect infrastructure, and prepare Mina, Arafat, and Muzdalifah for the next pilgrimage.
Saudi authorities upgraded the Grand Mosque's Zamzam water system for the 1447 AH Hajj season, distributing more than 2.1 million cups daily through 169 fountains backed by 70 daily quality tests.
Makkah developer Umm Al Qura has launched a 2026-2030 strategy to become a multi-city development platform and secured a 1.2 million square metre site to be built as Masar Gardens.
A pure gold plaque that once crowned the gate of the Holy Kaaba more than three centuries ago is now on display at the Exhibition of the Two Holy Mosques Architecture in Makkah.