Latest updates from top global and Saudi news sources
Last updated: 13 Sep 2026, 11:08 AM (Saudi time)
With temperatures exceeding 45C, Hajj 2026 demands serious heat preparation. Saudi Arabia deploys 155,000-tonne cooling, 32,000 health workers, and smart wristbands, but pilgrims must hydrate, use umbrellas, and know heat stroke warning signs.
Pakistan launches 468-flight Hajj 2026 airlift for 119,000+ pilgrims from 8 cities. Road to Makkah initiative expands to Islamabad, Lahore, and Karachi, benefiting 95,000 pilgrims.
Hajj 2026 deploys unprecedented technology: mandatory Nusuk smart cards, GPS-enabled health-monitoring wristbands, AI crowd management, and a 51-million-user app with 130+ digital services.
Indonesia launches Hajj 2026 with 391 pilgrims in the first batch, deploying 548 flights to transport its 221,000-strong quota - the largest of any country. Average waiting time stands at 26.4 years.
33 stranded Bangladeshi Umrah pilgrims returned home after ministerial intervention, highlighting the importance of choosing licensed travel operators and maintaining proper documentation.
Amal by Malaysia Airlines launches 110-flight Hajj 2026 operation with A330-300 aircraft, transporting 15,620 pilgrims via 67 domestic feeder flights and offering a new courier service for returning pilgrims.
250 African Umrah guests arrive in Makkah Arab News
Third Batch of Custodian of Two Holy Mosques' Guests Program for Umrah and Visit Arrives in Makkah وكالة الأنباء السعودية
Makkah Entry Permit 2026 Explained: Who Needs It, Who Is Exempt, and How to Avoid Being Turned Back Wego Travel Blog
Bus crash near Makkah kills 2 Egyptian Umrah pilgrims, injures 25 Muslim Network TV
Strict security in Makkah targets Hajj violations Arab News
Taraneh Rahimi was told prison guards would rape her sister, Romina, if she did not sign a confessionThe twins were 19 and still in high school when they were taken from their beds in the dead of night by masked men later identified as being sent by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps.