Latest updates from top global and Saudi news sources
Last updated: 20 Sep 2026, 10:23 AM (Saudi time)
Saudi Arabia confirms Hajj 2026 will proceed as scheduled despite a fragile US-Iran ceasefire expiring as the first pilgrims arrive. Makkah and Madinah remain protected by advanced defence systems.
Saudi Arabia has made the Nusuk smart card mandatory for all Hajj 2026 pilgrims, combining personal, medical, and accommodation data. The Nusuk app has surpassed 51 million users with over 130 digital services.
The first international Hajj 2026 pilgrims have arrived in Saudi Arabia from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Turkey, and Malaysia, with 3.1 million seats across 12,000 flights allocated for the season.
Saudi Arabia has revealed plans for a new Makkah international airport, a metro system with completed feasibility studies, an AI crowd management programme, and integrated Saudia-Saudi Railways ticketing as part of a large-scale infrastructure overhaul of the Holy City.
Saudi Arabia requires all Hajj 2026 pilgrims to carry a valid quadrivalent ACYW meningitis vaccination certificate administered at least 10 days before arrival, with additional polio vaccine requirements for pilgrims from high-risk countries.
Saudi Arabia restricted entry to Makkah from 13 April 2026 to Hajj permit holders only and suspended Umrah permits from 18 April to 31 May 2026 as the Kingdom prepares for the Hajj pilgrimage beginning around 25 May.
Hajj 2026: Pilgrims gather at Mount of Mercy on the plain of Arafat for most sacred stage of Hajj Arab News
KOROR: Leaders from the world's top economies should stand on a Pacific atoll to see the reality of record sea level rise, a top UN official said in Palau on Monday.
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2026 Hajj: Kano Gets 3,050 Slots As Saudi Arabia Cuts Nigeria’s Allocation Arise News
Virtual meeting between Myanmar Ambassador U Nay Myo Oo and Dr. Abdul Fattah bin Sulaiman Mashat, Deputy Minister of Hajj and Umrah of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.(31-8-2026, Riyadh) – Ministry of Foreign Affairs နိုင်ငံခြားရေးဝန်ကြီးဌာန
Rakhi Sawant’s kind gesture in Makkah Minute Mirror