Latest updates from top global and Saudi news sources
Last updated: 18 Jun 2026, 12:05 PM (Saudi time)
The Royal Commission for Makkah City and Holy Sites has awarded a SAR2 billion contract to develop the 235,000 square metre East Hindawiyah District near the Grand Mosque as a mixed-use urban hub.
Saudi Arabia has shortened the Umrah entry visa validity from three months to one month from the date of issuance, requiring pilgrims to plan travel more carefully for the 1448 AH season.
Saudi Arabia has begun early preparations for the 2027 Hajj, unveiling integrated service packages, a three-tier package structure that ends Package D, and mandatory training for Hajj office staff.
An exhibition in Makkah is displaying a rare wooden platform once used near the Black Stone to direct pilgrims during Tawaf, highlighting early crowd-management methods at the Grand Mosque.
Saudi Arabia's Makkah Route Initiative pre-cleared 388,694 pilgrims at 17 departure points in 10 countries during Hajj 2026, with Senegal and Brunei Darussalam joining the programme for the first time.
The Royal Commission for Makkah City and Holy Sites completed the second phase of its Arafat shading and cooling project, expanding covered areas fivefold to more than 272,000 square metres ahead of Hajj 2026.
Over 712 Million Essential Goods Supplied to Makkah, Holy Sites for Hajj وكالة الأنباء السعودية
Muslim pilgrims perform Hajj rituals under intense heat as Eid al-Adha celebrations start San Gabriel Valley Tribune
Muslim pilgrims perform Hajj rituals under intense heat as Eid al-Adha celebrations start The Mendocino Beacon
Bowie couple who died during Hajj pilgrimage honored with Maryland law NBC4 Washington
Saudi Arabia says 1.7 million pilgrims performed Hajj this year Middle East Monitor
Muslim pilgrims participate in stone-throwing ritual on third day of Hajj Al Jazeera