Latest updates from top global and Saudi news sources
Last updated: 20 Jun 2026, 12:02 PM (Saudi time)
The Royal Commission for Makkah City and Holy Sites awarded six development sites worth SAR13.3 billion across 2.7 million square meters, part of a long-term push to upgrade neighborhoods near the Grand Mosque.
The Prophet's Mosque Library in Madinah has opened to post-Hajj pilgrims, offering access to about 4,000 original manuscripts and more than 250 rare handwritten copies of the Qur'an.
Saudi Arabia requires the quadruple meningitis vaccine for all pilgrims, with polio and yellow fever shots mandatory for travellers from at-risk regions, and flu, pneumococcal and COVID-19 vaccines strongly advised.
The 1448 AH Umrah season has opened with the Nusuk app as the sole gateway for permits, now serving over 30 million users, alongside a stricter package-first booking model that ties visas to confirmed accommodation and transport.
Saudi Arabia's Holy Sites Metro carried more than two million passengers between Mina, Arafat and Muzdalifah during Hajj 2026, supported by smart road management and Madinah shuttle services.
Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has approved 73 companies as qualified to serve domestic pilgrims, urging pilgrims to contract only through official channels.
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