Latest updates from top global and Saudi news sources
Last updated: 17 Sep 2026, 10:12 AM (Saudi time)
Madinah authorities have installed a new sign banning motorcycles from Quba Street, a main route to the historic Masjid Quba, as part of traffic control measures, requiring visitors to use alternative transport.
The Nusuk app has added six features for pilgrims, including an automatic Tawaf and Sa'ee round tracker, live crowd levels, interactive mosque maps, a Qibla finder, in-app flight and hotel booking, and an AI assistant.
Saudi authorities have set health requirements for Hajj 2027 including mandatory meningococcal vaccination, recommended seasonal influenza and COVID-19 shots, and declarations confirming pilgrims are free from conditions that would prevent them meeting the physical demands of Hajj.
Egypt's Ministry of Social Solidarity opened 2027 Hajj registration for members of civil society organisations from August 18 to 31, 2026, requiring applicants to be Egyptian citizens aged at least 21 by January 28, 2027 who have not previously performed Hajj.
Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has published the 1448 AH Umrah calendar, setting March 9, 2027 as the final date for visa issuance and April 7, 2027 as the last departure date.
King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah, the main air gateway for pilgrims, served about 28.55 million passengers in the first seven months of 2026, officials said during a performance review.
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.
Saudi Arabia Records 15.2 Million Umrah Pilgrims in First Quarter of 2026 Nomad Lawyer
Ministry of Hajj organizes ‘Khitamuhu Misk’ ceremony in Makkah Arab News
Singapore to get 900 slots for Haj 2027; pilgrims to undergo enhanced medical assessment The Straits Times
Transport minister highlights seamless Hajj travel as Makkah Route flights arrive Arab News