Latest updates from top global and Saudi news sources
Last updated: 17 Sep 2026, 10:12 AM (Saudi time)
The General Authority for the Care of the Two Holy Mosques held an interactive exhibition at the Grand Mosque from August 16 to 20, 2026, featuring displays on the Kiswa, Zamzam water, and virtual reality experiences.
The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has released the official 1448 AH Umrah calendar, setting March 9, 2027 as the final visa issuance date and March 23, 2027 as the last day for pilgrims to enter the Kingdom.
Saudi Arabia's National Center for Meteorology forecasts a hotter-than-normal August with stronger winds and dust, prompting heat-safety guidance for Umrah pilgrims in Makkah and Madinah.
Authorities in Makkah have urged Umrah pilgrims to time their visits around the Grand Mosque's crowd patterns, with density lowest from 10 pm to 4 am and 9 am to 4 pm, moderate from 5 am to 8 am, and highest between 5 pm and 9 pm.
Madinah's Prophet's Mosque has launched a digital platform featuring an interactive map with 950-plus service points, live crowd tracking and real-time prayer-area updates to help visitors plan ahead during the 1448 AH Umrah season.
Madinah officials reviewed operational readiness for the 1448 Umrah season while the Prophet's Mosque expanded digital services including real-time prayer-area monitoring, smart maps, and multilingual sermon translation.
Gateway Air ready to airlift hajj pilgrims — Abiodun Daily Post Nigeria
Third Group of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques’ Umrah Program Departs Makkah spa.gov.sa
Saudi Arabia ready to host Hajj with 1.5m pilgrims expected Arab News
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Guests of Umrah program visit cultural district in Makkah arabnews.com
Hajj registration ends 24 Sept; Bangladesh has 78,500 pilgrim quota for 2027 Prothom Alo English