Latest updates from top global and Saudi news sources
Last updated: 17 Sep 2026, 10:12 AM (Saudi time)
More than 107,000 Pakistanis registered for Hajj 2027 in the first five days of the government's drive, with most choosing the government scheme, as the ministry runs a fully paperless digital operation.
The authority for the Two Holy Mosques has expanded services for elderly and disabled worshippers at the Grand Mosque, adding dedicated passages, electric transport for Tawaf and Sa'i, and accessible prayer areas.
Saudi Arabia has added zero-data offline access to the Nusuk app, letting pilgrims with a Saudi SIM use permits and in-mosque navigation without an internet connection, in cooperation with STC, Mobily and Zain.
Saudi Arabia has unveiled Hajj 2027 reforms, introducing mandatory unified packages that bundle accommodation, transport and catering, scrapping the budget Package D, and requiring staff training for visas.
Saudi authorities have confirmed fines of up to SR100,000 for Umrah firms that fail to report overstaying pilgrims, alongside SR50,000 fines, jail and deportation for individuals who overstay their visas.
The National Centre for Meteorology forecasts above-average August temperatures and stronger winds across Saudi Arabia, prompting heat-safety guidance for Umrah pilgrims in Makkah and Madinah.
Saudi Arabia has intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone that was heading toward Mecca.
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