Latest updates from top global and Saudi news sources
Last updated: 21 Jun 2026, 6:51 PM (Saudi time)
Saudi Arabia restricted entry to Makkah from 13 April 2026 to Hajj permit holders only and suspended Umrah permits from 18 April to 31 May 2026 as the Kingdom prepares for the Hajj pilgrimage beginning around 25 May.
Saudia has launched Hajj 2026 operations with 160 aircraft and over one million seats spanning 145 global destinations, as part of Saudi Arabia's total air transport plan of 3.1 million seats across 12,000 flights.
Saudi Arabia has imposed fines of up to SAR 100,000 for facilitating unauthorised Hajj and up to SAR 20,000 for pilgrims performing Hajj without a permit, alongside 10-year re-entry bans for violators.
Makkah road accident claims life of Nigerian pilgrim Vanguard News
Preparations intensify for the annual changing of the Kaaba's covering Gulf News
Saudi Arabia Suspends 21 Umrah Companies in Major Crackdown Ahead of Hajj 2026 as Makkah and Medina Face Tightened Pilgrimage Regulations Travel And Tour World
Hajj 2026: Lagos records seamless pilgrimage as 1,600 pilgrims return safely from Saudi Arabia The Sun Nigeria
Hajj 2026: 1,600 Lagos pilgrims return safely from Saudi Arabia Vanguard News
Hajj 2026: 1,600 Lagos pilgrims return from Makkah The Guardian Nigeria News