Latest updates from top global and Saudi news sources
Last updated: 18 Jun 2026, 2:20 AM (Saudi time)
Saudi Arabia has made staff training a prerequisite for Hajj visas and permits in 2027, alongside a mandatory integrated service model and a defined contracting timetable for providers.
Saudi and national health authorities have restated that the quadrivalent meningitis vaccine and seasonal flu vaccine are mandatory for Hajj 1448 AH pilgrims, alongside medical fitness declarations.
The Prophet's Mosque Library in Madinah has opened to post-Hajj pilgrims, offering access to around 4,000 original manuscripts, 250 rare handwritten Qur'ans and extensive digitized collections.
The Al Madinah Region Development Authority has equipped over 19,000 square meters of pedestrian walkways and launched a bilingual spatial guidance system to improve mobility for pilgrims around the Prophet's Mosque.
The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah suspended 21 Umrah service companies on June 13, 2026, citing poor performance and regulatory violations as it tightens standards across the sector.
Pakistan's Ministry of Religious Affairs will open mandatory Hajj 2027 registration later in June 2026, requiring all applicants to hold passports valid until November 16, 2027.
Four Detained as Hajj Security Intensifies Crackdown on Unauthorized Entry وكالة الأنباء السعودية
Fueled by faith, some US Muslims embark on Hajj against a backdrop of regional tensions Plainview Herald
Fueled by faith, some US Muslims embark on Hajj against a backdrop of regional tensions seMissourian
Fueled by faith, some US Muslims embark on Hajj against a backdrop of regional tensions AP News
79,164 Bangladeshi pilgrims reach Saudi Arabia Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS)
Pilgrims for annual hajj in Mecca surpass 2025 numbers despite Middle East war The Times of Israel