Latest updates from top global and Saudi news sources
Last updated: 7 Nov 2026, 10:28 AM (Saudi time)
The sun aligned almost perfectly over the Kaaba on May 28, 2026, letting Muslims worldwide verify the Qibla. The overlap with Eid al-Adha happens only once every 33 years.
Saudi specialists are carrying out the final stages of replacing the Kaaba's Kiswah, the embroidered black silk covering, in the annual operation that marks the start of the new Hijri year.
Saudi Arabia has approved its first international airport for Makkah and advanced plans for a city metro, aiming to give pilgrims direct access and ease congestion under Vision 2030.
Saudi Arabia has deployed an AI-powered, multilingual robot at the Grand Mosque and the Prophet's Mosque to answer pilgrims' religious questions and provide instant translation.
The authority overseeing the Two Holy Mosques has opened five free luggage storage centers, four at the Grand Mosque and one at the Prophet's Mosque, accepting items up to 7 kilograms for up to four hours.
Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Health has warned pilgrims not to share razors or blades during the head-shaving rite of tahallul, cautioning that reused tools can transmit hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV.
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