Latest updates from top global and Saudi news sources
Last updated: 3 May 2026, 5:23 PM (Saudi time)
Saudi Tourism Minister inspects Hajj 2026 facilities as 566,000 new beds are added to Makkah through a new temporary licensing system. New hospitality rules require all providers to obtain official approval.
A guide to Zamzam water for Hajj 2026: its 4,000-year history from Hajar's desperate search, where to find it in the Haram, how to take it home (5L bottle per pilgrim), the Sunnah of drinking it, and its geological uniqueness.
Saudi Arabia deploys the Baseer AI platform and real-time colour-coded crowd tracking at the Grand Mosque for Hajj 2026, part of 150+ initiatives across 60 languages to manage millions of pilgrims safely.
Saudi authorities completed 47 hours of Ka'bah maintenance and raised the Kiswa on April 18 with a team of 34 craftsmen, alongside Maqam Ibrahim beautification and 230+ cameras at Miqat stations.
Saudi authorities have completed 4,700 man-hours of maintenance on the Ka'bah and Maqam Ibrahim, including marble restoration and expansion joint replacement, ahead of Hajj 2026.
Saudi Arabia has revealed plans for a new Makkah international airport, a metro system with completed feasibility studies, an AI crowd management programme, and integrated Saudia-Saudi Railways ticketing as part of a large-scale infrastructure overhaul of the Holy City.
Makkah Entry Permit 2026 Explained: Who Needs It, Who Is Exempt, and How to Avoid Being Turned Back Wego Travel Blog
Saudi Arabia bans entry into Makkah from April 18 Breaking Independent News Pakistan
Makkah Entry Permit Requirement Takes Effect for Residents وكالة الأنباء السعودية
Is It Safe to Travel to Makkah Now? (April 2026) Wego Travel Blog
Saudi Arabia Shuts Makkah to Unregulated Access: New Permit System Transforms Pilgrimage and Tourism Experience Amid Global Uncertainty and Rising Demand Travel And Tour World
Mecca entry restricted: Saudi Arabia bans expatriates without permit from April 13 Gulf News