Latest updates from top global and Saudi news sources
Last updated: 3 May 2026, 5:23 PM (Saudi time)
Saudi Arabia has deployed portable passport processing devices at all entry ports for Hajj 2026, allowing officers to process pilgrims at their location rather than requiring them to queue at fixed desks.
The Haramain High-Speed Railway carried 2 million passengers in Q1 2026 as Saudi Arabia scales up rail operations for Hajj season, offering pilgrims a 2-hour journey between Makkah and Madinah.
Saudi Arabia implements Green Hajj 2026 initiatives: recycling 50 tonnes of Ihram garments, converting food waste to fertiliser, processing 12,000 tonnes of slaughterhouse waste, and deploying animal health safeguards.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has ordered full mobilisation of security and operational plans for Hajj 2026, with new electronic monitoring, 230+ surveillance cameras, and mandatory Nusuk smart cards.
First group of Egyptian pilgrims leave for Saudi Arabia on May 8 Egypt Today
Indonesia–Saudi Aviation Reset Reshapes 2026 Pilgrim Flows thetraveler.org
Daghestani pilgrims stranded in Saudi Arabia as Iran war intensifies OC Media
Saudi Arabia reopens data capturing for 2026 pilgrimage The Guardian Nigeria News
Over 122 million visited the Two Holy Mosques during Ramadan Saudi Gazette
Saudi Arabia’s Nusuk app expands services for pilgrims Arab News