Latest updates from top global and Saudi news sources
Last updated: 23 Sep 2026, 10:20 AM (Saudi time)
An exhibition in Makkah is displaying six marble tiles from 1881 CE that once adorned the Grand Mosque, part of a wider effort to preserve the architectural heritage of Islam's holiest sites.
Saudi Arabia will open priority accommodation reservations for Hajj 2027 to service providers from June 30 to August 13, 2026, as part of an early shift to integrated, regulated service packages.
Saudi authorities have set fixed daily entry times for Hijr Ismail at the Grand Mosque, with women admitted in the early morning and men later in the day to ease crowding near the Ka'bah.
King Salman has approved hosting 1,000 Umrah pilgrims from around the world at his own expense for the 1448 season, beginning with 250 guests from 16 Asian countries.
For the 1448 AH season, every Umrah visa must be linked to a verified hotel booking and pre-arranged transport through the Nusuk platform, a measure aimed at curbing scams.
Madinah authorities have expanded transport links and pedestrian walkways around the Prophet's Mosque, including a 24-hour airport route and over 19,000 square metres of new walkways.
Makkah Health Cluster ready for Hajj with 10 hospitals and 82 health centers Arab News
Hajj, the National Mosque and the National Cathedral: Separating Faith, Fact and Public Money Modern Ghana
Hajj 2027 registration for UAE pilgrims opens today thenationalnews.com
2027 Hajj: Lagos seeks additional slots for pilgrims to Saudi Arabia Blueprint Newspapers
Kaiser Hamid performs Umrah with daughter Karina’s passport observerbd.com
Heavy rain and thunderstorms hit Mecca creating dramatic scenes as worshippers prayed at the Grand Mosque.