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.
Guests of Umrah program visit cultural district in Makkah arabnews.com
Hajj registration ends 24 Sept; Bangladesh has 78,500 pilgrim quota for 2027 Prothom Alo English
Makkah Region Deputy Governor Inspects Hajj and Umrah Halls Complex at King Abdulaziz International Airport وكالة الأنباء السعودية
Yobe records zero pilgrim abscondment in 2026 Hajj – Buni Punch Newspapers
Umrah for Saudi and GCC Citizens: Eligibility, Permits and Makkah Access Rules Wego Travel Blog
Umrah Visa Overstay in Saudi Arabia: Penalties and Makkah Access Rules Wego Travel Blog