Saudi Arabia will use the Falcon, a firefighting and rescue drone, for the first time during this year's Hajj season. The drone, equipped with artificial intelligence, is designed to carry out firefighting and rescue operations in high mountains or more remote areas.

Legiman, a street sweeper in Indonesia, has been saving money to go on the Hajj since 1986. "I still can't believe I finally got to see the Kaaba with my own eyes," says Legiman, who is currently in Mecca with his wife.

Three Spanish citizens - Abdulkadir Harqassi, Abdullah Hernandez and Tariq Rodriguez - traveled the ancient route that Andalusians took 500 years ago to Mecca in seven months. They traveled 7,000 km and crossed 11 countries.

Anas set out for the Hajj pilgrimage in March this year, during the month of Ramadan, and traveled through nine countries, including Germany, Austria, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Despite the hardships he faced in the mountains, rough roads, and varying weather conditions, he never gave up on his goal.

The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah announced that more than 600,000 pilgrims have arrived in the country by land, air and sea so far, accounting for 42 percent of the total visas issued for the Hajj season, indicating that the flow of foreign pilgrims is accelerating.

Social media has been reporting that photography around the Kaaba has been banned. Some instabloggers have made several statements "calling on those going to Hajj and Umrah to be careful." They say that "those who violate this ban for the first time could be fined $520, and for the next time, they could be deported for 10 years." How true is this?

Saudi Arabia has banned the taking of children on the Hajj pilgrimage in 2025 to ensure their safety, that is, to prevent them from being harmed during the Hajj pilgrimage.

The Saudi Arabian government has lifted the mandatory meningitis vaccination requirement for visitors to the country for the Umrah pilgrimage.

It is not clear why the Uzbeks died. Earlier, Saudi authorities reported that more than 1,300 people lost their lives during the 2024 Hajj season. Among the dead are several elderly people and people with chronic diseases. In addition, Makkah experienced scorching heat during Hajj days. It is also said that pilgrims without official documents could not enter the air-conditioned facilities along the Hajj route.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Jordan reported that "14 citizens of the country were killed and 17 others were missing" during the Hajj trip. They are said to have died due to extreme heat and dehydration. For reference, the expected climate for this year's Hajj was forecast to be 1.5-2 degrees [Celsius] higher than the average temperature in Mecca and Medina. The Saudi Ministry of Health has asked pilgrims not to be outdoors between 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. due to the sudden rise in temperature.