Latest updates from top global and Saudi news sources
Last updated: 22 Sep 2026, 9:49 AM (Saudi time)
The US State Department has urged citizens to reconsider travel to Saudi Arabia after a rise in missile and drone attacks near Makkah. Umrah remains open, and pilgrims are advised to check official guidance and book through licensed operators.
The Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has received the national AI ethics badge from SDAIA for its Nusuk AI service, as it expands artificial intelligence in crowd management, forecasting and pilgrim guidance.
Saudi authorities have confirmed fines of up to SR100,000 for Hajj and Umrah service companies that fail to report pilgrims who remain in the Kingdom after their authorised stay expires.
Saudi Arabia's rail network moved more than 83 million passengers in the first half of 2026, a 16 percent rise that underlines the growing role of trains in moving pilgrims and residents across the Kingdom.
Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Tourism has revised four regulations covering travel services, tourist guides, hospitality facilities and private hospitality units, with implications for pilgrims booking accommodation and services.
Saudi Arabia's Heritage Commission has discovered a granite-built mosque dating to the first century of the Islamic calendar at Al Maallamah in Baha, alongside artefacts illuminating early Islamic life.