Read the latest updates on the Hajj pilgrimage here
With more than 1.8 million pilgrims performing Hajj this year, the number of pebbles thrown during the stoning the devil ritual may be more than any one complex can handle.
Kedana, the main developer of the holy sites, told the Saudi Press Agency that the process of dealing with the stones begins on the first day of the stoning of the devil, immediately after the pilgrims complete the rite.
The pebbles fall 15m into the basement, where a conveyor belts collect them.
They are then sifted and sprayed with water to get rid of dust and other impurities.
Finally, they are transported to a storage centre where they will be sorted after the end of the pilgrimage.
Experts say tonnes of pebbles are needed, given the number of pilgrims expected every year.
Kedana provides bags of pebbles for the stoning rite at the start of every Hajj season.
There are about 300 collection points for pilgrims in Muzdalifah, apart from the Jamarat Bridge complex in Mina.
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From: Dara
To: Team@
Date: March 25, 2019 at 11:45pm PT
Subj: Accelerating in the Middle East
Five years ago, Uber launched in the Middle East. It was the start of an incredible journey, with millions of riders and drivers finding new ways to move and work in a dynamic region that’s become so important to Uber. Now Pakistan is one of our fastest-growing markets in the world, women are driving with Uber across Saudi Arabia, and we chose Cairo to launch our first Uber Bus product late last year.
Today we are taking the next step in this journey—well, it’s more like a leap, and a big one: in a few minutes, we’ll announce that we’ve agreed to acquire Careem. Importantly, we intend to operate Careem independently, under the leadership of co-founder and current CEO Mudassir Sheikha. I’ve gotten to know both co-founders, Mudassir and Magnus Olsson, and what they have built is truly extraordinary. They are first-class entrepreneurs who share our platform vision and, like us, have launched a wide range of products—from digital payments to food delivery—to serve consumers.
I expect many of you will ask how we arrived at this structure, meaning allowing Careem to maintain an independent brand and operate separately. After careful consideration, we decided that this framework has the advantage of letting us build new products and try new ideas across not one, but two, strong brands, with strong operators within each. Over time, by integrating parts of our networks, we can operate more efficiently, achieve even lower wait times, expand new products like high-capacity vehicles and payments, and quicken the already remarkable pace of innovation in the region.
This acquisition is subject to regulatory approval in various countries, which we don’t expect before Q1 2020. Until then, nothing changes. And since both companies will continue to largely operate separately after the acquisition, very little will change in either teams’ day-to-day operations post-close. Today’s news is a testament to the incredible business our team has worked so hard to build.
It’s a great day for the Middle East, for the region’s thriving tech sector, for Careem, and for Uber.
Uber on,
Dara
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Dunki
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