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Muslims 'stone the devil' as almost million-strong hajj winds down

Muslim pilgrims cast pebbles in the "stoning of the devil" ritual marking the start of the Eid al-Adha holiday on Saturday, as this year's expanded hajj pilgrimage was winding down.

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In normal times, they generate about $12 billion annually, keeping the economy humming in Mecca. After the stoning ritual, pilgrims return to the Grand Mosque in Mecca to perform a final "tawaf", or circling of the Kaaba, the cubic structure that is the focal point of Islam. Eid al-Adha, the feast of the sacrifice that begins on Saturday, marks the end of hajj.