WASHINGTON // While US residents drive less and politicians extol alternative fuels, members of one church in the capital are seeking salvation from high gas prices in the only way they know how - through prayer.
Members of the First Church of Seventh-day Adventists, nestled in the working class Petworth neighbourhood, began praying at inner-city petrol stations in April. They hold hands and even sing We Shall Overcome, the civil rights anthem, as motorists pull in and begrudgingly fill their tanks with some of the most expensive fuel in US history. "We pray for everything else," said Mark McCleary, the church's pastor, who has led several of the pump-side prayers. "If you're affected by gas prices, why not pray about it?"
So far it has been a mixed blessing. Petrol prices across the country were down 43 cents on Wednesday from a record high average, posted in July, of US$4.11 (Dh15.09) per gallon, but they still were up 15 cents since the praying began on April 23, according to the American Automobile Association's fuel gauge report, which tracks daily petrol prices.
Unfazed, the pastor proclaims that the recent easing of prices shows that their prayers have been answered. "Who can dispute it? We prayed, and the prices are going down," said Mr McCleary, who drives a 1985 Mercedes sedan that runs on pricey diesel and costs $65 to fill. "Matter of fact we ought to have a prayer of thanksgiving."
But not everyone is sure about the power of the activists' prayer. Jonathan Cogan, an energy information specialist with the Energy Information Administration, prefers to explain the recent drop in market terms, not religious ones. He said the exorbitant prices of crude oil - the raw material from which gasoline is made and upon which the price of fuel depends - have led to a decline in demand and driven prices lower. Mr Cogan said a variety of factors could cause prices to climb again. "There is no guarantee at which level prices will settle," he said.
To that, Mr McCleary, who said he has not been out to pray at the pumps in a month, has a ready response: "If [the prices] go back up, we'll probably go pray again."
The "Pray at the Pump" movement, as it is now called, was started by Rocky Twyman, a community organiser and public relations consultant from Maryland who has a history of headline-grabbing activism that has met with varying degrees of success. In 2006, he launched the "Oprah for Nobel Peace Prize Movement", a group intent on landing talk show icon Oprah Winfrey the world's most prestigious humanitarian award. It did not work: that year the prize went to Muhammad Yunus, the Bangladeshi microfinancier.
Mr Twyman's greater achievement by far has been a campaign to get black men to register as bone marrow donors, work for which he has won numerous awards, including from Robert Ehrlich when he was governor of Maryland.
Mr Twyman was not available for an interview, but he told The Washington Post in May that asking God for more affordable petrol was as important as asking politicians. "There may not be an instant solution, but [we believe] that prayer with activism will make a change," Mr Twyman said. "We're going to continue to pursue this until the people that own these gas stations realise how serious this problem is."
And pursue it he has. Mr Twyman has taken his cause on a nationwide tour, with stops as far away as California and Missouri and newspaper reporters in tow at every turn. Even Jay Leno, a national late-night talk-show host, mentioned the movement in one of his opening monologues. "Hey, have you heard about this group called Prayer at the Pump?" Leno asked the audience in July. "They're a prayer group that sprang up, and they go to gas stations, and they hold hands, and they pray for lower gas prices. Otherwise known as the Bush energy plan."
Although Leno and many others take the matter less than seriously, for Di-Anne Walker, 53, who was filling up her minivan last week at the Washington petrol station where the prayers began, this is no joke. "I believe in them coming here and praying ... nobody can do it but God," said Ms Walker as she pumped $15 worth of petrol - about four gallons - into her minivan, which she could not afford to fill. "That is the whole purpose of believing and trusting in the Lord, because if you believe, good things will happen."
Colleen McDannell, a religious scholar at the University of Utah and author of Material Christianity: Religion and Popular Culture in America, said people of all faiths ask God for things they need. "That kind of petitioning is ancient; it's in the Bible everywhere," said Ms McDannell, noting that American football players often kneel together on the field before big games. "Religion is all about asking for things.
"What is unusual about this is that they are doing it in a public space," she added, noting that they could have just as easily prayed for lower prices at home or in the church's sanctuary. "They are also trying to draw attention to their religion. They want to stress the intimacy of Christianity, that it's a practical religion; it is not an abstract thing with God and the church. "It is as much about their religion as it is the price of gas," she suggested.
Church members are sensitive to the idea that some see the prayers as a publicity stunt. Most say they are weary of the media attention and insist they just pray a lot, even when nobody's looking. "I pray for my family, I pray for my church family, I pray for any extended family, and I pray for the nation," said Mary Fraser-Foster, who works in the church's soup kitchen. "I pray for just about everything."
Mr McCleary also said that most things in life are worth praying for, from prices at the pump to the presidential election - no matter who wins. "I think the right person is Obama, so, yeah I'll pray for him," he said. "If by chance McCain gets in, I'm gonna pray for him, too."
The%20specs
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Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill
Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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UAE Premiership
Results
Dubai Exiles 24-28 Jebel Ali Dragons
Abu Dhabi Harlequins 43-27 Dubai Hurricanes
Fixture
Friday, March 29, Abu Dhabi Harlequins v Jebel Ali Dragons, The Sevens, Dubai
Brief scoreline:
Liverpool 5
Keita 1', Mane 23', 66', Salah 45' 1, 83'
Huddersfield 0
Company profile
Name: Steppi
Founders: Joe Franklin and Milos Savic
Launched: February 2020
Size: 10,000 users by the end of July and a goal of 200,000 users by the end of the year
Employees: Five
Based: Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai
Financing stage: Two seed rounds – the first sourced from angel investors and the founders' personal savings
Second round raised Dh720,000 from silent investors in June this year
If you go
The flights
There are various ways of getting to the southern Serengeti in Tanzania from the UAE. The exact route and airstrip depends on your overall trip itinerary and which camp you’re staying at.
Flydubai flies direct from Dubai to Kilimanjaro International Airport from Dh1,350 return, including taxes; this can be followed by a short flight from Kilimanjaro to the Serengeti with Coastal Aviation from about US$700 (Dh2,500) return, including taxes. Kenya Airways, Emirates and Etihad offer flights via Nairobi or Dar es Salaam.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Results
6.30pm: Dubai Millennium Stakes Group Three US$200,000 (Turf) 2,000m; Winner: Ghaiyyath, William Buick (jockey), Charlie Appleby (trainer).
7.05pm: Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Cliffs Of Capri, Tadhg O’Shea, Jamie Osborne.
7.40pm: UAE Oaks Group Three $250,000 (Dirt) 1,900m; Winner: Down On Da Bayou, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer.
8.15pm: Zabeel Mile Group Two $250,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Zakouski, James Doyle, Charlie Appleby.
8.50pm: Meydan Sprint Group Two $250,000 (T) 1,000m; Winner: Waady, Jim Crowley, Doug Watson.
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
Results:
First Test: New Zealand 30 British & Irish Lions 15
Second Test: New Zealand 21 British & Irish Lions 24
Third Test: New Zealand 15 British & Irish Lions 15
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
Results
1. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) 1hr 32mins 03.897sec
2. Max Verstappen (Red Bull-Honda) at 0.745s
3. Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes) 37.383s
4. Lando Norris (McLaren) 46.466s
5.Sergio Perez (Red Bull-Honda) 52.047s
6. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) 59.090s
7. Daniel Ricciardo (McLaren) 1:06.004
8. Carlos Sainz Jr (Ferrari) 1:07.100
9. Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri-Honda) 1:25.692
10. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin-Mercedes) 1:26.713,
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
Result
UAE (S. Tagliabue 90 1') 1-2 Uzbekistan (Shokhruz Norkhonov 48', 86')
