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Obama warns against economic inaction

FAIRFAX, Va., Jan. 8 (UPI) -- U.S. President-elect Barack Obama Thursday urged quick adoption of a proposed economic stimulus plan, warning failure would mean hardship for years to come.

Obama delivered his remarks at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va., against a backdrop of more poor economic news including disappointing December sales at retail giant Wal-Mart. One piece of good economic news Thursday was that first-time unemployment claims dropped 24,000 in the week ending last Saturday.

Obama unveiled his American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan, calling for an end of partisanship and colloquial interests and urging Congress to act within weeks.

"It's time to set a new course for the economy and that change must begin now," Obama said, urging Congress to work with his economic team daily, including weekends.

He urged Americans to ask not what is good for them individually but "what's good for the country my children will inherit."

Obama said every dollar must be used wisely.

"We won't just throw money at problems. We will invest in what works," Obama said. The aim of the program, which he said will add to the nation's $1.2 trillion budget deficit in the short-term, is to create jobs and grow the economy. As the economy recovers, he said, deficits should come down and the nation can get its fiscal house back in order.

The program is not aimed at "creating a slew of new government programs," Obama said, urging Congress to keep it free of pet projects and earmarks.

Shortly before Obama spoke, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Congress would have a stimulus package ready for his signature by Feb. 16, President's Day.

Israel allows 48 Canadians to leave Gaza

GAZA, Jan. 8 (UPI) -- A total of 298 foreigners, including 48 Canadian nationals, were allowed by Israel to leave the Gaza Strip on Thursday, one evacuee says.

Calgary psychologist Marwan Diab said his family of six was among the Canadian nationals evacuated from the increasingly dangerous region as part of a mission coordinated by Canadian officials, the Canwest news service reported.

Canada helped organize the mass evacuation of 250 of the total 298 foreigners as per a request by the Israeli government and the International Committee of the Red Cross. The evacuated Gaza visitors came from 21 different countries.

Diab, 39, said the bus trip to the Israeli border from the city of Gaza was not without a few last-minute reminders of the armed conflict currently plaguing the region.

"There were a few bombs going off as we passed by," he told Canwest.

Diab, who had returned to the region where he was born to care for his ailing father, added his own doubts about peace between Palestinian and Israeli forces.

"All parties are losing," he said. "We want a peace forever between these two nations."

Vatican remark upsets Israelis

ROME, Jan. 8 (UPI) -- A Vatican remark likening Gaza to a "big concentration camp" has infuriated Israelis, possibly jeopardizing Pope Benedict XVI's Israel visit, officials said.

The offending statement came from Cardinal Renato Martino, head of the Vatican Council for Justice and Peace, echoing a call by the pope for an end to the bloodshed in the Gaza Strip, the Times of London reported.

Martino, commenting on the Italian Web site IlSussidiario.net, urged Israel and Hamas to be "more willing" to hold peace talks and accused both sides of only thinking of their own interests while civilians paid the price.

Expressing concern over the humanitarian situation, Marino said: "Let's look at the conditions in Gaza: these increasingly resemble a big concentration camp. Defenseless populations are always the ones who pay."

The Israeli Foreign Ministry called the remarks "Hamas propaganda" and accused the cardinal of ignoring "numerous crimes" by Hamas.

No date has been set for Pope Benedict's visit to the Holy Land but Vatican officials have indicated a May date was likely.

Most vehicles barred from inauguration

WASHINGTON, Jan. 8 (UPI) -- Expecting unprecedented crowds for the Jan. 20 presidential inauguration, officials say they plan to ban most personal vehicles from the Washington ceremonies.

The idea is to keep the Mall, the U.S. Capitol and the parade route clear of traffic, The Washington Post said Thursday. Authorities urged people not to drive.

The ban would affect personal vehicles from all Potomac River bridge crossings from Virginia into Washington and from Interstates 395 and and 66 inside the Capital Beltway on Inauguration Day from 4 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Some bridges and main thoroughfares with access to the city will remain open, including New York Avenue and the Sousa, Whitney Young and Benning Road bridges. But, Northern Virginia drivers would be able to reach Washington only from the Beltway in Maryland.

Walking, biking and mass transit, which is expected to be jammed, will provide the only access.

Virginia State Police Col. W. Steven Flaherty said in the event of a terrorist attack or other emergency, it would be easier to evacuate people if the roadways were kept as empty as possible.

Wash. flooding prompts mass evacuations

ORTING, Wash., Jan. 8 (UPI) -- Nearly 40,000 people Washington State were urged to evacuate their homes Thursday as heavy flooding caused by swollen rivers hit the region, officials said.

The Seattle Times estimated 26,000 residents in and around the city of Orting, Wash., were asked to leave their homes for higher ground because of rising waters.

An additional 12,000 people were asked to evacuate in Puyallup, Wash., Wednesday, while officials also called for the evacuation of nearly 5,400 homes in the city of Fife.

"This is the largest evacuation in scope and scale," Washington Emergency Management spokesman Rob Harper said. "We haven't dealt with something like this before. It's hitting more populous areas and an industrial area ... it has a much more devastating impact on the economy."

Rivers are swollen from rainfall and melting snow, prompting major overflows that quickly advanced on area towns and cities. Some rivers were not expected to begin receding until Friday.

The heavy flooding closed a 20-mile stretch of Interstate 5 Wednesday, the newspaper reported.