News stories from Saturday December 25, 1976

Summaries of the stories the major media outlets considered to be of particular importance on this date:

The partial pardon that will be offered by President-elect Carter will be refused by many of the several hundred American deserters or draft resisters believed to be living in Sweden. It is estimated that about 700 Vietnam War-related American exiles were in Sweden in early 1970's. That number is believed to have dwindled to about 250 to 300. Most of the remaining war resisters were deserters. For them a pardon would mean a review of each case by military authorities. Only the draft evaders would be assured of a complete pardon. [New York Times] President-elect Carter has moved into the second and final phase of his transition program, turning his attention to an economic package for Congress and the selection of a personal staff. An outline of his proposed economic legislation is expected to be drafted this week at three days of meetings with his cabinet at St. Simons Island, Ga. Several White House staff appointments are also expected later in the week. [New York Times] Senator Walter Mondale appears to have had had a major influence in the selection of the Carter administration's cabinet. His impact has been such that he may become a most influential Vice President. Sources close to the Carter camp said Mr. Mondale would be "the senior adviser" in the White House, the man Mr. Carter would look to for advice, unbiased by parochial departmental interests. [New York Times] A 10-day Bicentennial festival began in New Jersey with a re-enactment of Washington's crossing of the Delaware on Christmas Day in 1776. Its organizers say that the New Jersey observance will rival those earlier this year in Concord and Lexington, Mass., and Philadelphia. [New York Times] A wide-open scramble for the Fifth District congressional seat in Georgia followed the appointment of the incumbent Representative, Andrew Young, as United States delegate to the United Nations. The contest is expected to develop along racial lines, and a runoff between a black and a white candidate is expected. The seat will be filled in a special election after Mr. Young resigns in January. Five candidates have announced they are in the race, and five others are believed almost certain to join them. [New York Times] The Soviet Union may be shifting from a rough parity with United States military forces to superiority, according to an intelligence estimate of long-range Soviet strategic intentions that President-elect Carter will receive next month from the Central Intelligence Agency. Officials of the C.I.A. said their annual so-called estimate of Soviet objectives, projected over the next 10 years, was more somber than any in more than a decade. "It was more than somber -- it was very grim," one top official said. [New York Times] Yasser Arafat and other leaders of Al Fatah have been assured by Syria in a policy change that it has no intention of ousting them from the leadership of the Palestine Liberation Organization. President Assad told the middle-of-the road Palestinians that Syria would let Al Fatah have adequate military strength in the refugee camps in certain areas of southern Lebanon, Arab sources said. In return, Mr. Arafat assured both Syria and Egypt that the P.L.O. would cooperate with them in next year's proposed negotiations for a Middle East settlement. [New York Times]