ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, March 14, 1997 TAG: 9703140061
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A-4 EDITION: METRO
Prosecutor named to Justice job
WASHINGTON - At the outset of the Clinton administration, friends told Eric Holder he'd be foolish to take off his judge's robe to become the top prosecutor in the nation's capital.
Now he's being promoted to the Justice Department's No.2 job. If confirmed by the Senate, he'll be the highest ranking black law enforcement officer in the nation's history.
Holder, 46, has been nominated to succeed Deputy Attorney General Jamie Gorelick, who is resigning.
``He will bring tremendous abilities to this job,'' Attorney General Janet Reno said Thursday in announcing the nomination.
The promotion will take Holder out of the running for another high visibility job: He has been considered a possible challenger to Mayor Marion Barry in 1998.
-ASSOCIATED PRESS
Bill would require HIV disclosure system
WASHINGTON - States would be required to alert people to possible contacts with HIV-infected individuals under a bill advanced by a Republican congressman.
The measure also would create a national reporting system for the virus, require testing of anyone accused of a sex crime, require insurers to disclose HIV test results to applicants and allow disclosure of HIV status of children up for adoption.
Rep. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., said the provisions would protect those who aren't infected and help those who are learn their status as soon as possible so they can take advantage of new, life-prolonging treatments.
The American Medical Association, which represents doctors, supports the measure, as it has many of the bill's provisions.
But the Human Rights Campaign, a gay political group, said the bill would intrude on the authority of local public health officials and do nothing to help at-risk individuals change their behavior.
-ASSOCIATED PRESS
FBI says missile could have downed Flight 800
NEW YORK - The FBI agent in charge of the TWA Flight 800 investigation acknowledged for the first time Thursday that the plane could have been brought down by a shoulder-fired terrorist missile.
But so far there is no evidence to prove that theory, James Kallstrom said. And he condemned as ridiculous a new flurry of claims that the jet was destroyed accidentally by the U.S. military.
``Our military, in particular the Navy divers, are the heroes of this operation - not the culprits,'' Kallstrom said.
-ASSOCIATED PRESS
Gumbel goes to CBS for prime-time show
NEW YORK - Ending a three-network bidding war, Bryant Gumbel said Thursday he's leaving NBC and morning television for CBS and a prime-time magazine show, a deal that could net him more than $5 million a year.
Gumbel and CBS' syndication arm also will form a company to produce three prime-time specials a year for CBS and other programming. He could rake in millions more if any of the projects become big hits.
Since his tearful goodbye Jan. 3 after 15 years on ``Today,'' the 48-year-old Gumbel has largely played golf and sifted through offers.
-ASSOCIATED PRESS
LENGTH: Medium: 68 linesby CNB