US Domestic News Roundup: Lion kills young worker at North Carolina wildlife sanctuary; U.S. Navy pursuing block buy of two aircraft carriers

Following is a summary of current US domestic news briefs.

U.S. Strategic Command apologizes for tweet about dropping bombs

U.S. Strategic Command, which oversees the country's nuclear arsenal, apologized for a Twitter message saying it was ready if necessary to drop something "much, much bigger" than the New Year's Eve ball in New York and showing a clip of an aircraft releasing bombs. "#TimesSquare tradition rings in the #NewYear by dropping the big ball...if ever needed, we are #ready to drop something much, much bigger," the tweet said, hours before the midnight descent of the illuminated ball in New York's Times Square marking the arrival of the new year.

Lion kills young worker at North Carolina wildlife sanctuary

A lion at a North Carolina private wildlife sanctuary fatally mauled a 22-year-old worker on Sunday before being shot and killed by local law enforcement, officials said. The sheriff's office in Caswell County, North Carolina, said Alexandra Black, who started her job as an intern at the facility two weeks ago, was part of a team doing routine cleaning of an enclosure when she was attacked, local media reported.

Child slips into rhino pen, touched by animal's snout

A little girl entered the rhinoceros exhibit at a Florida zoo by slipping between two poles, and at least one of the massive pachyderms touched the child with its snout, officials said on Tuesday. Both the child, a toddler about 2 years old, and her mother were taken to hospitals but it was not immediately clear whether any injuries were related to contact with the 4,500-pound (2,000-kg) animals, zoo officials said.

U.S. Navy pursuing block buy of two aircraft carriers: senator

The U.S. Navy has informed lawmakers of its intent to pursue a block purchase of two Ford-class aircraft carriers, Senator Tim Kaine's office said on Monday, a step officials have said could save billions of dollars as the Trump administration tries to expand the size of the fleet. The decision comes nine months after the Navy expressed interest in a block buy and asked shipbuilder Huntington Ingalls Industries for detailed pricing on the cost of two aircraft carriers as it considered doubling its order for the most expensive ship in the U.S. fleet in a bid to save money.

Republican Senator Graham says Trump receptive to shutdown deal idea

U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham said on Sunday he was optimistic that Republicans, Democrats and President Donald Trump could reach a deal to end a government shutdown that includes border wall funding and legal status for some illegal immigrants. Graham, a Republican, told reporters after meeting Trump for lunch at the White House that Trump was receptive to Graham's idea of a deal that might provide work permits to so-called Dreamers, people brought illegally to the United States as children, in exchange for money for physical border barriers.

Colorado man charged with murder in missing mother case

A Colorado man was charged on Monday with the murder of his fiance, who was reported missing in November and is now presumed dead. Patrick Frazee, 32, was charged in Teller County District Court with two counts of first-degree murder and three counts of solicitation to commit murder stemming from the disappearance and presumed killing of Kelsey Berreth, a spokeswoman for District Attorney Dan May said in a text message.

Retired U.S. Marine held in Russia for spying is innocent: family

A retired U.S. Marine detained by Russia on spying charges was visiting Moscow for a wedding and is innocent, his family said on Tuesday. Paul Whelan had been staying with a wedding party for a fellow former Marine at the Metropol hotel in Moscow, said his brother David Whelan, who learned of the arrest on Monday.

Thousands brave rain in New York's Times Square to welcome 2019

New York's Times Square erupted with fireworks and cheers at the stroke of midnight on Tuesday as thousands of hardy merrymakers braved pouring rain and watched the glowing New Year's Eve ball complete its midnight descent to mark the start of 2019. For the multitudes who gathered in the famed midtown Manhattan crossroads, the thrilling moment was reward for enduring hours of standing in a steady downpour during the waning hours of 2018.

(With inputs from agencies.)