Midday Roundup: U.S. taunts American terrorist with drone strike threat

Targeted. Obama administration officials are considering whether to authorize a lethal drone strike against an unnamed U.S. citizen accused of joining al-Qaeda and participating in active plots against American targets. Officials say they haven’t decided whether to add the operative to the “kill list,” which would require approval from the Justice Department. Maybe they’re just hoping he’ll turn himself in now that he knows he might soon have a target on his back. At least one Republican lawmaker wants the government to stop dillydallying with warnings and get down to business. “Individuals who would have been previously removed from the battlefield by U.S. counterterrorism operations for attacking or plotting to attack against U.S. interests remain free because of self-imposed red tape,” Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Mich., the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, said during a hearing last week. White House officials acknowledged last year that President Barack Obama authorized four successful drone strikes against U.S. citizens.

Snowpocalypse redux. Southern states are bracing for more snow and ice this week, but this time local officials do not intend to get caught leading from behind. Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal declared a state of emergency Monday, about 24 hours in advance of the forecasted precipitation. He also asked drivers to stay off the roads tonight so the state’s sand trucks can treat the interstates and main roads before they freeze. Deal, who is up for re-election this year, faced widespread criticism two weeks ago for failing to prepare for 2 inches of snow that snarled traffic for hours and trapped children at schools, making Georgia the butt of jokes for northerners. Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed, who shared some of the blame with Deal, apologized on national TV for the city’s slow response. Though few drivers are interested in repeating 12-hour commutes, the storm created an opportunity for churches to offer shelter, food, and comfort to stranded motorists.

Good bud? Colorado voters support their state’s move to legalize recreational marijuana use, but about half of them believe the relaxed regulations hurt their state’s image, according to a Quinnipiac poll released today. Support for the law tracks with the number of people who say they’ve tried the drug: 51 percent. But just 10 percent of Coloradans say they’ve smoked now that it’s legal. Maybe pot is less addicting than being a lawbreaker.

Put down. A zoo in Denmark is getting death threats from people all over the world after zookeepers euthanized a young, healthy giraffe over concerns about inbreeding in the herd. After killing the giraffe, named Marius, keepers at the Copenhagen Zoo fed its meat to the lions. Critics called the decision to kill the animal “absolutely barbaric” and a “PR disaster.” Others called out the protestors for hypocrisy, especially those who eat meat without thinking about where it comes from. By Sunday, 27,000 people had signed an online petition to save the 2-year-old giraffe.

Golden game. A mobile app designer caused a flap Saturday when he announced he would pull his wildly popular game, Flappy Birds, from Apple and Google’s app stores. The game, which has been available since last year, suddenly shot to the tops of the lists of the most popular free games in both stores last month. Dong Nguyen didn’t offer much explanation for his decision, saying only that he “cannot keep it any more.” The game’s sudden disappearance created a business opportunity for anyone who already has the game installed. Several eBay sellers are offering iPhones and Android devices equipped with Flappy Birds. Bids for at least two iPhones are nearing the $100,000 mark.