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never forgotten

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Charlotte Bacon, 6

Charlotte was sweet, outgoing and full of energy, her grandmother told CNN affiliate WCCO in Minnesota.

"This is tough. This is surreal. You can't believe this could happen," Irene Hagen told the station. "The whole family is just devastated, and we're all trying to come to terms with it."

She said her granddaughter loved school and dresses. Her hair was a mass of beautiful red curls.

"It's horrible. It's really horrible," Hagen told WCCO. "It's hard to believe that someone would kill children, innocent children."

Daniel Barden, 7

Daniel earned his missing two front teeth, his family used to say. His "fearless" pursuit of happiness and life also earned him ripped jeans.

"Despite that, he was, as his mother said, 'Just So Good,'" his family wrote in a statement published in the New Haven Register.

Taking after his musician dad, he and his siblings -- brother James and sister Natalie -- formed a band. Daniel played drums.

He loved to ride waves at the beach and make s'mores around bonfires with his cousins.

"He embodied everything that is wholesome and innocent in the world," the family said.

Rachel D'Avino, 29

She probably didn't know it when she died, but her best friend was about to propose.

He had recently asked D'Avino's parents for their blessing, and he was planning to ask for her hand in marriage on Christmas Eve.

That and other details about D'Avino's life were described in an obituary posted on the website of Munson-Lovetere Funeral Homes of Connecticut.

"Her presence and tremendous smile brightened any room she entered," it read.

Born in Waterbury, D'Avino received her undergraduate degree from the University of Hartford and her master's from Post University. She was working toward her doctorate at the University of St. Joseph of Hartford.

D'Avino loved karate, cooking, animals, photography and her two younger siblings.

"Her passion, however, was her occupation as a behavioral therapist working with children within the autism spectrum," the obituary read.

Olivia Engel, 6

Her favorite stuffed animal was a lamb; pink and purple were her favorite colors.

Olivia's family posted a statement on Facebook with those and other details about their beloved daughter.

"She was insightful for her age and had a great sense of humor. She laughed a lot and always lit up a room including the people around her. She was very creative and was always drawing and designing things," her family said.

Olivia took art and dance lessons, played tennis, soccer and swam. She was involved in Girl Scouts and musical theater. She loved school and did well in math and reading.

Her family described her as a "grateful child ... never greedy." Each night, Olivia led grace at the dinner table.

Josephine Gay, 7

Josephine celebrated her seventh birthday just days before she died. In one picture, published in various news stories, she's smiling with glasses on the tip of her nose.

Josephine liked to ride her bike and sell lemonade in her neighborhood in the summer, The Wall Street Journal reported. The little girl loved the color purple.

Dylan Hockley, 6

Dylan and his family had moved from England to Connecticut two years before he died.

"We specifically chose Sandy Hook for the community and the elementary school. We do not and shall never regret this choice," Dylan's family said in a statement. "Our boys have flourished here, and our family's happiness has been limitless."

Dylan's family said he loved to cuddle and play tag with neighbors at the bus stop every morning.

"He was learning to read and was so proud when he read us a new book every day," the family said. "He adored his big brother Jake, his best friend and role model."

Dylan's parents also expressed gratitude to the educators who died with their son.

"We cannot speak highly enough of Dawn Hochsprung and Mary Sherlach, exceptional women who knew both our children," the family said. "Dylan's teacher, Vicki Soto, was warm and funny and Dylan loved her dearly. We take great comfort in knowing that Dylan was not alone when he died, but was wrapped in the arms of his amazing aide, Anne Marie Murphy. Dylan loved Mrs. Murphy so much and pointed at her picture on our refrigerator every day.

"Though our hearts break for Dylan, they are also filled with love for these and the other beautiful women who all selflessly died trying to save our children."

Dawn Lafferty Hochsprung, 47

Hochsprung, who became Sandy Hook Elementary's principal two years before the shooting, was "really nice and very fun, but she was also very much a tough lady in the right sort of sense," friend Tom Prunty said.

And the students loved her. "Even little kids know when someone cares about them, and that was her," he said.

"I never saw her without a smile," said Aimee Seaver, the mother of a first-grader.

Hochsprung lived in Woodbury, Connecticut, with her husband, two daughters and three stepdaughters.

The career educator majored in special education for her bachelor's and master's degrees in the 1990s and had just entered the PhD program at Esteves School of Education at the Sage Colleges in New York. Hochsprung led a school district's strategic planning panel and was the recipient of a national school grant.

Her accomplishments included overseeing the installation of a new security system requiring every visitor to ring the front entrance's doorbell after the school doors locked at 9:30 a.m.

"My mom, Dawn Hochsprung, was taken tragically from me. But she went down in a blaze of glory that truly represents who she was," her daughter, Cristina Hassinger, tweeted.

Madeleine Hsu, 6

Sweet. Unique. Bright. Determined. Sparking.

Those are words Madeleine's family used to describe their little girl.

"She was an avid reader who loved running and dancing," they said. "She was a born leader."

Catherine Hubbard, 6

The little girl with bright red hair will be remembered for her smile and her love of animals.

Catherine is survived by her older brother, her parents, grandparents, great-grandmother, uncles, aunts and nine cousins.

"Her family prays that she, all the students of Sandy Hook Elementary, and all those affected by this brutal event find peace in their hearts," they wrote in her obituary.

A Facebook page honoring Catherine spoke of how she is now an angel.

"Such a beautiful little soul," the post read, saying the family's loss is heaven's gain.

Chase Kowalski, 7

What Chase really wanted for Christmas was his two front teeth.

"I saw him two days ago, and I asked him if he wanted to see Santa, and he told me that he wanted his teeth back, and it was really sweet," Chase's neighbor, Keeley Baumann, 13, told the News-Times newspaper.

At 6, Chase completed his first triathlon, but that was just one of his pursuits. He loved baseball. He was in the Cub Scouts. He looked forward to the kids' workshop at the local Home Depot.

"We are thankful to the Lord for giving us seven years with our beautiful loving son. It is with heavy hearts that we return him," the family said in an obituary.

Jesse Lewis, 6

Jesse loved math, riding horses and playing at his mom's farm, his father told the New York Post.

"He was just a happy boy," Neil Heslin said. "Everybody knew Jesse."

He told the newspaper that his son was planning to make gingerbread houses at school. Heslin was planning to help.

Instead, the last time he saw his son was when he dropped him off at school at 9 a.m.

"He was going to go places in life," Heslin told the Post.

Ana Marquez-Greene, 6

"One, two, three, ready and go," Ana counts down in a homemade video provided to CNN affiliate WTIC.

The girl in pigtails stands in front of a piano as her brother plays. Her voice is clear, bigger than her size. Ana smiles and waves.

Her father, Jimmy Greene, is a jazz musician. His representative released a statement on Ana's death, describing the little girl as "beautiful and vibrant."

"The family has requested privacy at this time of heartbreaking loss," it read. They "have asked us to relay their sincere gratitude for the outpouring of support and sympathy locally, nationally and internationally."

James Mattioli, 6

As he was quick to remind everyone, James was 6 and ¾.

"He loved to wear shorts and T-shirts in any weather and grab the gel to spike his hair," his family said in a loving obituary. "He would often sing at the top of his lungs, and once asked, 'How old do I have to be to sing on a stage?'"

Indoors, he spent his time playing games on the iPad -- especially the lawn-mowing one. Outdoors, he loved to dive off the diving board, "swim like a fish" in his grandfather's pool and ride his bike -- without training wheels.

"I need to go outside, Mom. I need fresh air," he would often say.

He was born four weeks early -- because he was hungry, his family joked.

James had a voracious appetite. His favorites? His dad's egg omelets with bacon, and his mom's French toast.

He looked up to his older sister, wanting to do everything she could.

"They were the best of friends, going to school together, playing games together, and making endless drawings and crafts together."

The boy, whose family fondly called him "J," will be incredibly missed, they said.

Grace McDonnell, 7

Grace was the "light and love of our family," her mother told CNN.

She loved her brother, school, the beach and wanted to be a painter.

For her seventh birthday in November, Grace requested a purple cake with a turquoise peace sign and polka dots. And that's exactly what she got.

"She was all about peace and gentleness and kindness," Lynn McDonnell told CNN's Anderson Cooper. "Grace didn't have an ounce of hate in her, and so we have to live through Grace and realize that hate is not how our family is."

The family drew cupcakes, ice creams cones, lighthouses and seagulls -- all things Grace loved -- on her tiny white casket.

Anne Marie Murphy, 52

A hero. That's how a first responder reportedly described Murphy to her father.

He told Newsday that authorities told him her body was found in a classroom, covering young children killed in the shooting in an apparent attempt to shield them.

"She died doing what she loved. She was serving children and serving God," Murphy's mother, Alice McGowan, told the newspaper.

A married mother of four, Murphy was artistic and hardworking, her parents said.

"She was a happy soul," her mother told Newsday. "She was a very good daughter, a good mother, a good wife."

Emilie Parker, 6

She could "light up a room," Emilie's father said about his oldest daughter.

Robbie Parker described her as "bright, creative and very loving." Emilie was always willing to try new things, he said, except food. Her laugh was infectious.

"My daughter Emilie would be one of the first ones to be standing up and giving her love and support to all of those victims, because that is the type of person she is," Parker said.

She was "an exceptional artist, and she always carried around her markers and pencils so she never missed an opportunity to draw a picture or make a card for someone," he said.

"This world is a better place because she has been in it," Parker said.

Emilie's aunt described her niece as the "sweetest little girl I've ever known."

The family is devastated that "someone so beautiful and perfect is no longer going to be in our lives and for no reason," said Jill Cottle Garrett.

Emilie's father, who works as a physician assistant in the newborn unit at the Danbury hospital, recalled his last conversation with his daughter was in Portuguese, a language he was teaching her.

"She said that she loved me, and I gave her a kiss, and I was out the door," he said.

Jack Pinto, 6

Jack was a first-grader, and his interests ran the gamut -- baseball, basketball, wrestling, snow skiing. But his first love was football, and his idol was Victor Cruz, then the New York Giants star receiver.

Cruz paid tribute to the team's young fan by scribbling "Jack Pinto. My Hero" on one of his cleats and "R.I.P. Jack Pinto" on the other for the team's game with the Atlanta Falcons the Sunday after the shooting. On his glove, Cruz wrote, "Jack Pinto. This one is 4 U!"

Jack participated in his first wrestling match not long before his death and won a medal, according to the president of the New Milford Wrestling Association.

"In life and in death, Jack will forever be remembered for the immeasurable joy he brought to all who had the pleasure of knowing him, a joy whose wide reach belied his six short years," Jack's family wrote in an obituary for the little boy.

Noah Pozner, 6

"He had a huge heart, and he was so much fun, a little bit rambunctious, lots of spirit," Noah's aunt told CNN. "He was really the light of the room."

Victoria Haller said her nephew loved playing with his cousins and siblings, especially his twin sister.

"He was a gorgeous, gorgeous boy, and he could really get what he wanted just by batting those long eyelashes and looking at you with those big blue eyes. You really couldn't say no to him," she said.

His siblings weren't told immediately how Noah passed away, Haller said.

"How do you tell them that's how their brother died?" she asked. "It's the unthinkable really."

Caroline Previdi, 6

"You were a sweet little girl and you will be missed."

That's the message that Caroline's aunt reportedly tweeted, saying good-bye to her niece, according to the online version of the Press-Telegram in Long Beach, California.

"It hurts even more to see a familiar name on that list," the report said Paige Tremblay also tweeted.

A Facebook page called "RIP Caroline Previdi -- Sandy Hook Massacre Victim" contains dozens of messages. One reads: "Rest in Peace, sweetheart. I know for sure that God is with you and all the other sweet little angels. I feel so very sorry for all these families who lost their precious kids, my heart goes out to all of you."

Jessica Rekos, 6

Jessica loved everything about horses -- horse movies, horse books, drawing horses and writing stories about them.

She asked Santa this year for new cowgirl boots and a cowgirl hat. Her family had promised she could get her own horse when she turned 10.

"She was a creative, beautiful little girl," her family said in a statement, describing Jessica as their "rock."

"She had an answer for everything, she didn't miss a trick, and she outsmarted us every time. We called her our little CEO for the way she carefully thought out and planned everything," they said. "We cannot imagine our life without her."

Jessica also loved orca whales and playing with her two little brothers.

"We are mourning her loss, sharing our beautiful memories we have of her, and trying to help her brother Travis understand why he can't play with his best friend," her family said.

Avielle Richman, 6

Avielle was happiest when she was on a horse.

Her trainer, Annette Sullivan, told the Connecticut Post that Avielle would "giggle when she trotted."

Like kids her age, her first loose tooth was a sign she was growing up.

"She showed me her wiggly tooth, she was so excited," Sullivan told the newspaper. "She was the most delightful little girl you ever met in your life."

Lauren Rousseau, 30

Rousseau, a permanent substitute teacher at Sandy Hook Elementary, "wanted to be a teacher from before she even went to kindergarten," her mother said in a written statement. "We will miss her terribly and will take comfort knowing that she had achieved that dream," Teresa Rousseau said.

She grew up in Danbury, Connecticut, and earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Connecticut and a master's degree in elementary education from the University of Bridgeport.

Rousseau "worked as a substitute teacher in Danbury, New Milford and Newtown before she was hired in November as a permanent substitute teacher at Sandy Hook," her mother said.

Mary Sherlach, 56

Sherlach, Sandy Hook Elementary's school psychologist, was with Hochsprung when they heard a "pop, pop, pop" sound around 9:30 a.m., a parent who was with both women at the time told CNN. Sherlach was shot to death after heading into the hall to find out what was happening.

"I ... am always ready to assist in problem-solving, intervention and prevention," Sherlach wrote on her website.

Sherlach earned her undergraduate degree in psychology at SUNY Cortland and a master's degree at Southern Connecticut State University. She worked as a rehabilitation assistant at a group home for disabled adults and as a community mental health placement specialist before becoming a school psychologist.

She worked in three Connecticut school systems before moving to Sandy Hook Elementary in 1994. During her time in Newtown, Sherlach kept busy as a member of numerous groups, including the district conflict resolution committee, safe school climate committee, crisis intervention team and student instructional team.

Sherlach and her husband of more than three decades lived in Trumbull, Connecticut, and, together, they were "proud parents" of two daughters in their late 20s. Her website listed her interests as gardening, reading and going to the theater.

Victoria Soto, 27

Soto, a first-grade teacher at Sandy Hook Elementary, moved her students away from the classroom door when she heard gunfire, which students initially "thought were hammers falling," according to the father of one of her students.

"That's when the gunman burst in, did not say a word, no facial expressions, and proceeded to shoot their teacher," said Robert Licata, whose 6-year-old son, Aiden, escaped by running past the shooter.

Soto's mother said her daughter was selfless.

"She would not hesitate to think to save anyone else before herself, and especially children. She loved them more than life, and she would definitely put herself in front of them any day," Donna Soto told CNN.

Soto had wanted to be a teacher since she was 3 and talked about her students with "such fondness and caring," her mother said.

Soto's cousin, James Wiltsie, said Soto "instinctively went into action, when a monster came into her classroom, and tried to protect the kids that she loved so much."

"We just want the public to know that Vicki was a hero," he said.

Soto had a dog she loved. The black lab Roxie spent Saturday wandering around Soto's apartment, apparently looking for her, relatives said.

Benjamin Wheeler, 6

Ben loved The Beatles, lighthouses and the No. 7 train to Sunnyside, Queens, his family said in a statement.

He and his older brother Nate "filled the house with the noise of four children."

"Ben Wheeler was an irrepressibly bright and spirited boy whose love of fun and excitement at the wonders of life and the world could rarely be contained. His rush to experience life was headlong, creative and immediate," his family said.

Ben loved soccer and swimming. Recently, he performed at a piano recital -- a major feat for a little boy who rarely sat still.

Friday morning before school, he told him mom: "I still want to be an architect, but I also want to be a paleontologist, because that's what Nate is going to be, and I want to do everything Nate does."

Ben, Nate, and their parents, Francine and David Wheeler, moved to Newtown in 2007. Francine Wheeler is a music teacher and performer. David Wheeler is an illustrator and designer.

Two days after the shooting, Francine Wheeler's band posted the following message on its Facebook page:

"With heavy hearts, we inform you of our saddest news: Francine Wheeler, a founding member of The Dream Jam Band, has lost her precious 6-year old son, Ben, to the tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut. Our prayers and love go out to Francine, David and Ben's big brother, Nate."

Allison Wyatt, 6

Allison once offered her snacks to a stranger on plane. That's just the type of person she was.

Allison was a "sweet, creative, funny, intelligent little girl who had an amazing life ahead of her," her parents said.

They described their daughter as kind-hearted. She loved to draw and wanted to be an artist.

"She loved to laugh and was developing her own wonderful sense of humor that ranged from just being a silly 6-year-old to coming up with observations that more than once had us crying with laughter," her parents said.

"Allison made the world a better place for six, far too short years, and we now have to figure out how to move on without her ... We love and miss her so much."

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sandy hook shooting victims remembered - cnn

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Charlotte Bacon, 6 Charlotte was sweet, outgoing and full of energy, her grandmother told CNN affiliate WCCO in Minnesota. "This is tough. This is surreal. You can't believe this could happen," Irene Hagen told the station. "The whole family is just devastated, and we're all trying to come to terms with it."

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In New York City there is a tree that holds Quaker parrots. They are said that they got to Brooklyn by escaping the cages they were in. These birds are originally from Argentina.

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Tourists are often warned in Brooklyn (CNN) - New York City not to stop and look up. But on one street where a tree grows in Brooklyn, looking up is encouraged.

You might just catch a rare sight in the bustling big city: beautiful green Quaker parrots, also known as monk parakeets. (They are hard to find, rarer than spotting Tony Danza strolling down Broadway.)

These birds have a back story that a little birdie might chirp to you if you're lucky: They are believed to have their origins in Argentina, some 5,300 miles away as the crow flies. (Parrots, though, not crows.) These parrots didn't travel that route, however.

Steve Baldwin is our parakeet expert -- I call him the Birdman of Brooklyn -- and he is hooked on these wild, green birds.

"I'm one of the people who has taken an interest in the fact that the birds, who really don't belong here, are here," Baldwin tells me.

"I was charmed as a youth when my family brought a parrot into the household. We were all impressed with how emotional, engaging and endearing it was. So, I have a soft spot in my heart for these birds."

Meeting his guests at Brooklyn College, Baldwin has been giving free Saturday morning tours to see the parrots for the past 12 years.

It takes a few minutes to stroll to a large tree with multiple nests in the branches, which the parrots have struggled to construct.

The unpredictability of the tour highlight -- the birds actually showing up -- means this tour is probably best for devout bird-lovers or curiosity-seekers who are looking for offbeat adventures.

Bird investigators and newspaper reports claim that these birds were descendants of parrots who broke out of containers and cages at John F. Kennedy International Airport in neighboring Queens. (I always thought the $6 million Lufthansa cargo robbery in 1978 was the biggest bust-out caper in the airport's history, until now.)

But why were they at the airport in the first place? The main theory is that Argentina shipped thousands of birds in the 1960s and 1970s to the United States mainly to get rid of them, seeing them as agricultural nuisances.

They were sold in pet stores, owned by New Yorkers or turned into animal feed. Some of the parrots somehow broke out and escaped from the airport. Other parrots, according to theories, got away from broken crates at Newark Airport or were freed by owners who didn't want them anymore.

The lucky escapees were not the migratory type. (After all, do you know how hard it is to find a good apartment or nest in the big city?) The current collection of Quaker parrots are believed to nest in a few New York locations, although not in the concrete jungle of Manhattan.

It turns out these parrots have adapted to the city.

Instead of their country cousins, which have three toes in front and one in back, these New Yorkers have two in front and two in back, forming what Baldwin describes as a fist.

Baldwin says the birds seem to enjoy Brooklyn, despite the clamor of the subways and gentrified hipster cafes. (A lack of predators, such as hawks and owls, provide a sense of security for the birds.)

They feel so at home, Baldwin has spotted them eating a slice of pizza in the trees. It's reminiscent of the New York City rat eating a slice, but not so gross. Brooklyn does have some of the city's finest pizza parlors, though owners don't expect the product to be eaten at such heights.

On a recent Saturday tour, about 15 people joined Baldwin as he explained the almost fable-like tale of the great parrot escape from the airport. The walking tours are a labor of love by Baldwin, a copywriter by trade, who says he was "charmed" by parrots once his father brought a bird home when he was a youngster.

Baldwin eventually led his guests to a large tree to see his favorite Brooklynites, where on this day three big nests were easily visible.

Amid the chirping, Baldwin whipped out his binoculars and observed the parrots, explaining how they used to have one huge nest. One day back in 2014, it came tumbling down and killed a bird.

Since that fateful day, Baldwin said the birds seem to understand now it's better to play it safe and distribute their weight with three nests.

Nearby residents seem to appreciate their avian neighbors, calling them "cool" and "nice."

These parrots issued loud greetings to each other but they did not appear to sing "Don't Cry for Me, Argentina", their ancestral homeland. These wild Quaker parrots seem content in the trees of Brooklyn and welcome all birdwatchers.

Check Baldwin's website, Brooklynparrots.com, for more information about the parrots and tours.

CNN's Lawrence Crook and Evan Simko-Bednarski contributed to this report

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Tourists are often warned in Brooklyn (CNN) - New York City not to stop and look up. But on one street where a tree grows in Brooklyn, looking up is encouraged. You might just catch a rare sight in the bustling big city: beautiful green Quaker parrots, also known as monk parakeets.

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New York explosion: Man detonates pipe bomb in 'attempted terrorist attack,' officials say.  A man wearing a homemade pipe bomb detonated his explosive in a walkway at the Port Authority Bus Terminal near Times Square on Monday, injuring three people and causing chaos in one of the busiest commuter hubs in the city, officials said.

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5 injured after man detonates pipe bomb in new york city

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Man detonates pipe bomb in 'attempted terrorist attack'

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It was the latest lone wolf attack to target New York City. And it might have been worse.

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In New York City there is a tree that holds Quaker parrots. They are said that they got to Brooklyn by escaping the cages they were in. These birds are originally from Argentina.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Tourists are often warned in Brooklyn (CNN) - New York City not to stop and look up. But on one street where a tree grows in Brooklyn, looking up is encouraged.

You might just catch a rare sight in the bustling big city: beautiful green Quaker parrots, also known as monk parakeets. (They are hard to find, rarer than spotting Tony Danza strolling down Broadway.)

These birds have a back story that a little birdie might chirp to you if you're lucky: They are believed to have their origins in Argentina, some 5,300 miles away as the crow flies. (Parrots, though, not crows.) These parrots didn't travel that route, however.

Steve Baldwin is our parakeet expert -- I call him the Birdman of Brooklyn -- and he is hooked on these wild, green birds.

"I'm one of the people who has taken an interest in the fact that the birds, who really don't belong here, are here," Baldwin tells me.

"I was charmed as a youth when my family brought a parrot into the household. We were all impressed with how emotional, engaging and endearing it was. So, I have a soft spot in my heart for these birds."

Meeting his guests at Brooklyn College, Baldwin has been giving free Saturday morning tours to see the parrots for the past 12 years.

It takes a few minutes to stroll to a large tree with multiple nests in the branches, which the parrots have struggled to construct.

The unpredictability of the tour highlight -- the birds actually showing up -- means this tour is probably best for devout bird-lovers or curiosity-seekers who are looking for offbeat adventures.

Bird investigators and newspaper reports claim that these birds were descendants of parrots who broke out of containers and cages at John F. Kennedy International Airport in neighboring Queens. (I always thought the $6 million Lufthansa cargo robbery in 1978 was the biggest bust-out caper in the airport's history, until now.)

But why were they at the airport in the first place? The main theory is that Argentina shipped thousands of birds in the 1960s and 1970s to the United States mainly to get rid of them, seeing them as agricultural nuisances.

They were sold in pet stores, owned by New Yorkers or turned into animal feed. Some of the parrots somehow broke out and escaped from the airport. Other parrots, according to theories, got away from broken crates at Newark Airport or were freed by owners who didn't want them anymore.

The lucky escapees were not the migratory type. (After all, do you know how hard it is to find a good apartment or nest in the big city?) The current collection of Quaker parrots are believed to nest in a few New York locations, although not in the concrete jungle of Manhattan.

It turns out these parrots have adapted to the city.

Instead of their country cousins, which have three toes in front and one in back, these New Yorkers have two in front and two in back, forming what Baldwin describes as a fist.

Baldwin says the birds seem to enjoy Brooklyn, despite the clamor of the subways and gentrified hipster cafes. (A lack of predators, such as hawks and owls, provide a sense of security for the birds.)

They feel so at home, Baldwin has spotted them eating a slice of pizza in the trees. It's reminiscent of the New York City rat eating a slice, but not so gross. Brooklyn does have some of the city's finest pizza parlors, though owners don't expect the product to be eaten at such heights.

On a recent Saturday tour, about 15 people joined Baldwin as he explained the almost fable-like tale of the great parrot escape from the airport. The walking tours are a labor of love by Baldwin, a copywriter by trade, who says he was "charmed" by parrots once his father brought a bird home when he was a youngster.

Baldwin eventually led his guests to a large tree to see his favorite Brooklynites, where on this day three big nests were easily visible.

Amid the chirping, Baldwin whipped out his binoculars and observed the parrots, explaining how they used to have one huge nest. One day back in 2014, it came tumbling down and killed a bird.

Since that fateful day, Baldwin said the birds seem to understand now it's better to play it safe and distribute their weight with three nests.

Nearby residents seem to appreciate their avian neighbors, calling them "cool" and "nice."

These parrots issued loud greetings to each other but they did not appear to sing "Don't Cry for Me, Argentina", their ancestral homeland. These wild Quaker parrots seem content in the trees of Brooklyn and welcome all birdwatchers.

Check Baldwin's website, Brooklynparrots.com, for more information about the parrots and tours.

CNN's Lawrence Crook and Evan Simko-Bednarski contributed to this report

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Tourists are often warned in Brooklyn (CNN) - New York City not to stop and look up. But on one street where a tree grows in Brooklyn, looking up is encouraged. You might just catch a rare sight in the bustling big city: beautiful green Quaker parrots, also known as monk parakeets.

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North Korea's Kim Jong Un sets a template for other rogue states. Among the many strides North Korea has made in its development of nuclear weapons it can add another disquieting distinction: the precedent it's set for other rogue states who covet nuclear weapons.

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"If North Korea continues to progress in developing nuclear weapons we are giving hope to countries that might have this ambition," Lassina Zerbo, the executive secretary of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organization said in a recent interview with CNN.

"It is my hope that multilateral diplomacy will prevail and that we'll be able to stop them as soon as possible," Zerbo said. "This should be seen as the last wake up call to stop this endeavor by North Korea, so that no other country can pretend, or try to do explosive testing towards the build up of a nuclear weapon."

Nevertheless, as the isolated state and its adversaries tread ever closer to a military denouement, there is now a reality -- whether it is recognized officially or not -- that North Korea has attained nuclear status and whatever deterrence the US, South Korea and the rest of the international community might concoct to prevent those weapons from finding flight, the message to nuclear aspirants is clear.

"If you make a lot of steady, quiet progress, and you have very strong incentives to get nuclear weapons and you just keep your head down and barrel ahead and withstand whatever sanctions come your way, eventually you can get to the other side," said Devin Hagerty, professor of political science and the founding director of the global studies program at the University of Maryland.

"But I also think that for every nuclear aspirant there is a unique set of incentives and disincentives to work from," he told CNN.

The lessons of Libya and Iraq

The uniqueness of North Korea's predicament is a significant reason why other states might not be able to follow suit, said David Maxwell, associate director of the Center for Security Studies at the Walsh School for Foreign Service at Georgetown University.

"What other country is in North Korea's position, and what other country would have the conditions that would allow it to have weapons and not end up like Libya or Iraq or somebody else?" Maxwell asked. "There's very few countries that have that, that can make conventional military threats that allowed North Korea to develop nuclear weapons without a significant response."

Conventional military threats, he said, included the regular risk of a border dispute with Seoul, something Maxwell contends "caused strategic paralysis on the part of South Korea, the US and the international community -- no one wanted to risk going to war, so we weren't willing to take action to prevent the development of nuclear weapons."

The unique circumstances surrounding North Korea's stubborn pursuit of nuclear weapons stands in stark contrast to the fate of other would-be developers like Syria and Iraq, countries that found their embryonic facilities quickly obliterated in Israeli air strikes.

Saudi Arabia, vying for dominance in the Middle East against nuclear-obsessed Iran, has also long had an eye for adding a nuclear element to its burgeoning weapons stores.

"Saudi Arabia's case," said Hagerty, "won't be driven by what happens with North Korea. They're going to base their decisions on national interests and their position in the Middle East, and that Israel has a policy to take out nascent nuclear weapons programs of nearby countries."

At the White House at least, the temptation for any country to make such an attempt is dangled before them every time North Korea conducts a military test, something national security adviser H.R. McMaster recognizes.

"Their provocations seem likely to increase -- not decrease -- over time. The North Koreans have also proliferated just about every capability they've ever produced, including chemical weapons and a nuclear reactor," McMaster said in a recent interview with the New Yorker. "Then there's the matter of what other countries do -- in the region and beyond -- when they see that a rogue regime developed nukes and got away with it."

North Korea's new standing as a nuclear power is one the White House can no longer deny, says Maxwell.

"I think that's part of the problem," he told CNN. "The international community has painted itself into a corner since 1994 (when a deal between the Clinton administration and Pyongyang was signed, but which later fell apart). We've said the North can't have nuclear weapons, we've used this rhetoric and we've had no means to prevent it, and this goes back to the assumption that North Korea wasn't going to last so we wouldn't have anything to worry about."

Indeed, when Kim Jong Il died from a heart attack in December 2011, the confusion over who would succeed him threw into question efforts to engage North Korea in negotiations.

There was concern that Kim Jong Un, the inexperienced successor, would face challenges to his leadership upon assuming the reins. In the years that followed, he led a purge of senior officials that included most notably, Jang Song Thaek, an uncle by marriage. Analysts at the time oscillated between declaring that Kim was struggling to maintain control of the party, to insisting he had consolidated power and had become a force to be reckoned with.

In March 2012 at a nuclear security summit in Seoul then-US President Barack Obama pressed China and Russia to do more to curb Pyongyang, which was launching a satellite that purportedly breached international regulations. North Korea announced the move even as food aid was slated to arrive to feed desperately hungry North Koreans. "We need to have a serious conversation with the North Koreans where they understand that we're going to do things differently in the future," said deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes at the time.

Obama 'essentially unwilling to engage'

In a speech in Seoul to university students during that visit, Obama warned Pyongyang that if the regime didn't shift from its quest for nuclear weapons there would be "more broken dreams, more isolation, ever more distance between the people of North Korea and the dignity and the opportunity that they deserve."

"Your provocations and pursuit of nuclear weapons have not achieved the security you seek," he said. "They have undermined it."

North Korea's calculation of what the regime could expect from the international community changed when it realized Obama was "essentially unwilling to engage with them in a big way," said Mike Chinoy, a former CNN correspondent and current senior fellow at the US-China Institute at the University of Southern California. Pyongyang's nuclear weapons were its guarantee that the regime would survive any existential threats.

"The fact that they have succeeded raises the question about whether you can have an effective non proliferation regime, and I do think there's a message to other countries that if you acquire a nuclear capability the Americans will be hard-pressed to stop it," said Chinoy.

"If the Americans now sabotage the Iran agreement for example, the message is going to be again to countries or elsewhere, that even if you do try to do a deal, and even if the deal is win-win, even that they throw away," Chinoy remarked.

US President Donald Trump must tell Congress next month if he believes Iran is meeting its obligations under the nuclear accord. Under the deal Tehran has committed to scaling back its nuclear program in return for sanctions relief.

US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley has said she wouldn't be surprised if Trump declared that Iran wasn't complying because the deal was "very flawed, very limited."

North Korea will be watching to see how the administration treats the Iran nuclear deal, an agreement Trump has called "the worst deal ever." To Pyongyang it would be a sign of American intentions towards nuclear states that don't enjoy positive relations with Washington. Rescinding a deal with one hostile country could even more adversely impact the White House's negotiations with another that is even more antagonistic towards the West.

"The lesson," says Chinoy, "for any future negotiation with North Korea is you can't count on the Americans to live up to anything, so screw it, get as many nukes as you can, and say: 'We dare you to attack us because we can nuke Los Angeles,' and that's where we're going."

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north korea's kim jong un sets a template for other rogue states  - cnn

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North Korea's Kim Jong Un sets a template for other rogue states

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"If North Korea continues to progress in developing nuclear weapons we are giving hope to countries that might have this ambition," Lassina Zerbo, the executive secretary of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organization said in a recent interview with CNN.

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The Grand Imam of Al-Azhar in Egypt, the Sunni Muslim world's leading religious institution, says he will not meet with Vice President Mike Pence because of the U.S. decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

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The Latest on the fallout of the Trump administration's recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel (all times local):

11:50 a.m.

The militant al-Qaida network is urging followers world over to target vital interests of the United States, its allies and Israel in response to President Donald Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

A statement posted on al-Qaida's media arm as-Sahab in both Arabic and English on Friday rallied for holy war or jihad and described America as a modern-era "pharaoh" oppressing Muslims.

The statement says "the surest and quickest way to confront the aggression of the pharaoh of our age - America - is jihad in Allah's name by targeting the vital interests of the United States and its Zionist and Crusader (Christian) allies everywhere."

Branches of the global terror network, including the North Africa branch known as Al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb and also al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, issued similar statements.

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10:10 a.m.

Palestinians are expected to protest en masse across the West Bank, east Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip following the Trump administration's recognition this week of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

Israeli police have deployed reinforcements in and around Jerusalem's Old City ahead of Friday prayers, though Israel hasn't imposed age restrictions on Muslim worshippers to access Jerusalem's Al Aqsa Mosque, the city's most sacred Islamic site - a measure common during flare-ups of tensions.

Demonstrations in solidarity are also expected across the Middle East and many Muslim nations. In Malaysia, more than 1,000 Muslims have protested outside the U.S. Embassy in Kuala Lumpur.

Trump's declaration on Jerusalem departed from decades of U.S. policy and upended longstanding international assurances that the fate of the city would be determined in negotiations.

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The Latest: Al-Qaida urges attacks on US after Trump move

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The Latest on the fallout of the Trump administration's recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel (all times local): 11:50 a.m. The militant al-Qaida network is urging followers world over to target vital interests of the United States, its allies and Israel in response to...

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Snow fell in southern Texas including on the Alamo where snow has not fallen for 12 years.

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rare snowfall in south texas  - cnn video

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Rare snowfall in south Texas - CNN Video

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Snow fell across parts of south Texas including San Antonio and Austin, Texas. It hasn't snowed in the Alamo in 12 years.

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The California wild fires have been getting out of control lately. Some lost their homes, pets and all their belongings.

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Six large wildfires have scorched 141,000 acres in the state this week, Cal Fire officials said. At least 5,700 firefighters from several agencies are working to contain the massive walls of flames.

The fires have forced 190,000 people out of their homes, some with nothing but their pets and a few mementos. The latest blaze, Lilac Fire, broke out in San Diego County, leaving three people with burn injuries, authorities said.

Dry air and strong winds are forecast through Sunday, which may lead to dangerous fire conditions, CNN meteorologist Rachel Aissen said.

Residents in those areas should be ready to evacuate at a moments notice.

"They need to prepare as if they will be impacted. Where are they gonna go? What are their escape routes? What is their communication to their families? What are they going to do with their pets and do they have their vehicles loaded to go?" Cal Fire Division Chief Nick Schuler said Thursday night.

Latest developments

* New fire: The Lilac Fire in San Diego County started Thursday and grew to 4,100 acres in a few hours, leading to new evacuation orders. Evacuation centers have been set up in affected areas.

* More injuries: The Lilac Fire has left three civilians with burn injuries and two firefighters hurt. One firefighter suffered smoke inhalation while the second one had a dislocated shoulder. The latter popped it back into place and continued working, Schuler said.

*Train system affected: Amtrak has suspended service between Los Angeles and San Luis Obispo as a result of the wildfires in the area. Union Pacific Railroad has closed the tracks between Ventura and Santa Barbara.

* School closings: Officials have shut down schools spanning at least 16 districts.

* Declarations: Gov. Jerry Brown issued an emergency proclamation for Santa Barbara and San Diego counties. The declarations free state resources such as the National Guard to support response efforts. He's also requested federal assistance to supplement state and local emergency response.

Fast winds: Wind gusts in the region will be between 35 mph to 55mph through Sunday, which can can fan the fire, Aissen said.

Firefighters are battling six wildfires across various counties in Southern California.

Thomas Fire: The largest of the six blazes started Monday in Ventura County, and has scorched 115,000 acres. It's only 5% contained, and has destroyed at least 73 residential.

Creek Fire: The second-largest fire is in neighboring Los Angeles County, and ignited a day later. It has burned 15,323 acres and is 20% contained.

Rye Fire: It broke out Tuesday in Los Angeles County and has burned 7,000 acres. Firefighters are making progress, with 25% of the blaze contained.

Lilac Fire: This fast-moving fire erupted Thursday in San Diego County, and has consumed 4,100 acres in just a few hours. It's unclear what percentage of it is contained.

Skirball Fire: It started Wednesday as a brush fire in Los Angeles County, and is now 30% contained.

Liberty Fire: The blaze in Riverside County has burned 300 acres since it ignited Thursday. It's 5% contained.

The firefighters

In addition to long hours battling blazes, firefighters are also grappling with the effects of smoke inhalation and embers irritating their eyes.

About 5,700 firefighters -- almost half of them assigned to the massive Thomas Fire alone -- have been working to contain the flames.

"Honestly, the firefighters are taking a beating, but we have to acknowledge the residents because they're taking a beating, too, but they're cooperating with our orders," said Thomas Kruschke, spokesman for the Ventura County Fire Department.

Other agencies have stepped in to help the firefighters, with military and navy helicopters set to join the Lilac Fire effort Friday morning, Schuler said.

The state National Guard's 146th Airlift Wing out of Oxnard has also joined the fight, even though roughly 50 of the National Guardsmen involved had to be evacuated themselves, said spokeswoman Maj. Kimberly Holman. Three lost their homes in the blazes, she said.

How bad is it?

The Thomas Fire has burned more than 100,000 acres north of Los Angeles, which is more than twice the size of Washington DC.

It spread over 31,000 acres in nine hours, which is nearly an acre per second. At that rate, it would have consumed New York's Central Park in about 15 minutes.

The fire was so destructive, it prompted officials to upgrade their color-coding system to include purple for the first time. It ranks as the 19th most destructive fire in California records.

CNN's Paul Vercammen reported from Carpinteria, and Faith Karimi and Steve Almasy reported and wrote from Atlanta. CNN's Nicole Chavez contributed to this report.

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california fires: 3 people burned in new blaze  - cnn

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California fires: 3 people burned in new blaze

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Six large wildfires have scorched 141,000 acres in the state this week, Cal Fire officials said. At least 5,700 firefighters from several agencies are working to contain the massive walls of flames. The fires have forced 190,000 people out of their homes, some with nothing but their pets and a few mementos.

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I´m sick but I´m there in spirit guys: Up in China, 13 year old have been arrested after he allegedly kills his mother and chops off her head. The young boy films the murder using new popular app called WeChat, then processed to show it to his friends. The boy was caught and arrested at school 7 days later after one of his friends shows the video to his mother. The incident took place in the town of Wenxing in the Sichuan province. According to the news outlet, the boy decapitated his mother then proceeded to put her head in a bucket and disposing it into a drain outside of their home. The motive of the young boy´s murder has not yet been reported nor discovered.