America has 311 million people and 300 million guns. If nothing else, the reaction to the massacre of the innocents at Sandy Hook school has shown the rest of the world what Americans apparently take for granted - the pervasiveness of gun culture.

A New Zealand-based restaurateur rushed to Connecticut to be by his mother's side as she battled cancer. She passed away only hours before the tragic school shooting which left 20 children dead

The NRA has called for the placement of an armed police officer in every school, but parents and educators question the proposal.

When Adam Lanza stormed into Victoria Soto's classroom, he had already killed 20 small children. She had only her courage, and her instinct to protect her class.

Amid fears that the Newtown shootings will do nothing to shake the United States into tightening gun laws, there was a glimmer of hope.

There was nothing about twins Kristin or Candice Hermeler that alerted anyone to the bizarre plan they had hatched.