The movie actor Arnold Schwargenegger, who is running for governor of California

In a series of radio broadcasts, Arnold Schwargenegger, the actor-turned-candidate-for- governor, staked out some middle ground on social issues, taking positions that might alienate his conservative fellow Republicans but match the views of a majority of Californians.

In western Sweden, a five-year-old girl was abducted and stabbed to death last week by an inmate from a psychiatric institute who was able to come and go at will in part because the cost of looking after such patients in this cradle-to-grave welfare state is becoming too high.