In brief: U.S. will not talk with al-Qaida

WASHINGTON – The White House says the Obama administration does not and will not negotiate with al-Qaida even though it is concerned about the safety and well-being of a 70-year-old American aid worker kidnapped in Pakistan nine months ago.

White House spokesman Jay Carney said the administration condemns the kidnapping of Warren Weinstein and called for his immediate release.

In a video released by al-Qaida, Weinstein said he would be killed unless President Barack Obama agrees to the group’s demands.

Carney said he did not believe the president had seen the video. He said the government would continue to make efforts to have Weinstein released.

Obama stands by unclear gay stance

WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama’s election-year vagueness on gay marriage is coming under fresh scrutiny.

Education Secretary Arne Duncan broke ranks with the White House on Monday, stating his unequivocal support for same-sex marriage one day after Vice President Joe Biden suggested that he supported gay marriage as well.

Obama aides worked to manage any political fallout. They said the back-to-back remarks by two top administration officials represented personal viewpoints and were not part of a coordinated effort to lay groundwork for a shift in the president’s position.

Obama, who supports most gay rights, has stopped short of backing gay marriage. Without clarification, he’s said for the past year and a half that his personal views on the matter are “evolving.”

The White House held firm on Monday to that position, which polls show puts the president increasingly at odds with his party and the majority of Americans on gay marriage.

Santorum backs ex-rival Romney

WASHINGTON – Rick Santorum is endorsing his one-time bitter rival Mitt Romney in a late-night email to his supporters.

Santorum on Monday urged his supporters to join him in working with the effective Republican nominee to deny President Barack Obama a second term. In his message, Santorum reminded his supporters of areas where he disagreed with Romney during their slog of a primary.

Yet Santorum says that, in his words, “above all else, we both agree that President Obama must be defeated.”

During their contest, Santorum bitterly clashed with Romney. At one point, Santorum called Romney the worst Republican in the country to challenge Obama.

The two met on Friday at the office of Santorum’s strategist, and Romney sought to assure Santorum of his conservative credentials.

Activist: China will honor U.S. deal

BEIJING – A Chinese activist who triggered a diplomatic dispute between China and the United States said Monday he is confident that Beijing will hold up its end of a tentative deal to let him study overseas.

Chen Guangcheng is a blind, self-taught legal activist who escaped from house arrest into U.S. diplomatic custody in Beijing more than a week ago. Under still-evolving arrangements announced Friday by Washington and Beijing, Chen may be able to leave to study in the United States.

“Since the Chinese government has promised to safeguard my constitutionally provided rights and freedom and safety, I feel that they will fulfill their commitments because it is after all an agreement between two countries,” Chen said.

The activist, who is in a Beijing hospital, said he has asked hospital staff to help him with the paperwork for him and his family to obtain travel documents.