Washington, Mar. 8 : The White House is moving forward with the White House Easter Egg Roll, despite closing its doors to all public tours because of the sequester spending cuts, press secretary Jay Carney has said.

Carney told reporters that as of now, the decision has been made that the Easter Egg Roll will go forward.

According to Politico, Carney, who called the tour cancellations `temporary', said the Secret Service presented the White House options about ways to cut its budget to satisfy sequestration spending reductions.

He said that they suggested stopping the tours was preferable to furloughs or cutting overtime hours.

Washington, Jan 25 : The White House has said that the North Korea's threat to conduct a third nuclear test that would target the US is `needlessly provocative'.

White House spokesman Jay Carney said that the test would be a significant violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions

He further pointed out that such a move would only increase the Asian nation's isolation, adding that its continued focus on its nuclear and missile program is doing nothing to help the North Korean people, CBS News reports.

Washington, Jan. 17 : The White House has blasted an advertisement released by the National Rifle Association using President Barack Obama's daughters to criticize him on gun control as `repugnant and cowardly'.

White House press secretary Jay Carney blasted the NRA for its video calling Obama `an elitist hypocrite'

White house said that NRA was being skeptical of putting armed guards in schools while his daughters receive armed protection every day, Politico reports.

Carney said that most Americans agree that president's children should not be used as pawns in a political fight.

Washington, Dec 21 - Even as the US Congress left for its Christmas holiday without agreement on how to avoid the "fiscal cliff", the White House said President Barack Obama remains "hopeful" that a deal still can be reached.

White House press Secretary Jay Carney said so hours after the Republican leadership pulled their "Plan B" bill, an alternative to avoid the fiscal cliff or automatic tax increases and massive spending cuts that would kick in January 1 without a deal.

Washington, Nov. 16 : White House Press Secretary Jay Carney has said GOP Mitt Romney's comment that President Barack Obama defeated him on Election Day because the president gave `gifts' to young voters and minorities `is at odds with the truth of what happened last week'.

Romney had told his financial backers that Obama's campaign `focused on giving targeted groups a big gift -- so he made a big effort on small things. Those small things, by the way, add up to trillions of dollars'.

Romney told his donors that the president was `very generous' to young voters and minorities.

Washington, Sept. 21 : The White House has called the attack on U. S. consulate in Libya''s eastern city of Benghazi, in which four American diplomats were killed, a terrorist act.

"It is, I think, self-evident that what happened in Benghazi was a terrorist attack," White House spokesman Jay Carney told reporters aboard Air Force One en route to Florida.

"Our embassy was attacked violently, and the result was four deaths of American officials," he said.

Washington, Sept 11 : The United States insisted on Monday that there is still "time and space" to end the standoff over Iran''s nuclear program, in a subtle rebuttal of Israel''s demand for a clear red line.

"We believe that there remains time and space for that effort to bear fruit, an effort that is focused on punitive sanctions to isolate and pressure Iran, and on diplomacy to bring about a change in behavior from Iran," White House spokesman Jay Carney told reporters at a regular news briefing.

He was responding to a query about Israel''s demand for a clear red line over the Iranian nuclear program in talks with Washington.

Washington, August 25 : Beer aficionados who want the recipe of Barack Obama's "White House Honey Ale," which is made in part from honey from the First lady's South Lawn beehive, seem to be in luck.

White House press secretary Jay Carney who had said he was "not aware of any plans at this time to divulge the secret recipe," on Thursday when asked about the recipe, tweeted on Thursday night that if enough people signed the "We the People" petition the recipe would be released.

Washington, Aug 21 : White House Press Secretary Jay Carney has said that President Barack Obama does not have a disliking for Republican presidential contender Mitt Romney. Carney has rubbished reports in Politico's newest ebook `Obama's Last Stand' that said Obama had developed an intense disliking for Romney.

Washington, Aug 14 - The White House Monday reiterated that there was still "time and space" for diplomacy in dealing with Iran's nuclear standoff.

Washington, however, vowed to continue the two-track approach of diplomacy and pressure, Xinhua reported.

"We regret that Iran has not yet made a strategic decision to address the international community's serious concerns regarding its nuclear programme and the ongoing P5-plus-1 talks," White House spokesman Jay Carney said at a press briefing.

"However, we continue to believe that there is time and space for diplomacy," he said.

Washington, Aug 13 - The White House has expressed condolences over the loss of life in Iran's latest earthquake, and said Washington was ready to help.

"The American people send the Iranian people our deepest condolences for the loss of life in the tragic earthquake," Xinhua quoted White House spokesman Jay Carney as saying Sunday.

"Our thoughts are with the families of those who were lost, and we wish the wounded a speedy recovery," he said, adding "we stand ready to offer assistance in this difficult time," he said.

At least 300 people were killed and 2,600 injured in the earthquake that jolted Iran Saturday. (IANS)

Washington, July 28 : White House press secretary Jay Carney has said US president Barack Obama may watch the horse owned by Mitt and Ann Romney, compete in the London Olympics, as he loves the Games.

Carney said he had heard Obama saying, "I love the Olympics, I can''t wait for the

Olympics to start", and discussing his excitement over the Games, which officially begin

with Friday night''s Opening Ceremony.

Carney further claimed Obama "looks forward to catching as much of the games as he

can" and cheering on American athletes, although he didn''t have particular details about

Washington, July 11 - The US has insisted that it sees no role for Iran in ending violence and bloodshed in Syria, Xinhua reported.

"I don't think anybody with a straight face could argue that Iran has had a positive impact on developments in Syria. That's our view," White House spokesperson Jay Carney told reporters aboard Air Force One en route to Iowa state.

Iran has opposed any form of foreign intervention in Syria, its close ally, but called on the Syrian government to listen to its people's demands and carry out reforms.

Washington, June 25 - Describing Egypt's presidential election as a "milestone" in country's transition to democracy, the White House Sunday congratulated Egyptian president-elect Mohamed Morsi over his win, Xinhua reported.

Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood party won the presidential election Sunday by defeating his rival Ahmed Shafiq, ex-premier and a senior leader of Hosni Mubarak era, by around one million votes.

Washington, June 8 - The White House has denounced the reported killings of civilians in the Qubair village in Syria's Hama province, calling for joint efforts in support of a political transition in the Arab country.

"The United States strongly condemns the outrageous targeted killings of civilians including women and children in Qubair in Hama province as reported by multiple credible sources," Xinhua quoted White House spokesman Jay Carney saying in a statement Thursday.

"This, coupled with the Syrian regime's refusal to let UN observers into the area to verify these reports, is an affront to human dignity and justice," he said.