North Korea Launches Rocket

The Japanese and South Korean governments have confirmed North Korea has launched a rocket, while Pyongyang says it is sending a communications satellite into orbit.
The rocket passed over Japan without any incidents and wreckage from the booster has fallen into the Pacific, the Ria Novosti news agency says.
Japan, South Korea and several other nations believe its really a long-range missile test run.

Washington, Tokyo and Seoul had urged North Korea to halt the launch.
The Obama administration's senior envoy to North Korea, Stephen Bosworth, warned the country not to launch the multistage rocket as it goes against North Koreas signals to resume nuclear disarmament talks.
At the same time, Bosworth said he is prepared to go to Pyongyang whenever it is practical in order to restart international negotiations aimed at getting North Korea to abandon its nuclear programme.