North Korea set to launch rocket

North Korea appears to be making final preparations for its anticipated rocket launch, with state media warning that the country's armed forces will shoot down any US spy aircraft that intrude into its territory to monitor the launch.Recent commercial satellite images show what appears to be the rocket being positioned on the launch pad in preparation for lift-off.Analysts say the images from Colorado-based company DigitalGlobe, taken at the weekend, show a three-stage rocket on the pad at the Musudan-ri site in the country's northeast.North Korea's normally highly secretive government has alerted international shipping and aviation agencies that the launch will take place between April 4 and 8.State media has said the rocket will be carrying an experimental satellite but officials in South Korea, Japan and the US have said they believe the launch is cover for a test of a new long-range missile.Both Japan and the US have deployed missile interceptors and say they will shoot down the rocket if it poses a threat.North Korean radio on Wednesday denounced what it said were intensifying flights by US and South Korean spy planes monitoring the launch site.