U.S. tracks North Korean rocket, sees no threat to U.S. or allies

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States vowed on Saturday to take all necessary actions to defend itself and its allies following a North Korean rocket launch, and said it would seek “significant measures” in the U.N. Security Council to hold North Korea to account.

The long-range rocket launch, carried out in defiance of international warnings, drew threats by U.S. lawmakers of new sanctions, calls for expanded missile defence and criticism from Republican presidential candidates that President Barack Obama had failed to deter Pyongyang.