Memorial service held for IS victim Steven Sotloff

The father of American IS victim Steven Sotloff has spoken publicly for the first time since his son's death.

At a two-hour memorial service for the US journalist in Florida, Arthur Sotloff said: "I have lost my son and my best friend, but I know his passing will change the world."

Mr Sotloff's mother Shirley told those at the Jewish Temple Beth Ann: "I'm so proud of my son for living his dream. Most people live a lifetime and never find fulfillment."

Nearly 1,000 mourners including relatives, friends and politicians, have attended a memorial service in Florida for US journalist Steven Sotloff, who was killed by IS militants.

The Islamic State released a video on Tuesday showing the murder of Mr Sotloff.

He is the second American journalist to be beheaded in two weeks by the militant group. Footage of James Foley being beheaded on August 19 shocked the world.

The decision to bring a second UK aircraft carrier into service is a "relief", a campaign group has said.

Director of the UK National Defence Association Andy Smith said: "There has been uncertainty over this for far too long. The Government have realised at last the value that having two carriers will bring to the nation's defence and to our global power projection.

"But we hope this announcement is the first in a series of new commitments from the Government to invest in Britain's military capabilities. SDSR (Strategic Defence and Security Review) 2010 was a massive blow to British defence, bringing cut after cut, but now ministers have an opportunity to take a fresh look at defence provision and to give us a strategic review which is defence-led, and not Treasury-led, as the last SDSR was."

Defence Secretary Michael Fallon has said the struggle against Islamic State would take "months and possibly years" and could not be resolved simply by swift air strikes.

Asked how Britain would respond to a request for air strikes against IS forces from the new Iraqi government expected to be formed in the next few days, Mr Fallon told BBC News: "Each country will have to respond and parliaments across Nato will have to come to their own decisions as to whether they are prepared to get behind military action to halt the advance of Isil.

"Air strikes alone aren't going to defeat Isil. This has to be done on a much broader scale, it has to involve all of us in the alliance standing together, it has to involve other countries in the Middle East, and it's an engagement that is going to take months and possibly years."

He said the Nato countries had "all now come together" on the understanding that cooperation with governments in the Middle East would be required to "halt the advance of Isil and start to drive it back.

"We are willing to help in that," he added.

ACTED, the charity which employs British Islamic State hostage David Haines has said the threats on his life are "intolerable" and has called for his immediate release.

ACTED, the charity which employs Islamic State hostage David Haines, today said it is "deeply shocked" by the images broadcast earlier this week. It added: "The threats on David Haines' life are intolerable."

Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond has said he expects the response to Islamic State to be a "long struggle against a poisonous ideology".

He said the military dimension of the conflict was just one part of the counter-attack, which he said is also financial and ideological.

ITV News' International Affairs Editor Rageh Omaar began by asking him whether Parliament would be consulted in advance of any military action:

John Kerry has urged America's "core coalition" including the UK to contribute to the campaign against Islamic State (IS).

But the US Secretary of State insisted there will be "no boots on the ground".

Mr Kerry called for a plan to counter the threat of IS in time for the UN General Assembly later this month.

David Cameron has repeatedly refused to rule out joining the US in carrying out air strikes on IS strongholds.

The Government has not committed to any air strikes against Islamic State in Iraq or Syria but would consider the possibility, Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said.