Philip Hammond says no to IS talks with Assad regime

Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond has ruled out working with Syria's President Assad to defeat the threat from Islamic State (IS) militants.

Former head of the Army Lord Dannatt and ex-Foreign Secretary Sir Malcolm Rifkind called for the move following the beheading of US journalist James Foley by IS militants.

The United States says the jihadists are the most dangerous threat it has faced in recent times, and pose an imminent threat "to every interest we have".

BBC defence correspondent Jonathan Beale reports.