Britain votes for airstrikes against IS in Iraq

British warplanes are poised to launch air strikes against Islamic State (IS) jihadists after the British parliament gave the green light for military action.

At the end of of a six-and-half hour Commons debate, MPs voted by 524 to 43 – a majority of 481 – to endorse attacks on the militants in Iraq in support of the United States-led coalition, with Labour backing the government motion.