Semi-autonomous weapons such as unmanned drones already allow pilots to fire missiles from thousands of miles away. But the report argues that’s just the start of efforts to distance military personnel from their targets. It says within the 20-30 years, fully-autonomous weapon systems could be developed, capable of delivering lethal force with no human input at all. Human Rights Watch says such weapons, which it terms “killer robots”, would be unable to apply human judgment and will be incapable of complying with humanitarian law. It wants them banned before they become a reality.

Stock markets in Europe and in the United States have risen strongly buoyed up by economic news from Greece and America. Investors were encouraged by signs that President Obama and congressional leaders will reach a deal to avert a budget crisis and news that European finance ministers are closer to agreeing further rescue payments to Greece.

The Scandinavian Airlines, SAS, has announced a deal with unions which it hopes will avert bankruptcy. The Danish Pilots Union was the last to approve the restructuring, which cuts wages and increases working hours. Under the plan, SAS will reduce its workforce by more than a third. It has lost business to low-cost competitors.

And ancient rock carvings created by native Americans have been hacked away by thieves using power saws. At least four petroglyphs were stolen from a secret site in the mountains of California. Pictures of hunters and animals were carved into the lava cliffs more than 3,500 years ago.