UK - A bizarre new craze is sweeping the internet - but what is this Ouija-board inspired game about? A strange new game is taking over Twitter, fuelled by speculation that its players can connect with a dead Mexican spirit known as Charlie. The Charlie Charlie Challenge has been played by thousands of young people after a number of videos purported to show supernatural goings-on. The game entails placing two pencils on a piece of paper in the shape of the cross with the words 'yes' and 'no'. Participants then repeat the phrase "Charlie, Charlie can we play?" in order to connect with the demon. If Charlie is there the pencils will move to indicate his answer.

USA - At least 17 people have been killed and dozens injured in the US states of Oklahoma and Texas following record rainfall over the weekend. At least four deaths have been blamed on the storm in the Houston area. The storm led to major flooding and tornadoes sweeping across the southern part of America. More heavy rains are expected over the next few days.

BRAZIL - The rainy season is now officially over in Brazil. And now drought-stricken Sao Paulo enters the dry season with no certainty depleted reservoirs will not dry up during the May to October dry months. With reservoirs still at critical levels, there could be rationing in the coming months. The state-run water utility has been preparing for the worst. Sao Paulo, Brazil's largest city, is struggling to deal with the worst drought in 80 years - and with the dry season ahead, that struggle is expected to go on.

INDIA - The death toll in the heatwave sweeping India has passed 1,000, with temperatures nearing 50C (122F) in some areas. Most deaths have taken place in the southern states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, where at least 1,118 people have died since last week. Reports say at least 24 people have died from the heat in West Bengal and Orissa. Temperatures are likely to drop in some parts over the coming days. Hospitals are on alert to treat heatstroke patients and authorities have advised people to stay indoors. The weather is likely to cool further when the summer monsoon begins at the end of the month.

ISRAEL - If you live in Israel and don't need to go outside today (Wednesday) - don't. The heat wave that has been building in recent days is reaching a peak, and will reach record highs for the year. Nearly the entire country will break 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) on Wednesday as the temperatures spike. The worst brunt of the heat will be borne by the southern port city of Eilat and the Dead Sea region, both of which are estimated to reach upwards of 45 C (113 F).

UK - David Cameron's hopes of securing changes to the EU's treaties within the next two years were left in tatters this morning after France and Germany stitched up a secret deal bypassing the UK to tighten their grip on Europe. The Prime Minister held talks with the European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker at Chequers last night – pushing his plan to overhaul Britain's relationship with Brussels before holding an in/out referendum in 2017. But he was left humiliated after a pact between French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel was leaked ruling out the need for EU treaty change – a key plank of Mr Cameron's planned renegotiation.

UK - A senior Liberal Democrat faced a backlash after he claimed all MPs tell “brazen lies”. Sir Malcolm Bruce made the remark as he defended the actions of ex-Scottish Secretary Alistair Carmichael. Mr Carmichael is facing calls to resign after admitting he backed the leaking of a memo during the election campaign incorrectly suggesting Nicola Sturgeon wanted David Cameron as prime minister. Speaking to the BBC Radio 4 Today programme, Sir Malcolm, a former deputy leader of his party, said: “If you’re suggesting every MP who has never quite told the truth or indeed told a brazen lie, including ministers, including Cabinet ministers, including prime ministers, should resign we’d clear out the House of Commons very fast, I would suggest.”

UK - Wealthy humans are likely become cyborgs within 200 years as they gradually merge with technology like computers and smart phones, a historian has claimed. Yuval Noah Harari, a professor at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, said the amalgamation of man and machine will be the ‘biggest evolution in biology’ since the emergence of life four billion years ago.

USA - Buzz Lightyear and Woody may have been able to switch lights on and off and drive remote controlled cars, but toys of the future could take control of all sorts of household appliances and even spy on their owners too.

UK - David Cameron’s frosty welcome during an EU leaders’ summit in Riga last week, laid bare the febrile atmosphere likely to greet the Prime Minister in Europe over the next two years. With the dust having settled on the Conservatives' shock election victory, initial European relief at the prospect of a majority government has quickly dissipated.

UK - The world authorities have run out of ammunition as rates remain stuck at zero. They have no margin for error as economy falters. The world economy is disturbingly close to stall speed. The United Nations has cut its global growth forecast for this year to 2.8 percent, the latest of the multinational bodies to retreat. We are not yet in the danger zone but this pace is only slightly above the 2.5 percent rate that used to be regarded as a recession for the international system as a whole.

EUROPE - Investors fear the Greek government won't make IMF payments this June as negotiators make no progress. The Greek government has pleaded with its creditors for more time, as increasingly tense negotiations have frightened euro area investors. Greece has until Friday to pay the salaries it owes to public sector staff, a week after which it is expected to scrape together the money to repay the International Monetary Fund (IMF) close to €300 million (£212 million). The single currency has weakened against most other major currencies, reflecting fears that negotiators will be unable to agree a deal and that Greece will not pay. Only those with nerves of steel can confess to being bullish on the euro at this stage.

USA - Record-breaking rainfall and damaging tornadoes wreaked havoc across the US midwest on Sunday, causing flash floods that killed at least two people and forced another 2,000 to evacuate. A firefighter in Oklahoma was swept to his death while trying to rescue 10 people in high water. And the body of a man was recovered from a flooded area along the Blanco River, which rose 26 feet (7.8 metres) in just one hour and left piles of wreckage 20 feet (6 metres) high, authorities in Texas said. "It looks pretty bad out there," said Hays County emergency management coordinator Kharley Smith, describing the destruction in Wimberley, a community that is part of a fast-growing corridor between Austin and San Antonio. "We do have whole streets with maybe one or two houses left on them and the rest are just slabs," she said.

UK - David Cameron wants to hold an in-out referendum on Britain’s membership of the EU earlier than 2017, one of his ministers has indicated. David Lidington, the Europe minister, said that the Prime Minister would “welcome” an early referendum. Mr Lidington also said that negotiations with Brussels are “picking up pace” and that he is demanding “serious reform” from European leaders. The Prime Minister has already started holding talks with European leaders over his plans for renegotiation and will next month hold face-to-face discussions with Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor.

USA - Jorge Ramos, the influential host of Univision's Noticiero Univision, said the Latino vote will decide the 2016 presidential election and that Hispanics could see a reward for providing the margin of victory. In an interview with Harvard University's Institute of Politics following a speech to students, Ramos predicted that about 16 million Hispanics will go to the polls, likely to vote Democratic based on past trends. He said that there is a "new rule" in politics — "winning the White House can't be done without Hispanics." And since he believes Latinos will supply the winner with a victory, "for the first time, we could get something in return for our vote," said Ramos. "And there's a new rule in American politics, and it's beautiful: That no one can make it to the White House without the Hispanic vote. And this is new. It wasn't true in the past."