Wednesday morning news briefing: Brexit deal is drafted in Brussels

Boris Johnson prepares to unveil Brexit deal before EU summit

The Prime Minister is "increasingly optimistic". As negotiators work on a draft text in Brussels, Boris Johnson believes a Brexit deal can be agreed by the end of the week. Talks lasted until beyond midnight - and are set to resume at 8am. EU leaders are primed to discuss the deal tomorrow at a summit during which the PM hopes they will sign off on the wording. Political Editor Gordon Rayner reports that hardline Brexiteers emerged from an 80-minute Downing St briefing last night suggesting they would be prepared to vote for a deal - raising hopes Parliament could back it on Saturday. The next few days will define Mr Johnson's premiership. Chief Political Correspondent Christopher Hope and Europe Editor Peter Foster explain how he can win over the key groups. And Matt links the Brexit wait to another countdown in his cartoon.

As a general election looms, the battle for No 10 will be fought and won online. In a four-part series, we investigate the dark arts being used by all the parties to shape the outcome. In the first article and video, Mason Boycott-Owen and Hasan Chowdhury investigate the Tories' 24-hour meme machine.

Harry Dunn's parents refuse surprise meeting with crash driver

The parents of Harry Dunn have turned down a surprise meeting with the American woman who killed their son, as Donald Trump personally greeted them at the White House in an effort to broker a solution. They said the US president had been warm and sympathetic towards them - but told them the driver, Anne Sacoolas, would not leave America. The victim's mother later told reporters how she gripped the president's hand tighter as she told him: "If it was your son, you would be doing the same as us."

Video: Duke of Sussex breaks down delivering awards speech

Prince Harry broke down during a poignant speech about seriously ill children last night. The Duke of Sussex was overcome with emotion as he spoke of how becoming a father had given him a new appreciation of the struggles faced by families hit by illness. Watch video of the speech. As Royal Correspondent Hannah Furness reports, the Duke and Duchess are to lay bare the "world of pressure and pain behind the brave faces" in a ­new documentary.

News digest

• Red poppy | Symbol will remember civilian victims of war and terror

• Exam scandal | Board handed record fine over 're-marked' papers

• 'We're watching you' | British soldiers trolled by Russian messages

• Pc leaves court | Harrowing image of him being run over is shown

• John Lewis retail report | Shoppers going green - and covering up

Gallery: The big picture

Cambridges pay homage to their hosts | The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge last night celebrated the culture of Pakistan when they arrived for a reception in a multicoloured rickshaw. Read Ben Farmer's report from Islamabad and click through our gallery of the best images of the tour so far.

Comment

• Philip Johnston | Left-wing gloom-mongers were wrong in 1982 and now

• Shanker Singham | Closing in on deal for UK to reap full benefits of Brexit

• Michael Deacon | Have Labour got a cunning new anti-election excuse?

• Allison Pearson | Dunn tragedy shows gulf between decency and politics

• Noreen Wainwright | Hard-pressed farmers are real victims of meat war

Editor's choice

1. His Dark Materials | BBC adaptation of Pullman fantasy trilogy - first-look review  

2. All wrapped up | The best coats on the high street (as tried by our fashion editors)  

3. Help to Buy rules are changing | Here's where you'll still be able to use the scheme

Business and money briefing

Woodford scandal | Neil Woodford has announced the "highly painful" decision to close his investment firm, following a disastrous day for the once-star fund manager. Harriet Russell explains why he was ousted from his flagship fund. And Ben Marlow has advice for how to avoid a collapsing star.

• The Think Tank | How not to spin the worst jobs numbers in four years

• Trade war | IMF fires warning as manufacturing pain hits global growth

• Stay on top of the markets | Live stocks and shares updates 24 hours a day

Sport briefing

Racism fightback | Gareth Southgate claims England "made a bigger statement than any team has done in international football" after invoking the Uefa protocols over the sickening racial abuse during the Euro 2020 qualifier against Bulgaria in Sofia. As Jason Burt reports, the England manager said his team made the world aware it was an issue they were not prepared to accept.

• Rugby World Cup | Same-again England for Saturday's Wallabies clash

• Conference call | Sign up for exclusive conversation with Care and Roberts

• 'I feel like giving up on everything' | Lewis Hamilton post sparks concern

And finally...

Oxford don 'sold Bible fragments' | It remains one of the greatest archaeological finds. A treasure trove of half a million fragments of papyrus and parchment discovered in an ancient Egyptian rubbish dump. But now, more than a century on, the Oxyrhynchus collection is at the centre of a transatlantic row that involves a distinguished Oxford academic, the world's biggest bible museum and the esteemed explorers' club that owns the documents.