We’re trying something new: a quick nightly rundown of the day’s top stories. Here’s what you need to know.
-
Baltimore’s prosecutor announced the indictments of the six officers charged in the death of Freddie Gray. The grand jury affirmed most of the charges she announced three weeks ago.
-
Robert Gates, the former defense secretary who is now head of the Boy Scouts, called for an end to the blanket ban on gay leaders. But he said local groups, like churches, should be able to set their own standards.
-
The president’s trade push is twisting party lines. The Senate advanced a bill to give President Obama broad authority on a trans-Pacific deal, but only after the Republican leadership made a major concession to win over reluctant Democrats.
-
Hundreds of people and 18 vessels worked round-the-clock to contain an oil spill near Santa Barbara, Calif. The spill was serious but relatively small, involving tens of thousands of gallons — not hundreds of millions like the 2010 Deepwater disaster in the Gulf of Mexico.
-
McDonald’s dismissed protests outside its annual shareholders’ meeting as manufactured by a union trying to organize food service workers. “Very few McDonald’s or independent franchisee employees are participating,” said a company statement.
-
The U.S. and Cuba appear close to a deal that would restore diplomatic relations. “I’m trying not to sound too Pollyannaish,” said one hopeful State Department official.
-
Loyalist forces shelled a rebel area on the outskirts of Damascus, according to activists. The Russian Embassy in the Syrian capital was attacked this week, as Islamic militants claimed control of about half of the country.
-
Russia’s president, who has been supporting the Syrian government, offered military supplies to the prime minister of neighboring Iraq. Islamic State fighters overran a major provincial capital there last week.
-
The official Scrabble word list got 6,500 additions, many of them tech shorthand like webapp (15 points) or simple slang. Reactions ranged from thanx (15 points) to blech (12) and even GRR (4).
-
China defended its warnings to a U.S. military plane flying near the disputed Spratly Islands in the South China Sea. An official insisted that Beijing “has the right to monitor certain airspace and maritime areas and safeguard national security, to prevent unexpected incidents at sea.”
-
Two major developments may make a significant difference in the migrant crisis in Southeast Asia. Malaysia ordered its navy to begin rescue operations, and a Thai official said Myanmar would, after all, attend an emergency conference.
-
Amnesty International criticized Qatar for doing little to improve conditions for its million guest workers, mostly South Asians, who are helping modernize the country ahead of the 2022 World Cup.
-
Formula One practice racing began at Monaco, ahead of Sunday’s Grand Prix.
-
Your Evening Briefing is published weeknights at 6 p.m. Eastern.
And don't miss Your Weekend Briefing, published Sundays at 7 a.m. Eastern.
Contact us at briefing@nytimes.com.