News Wrap: Southern California chemical tank no longer a threat to ​explode

Amna Nawaz:

We start the day's other headlines in California, where authorities say a large tank full of hazardous chemicals is no longer a threat to explode.

Fire officials say an overnight inspection found that a crack had relieved some of the pressure inside, calling it incredibly positive news.

T.J. McGovern:

What the goal was last night was to confirm that there was no pressure in the tank. We knew there was a crack, but we didn't know if that crack was full thickness and relieved the pressure.

Amna Nawaz:

Firefighters have been spraying the tank with water since it began overheating last week. It contains as much as 7,000 gallons of methyl methacrylate. It's a toxic chemical used to make plastic parts.

Officials say the risk to public safety is ongoing, and evacuation orders remain in place for some 50,000 residents of Garden Grove, California, near Anaheim.

In Washington, D.C., officials say a bystander who was struck in Saturday's shooting near the White House remains in serious but stable condition. Investigators say the suspect, Nasire Best, had previous encounters with the Secret Service and a history of mental health issues.

The 21-year-old was fatally wounded during a shoot-out with officers. In a court filing, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche cited the incident as a reason to push forward with President Trump's ballroom project, saying it -- quote -- "underscores the critical need for top-level state-of-the-art security at the White House."

Russia is warning of systematic and consistent strikes on Ukrainian military facilities in Kyiv and is urging foreigners to leave the city. That's according to a statement from Russia's Foreign Ministry, which says foreign Secretary Sergey Lavrov told Secretary of State Marco Rubio about the impending attacks during a call today.

The readout says Lavrov went so far as to warn U.S. diplomatic staff to evacuate the city. The warning comes after Russian forces pounded Ukraine's capital over the weekend. Authorities say at least two people were killed and more than 90 others injured.

The head of the World Health Organization says at least 220 people have now died from the ongoing Ebola outbreak in Central Africa. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, the number of suspected cases has now surpassed 900. And officials say the outbreak is now outpacing response efforts.

At checkpoints between villages in the eastern Ituri province, where the outbreak is believed to have started, health workers are screening people passing through to try to curb the spread of the disease.

SEPHORA, Health Post Worker (through interpreter):

If we see someone with a very high temperature, we hold them here and then we call the ambulance, which will take them to the hospital for appropriate care.

Amna Nawaz:

Meantime, in neighboring Uganda, health authorities say they found two new Ebola cases, bringing the total there to seven. Uganda's president has urged his people to stop shaking hands as part of efforts to limit infections.

In Saudi Arabia, the annual Hajj pilgrimage officially starts today. Officials say more than 1.5 million pilgrims have traveled to Mecca amid soaring temperatures and instability brought on by the Iran war. Many spend the first day in a vast tent camp in the nearby desert. Before that, pilgrims were seen circling the cube-shaped Kaaba in the Grand Mosque.

The pilgrimage is one of the five pillars of Islam, and every able-bodied Muslim with sufficient means is expected to take part at least once in their lives.

U.S. financial markets were closed for the Memorial Day holiday. Elsewhere, Americans marked the occasion with parades and commemorations for those who've died while serving in the military. Washington, D.C., hosted what's billed as the nation's largest Memorial Day event, featuring marching bands, veterans, and active military members, among others.

Soldier:

Present!

Soldier:

Present!

Amna Nawaz:

Elsewhere, President Trump laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery. In his remarks, Mr. Trump honored the nation's fallen soldiers, saying -- quote -- "We salute them, we exalt them, and we thank them for all that we have and for all that they gave."

And Toshifumi Suzuki, the driving force behind Japan's convenience store culture, has died. As a businessman, Suzuki took the 7/Eleven brand from a single store in Tokyo in 1974 to an empire of more than 20,000 locations across Japan. These konbini outlets provide busy office workers and families with sandwiches, rice balls, and fresh meals on the go, a retail experience unlike similar stores in North America.

The Japanese company that operates 7/Eleven said Toshifumi Suzuki died of heart failure. He was 93 years old.

Still to come on the "News Hour": supporters of the Make America Healthy Again movement share frustration over some Trump administration policies; Tamara Keith and Amy Walter break down the latest political headlines; and we speak to ESPN analyst Mina Kimes about her new role hosting the Scripps National Spelling Bee.