Good morning, Washington. The weather should be fair with temperatures near 60 degrees.

More Details on Fiery Suicide Attempt Outside White House: DCist thought that self-immolation was a tactic limited to Beijing and the most hard-core Falug Dafa protesters. Now, just steps from the White House an FBI terror informant from Yemen set himself on fire out of despair, just days Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the executive residence was reopened to pedestrian traffic.

The Post reports that Mohamed Alanssi, who “recently discussed his work as a federal informant” with the newspaper, set himself alight steps from the White House’s northwest guard post after asking security officials to deliver a note to President Bush. The Post makes it clear that Mr. Alanssi had sent a note via fax to the newspaper before hand, along with his FBI agent, signaling that he would burn his body “at an unexpected place” (but would call the paper just prior to his self-immolation with the a more precise location) and that newspaper officials had alerted proper authorities in advance.

The Post reports that the Yemeni informant was quite upset with his situation:

Alanssi expressed anguish over not being able to visit his family in Yemen. He said that he suffers from diabetes and heart problems and that his wife is seriously ill with stomach cancer. Alanssi said he could not travel to his native country because he has no money and because the FBI, which is expecting him to testify at a terrorism trial in New York, was keeping his Yemeni passport.

Alanssi is in critical condition at the Washington Hospital Center with burns over 30 percent of his body.

WTOP reports that in an unrelated matter, a trespasser scaled a White House fence, but was quickly subdued. Here’s a DCist photo of the White House’s South Lawn fence.

Cropp’s Private Financing Deal Flounders: Although there has been some promise that private financing may reduce the pressures of building a stadium for Major League Baseball, it appears that that option has fallen flat on its face, the Post reports.

First, it would require renegotiation with the MLB and it would force the owners of the D.C. team to pay for cost overruns. Cropp, who has championed the idea of private financing as an alternative to primary-public financing hasn’t given up hope, yet, even if private financing with BW Realty isn’t panning out. “I’m pushing a concept: that we look at alternative ways of financing a stadium,” the D.C. Council chairman told the Post.

So When Will the New Wilson Bridge Be Finished?: Commuters travling between Virginia and Maryland on the Woodrow Wilson Bridge were brought to a standstill yesterday when the drawspan did not close properly, WTOP reports. The current bridge, overloaded and outliving its expected lifespan, is sitting pretty as a new span rises next to it. When the new bridge is finished, it will be high enough to eliminate a large number of its scheduled drawbridge openings (but it will still have a drawspan). The bridge is a traffic chokepoint on the Eastern Seaboard because of its drawspan, something that is rare for an Interstate highway crossing.

Man Hit, Killed by Commuter Train: A MARC commuter train hit and killed a man on the tracks at around 7:30 p.m. yesterday, the AP reports. The accident occured in a “remote area of the District” just south of the Maryland line, and railroad officials dispatched a relief train to pick up the passengers.

Shooting Shocks Brookland: The victim of a weekend shooting at a wedding reception near the Fransican Monestary in Northeast Washington has been identified as a Pennsylvania nonprofit health care company vice president. The Post reports that George Longshore was pistol-whipped and then shot as he gave the assailants cash. The Metropolitan Police are investigating whether the shooting may be related to a non-fatal shooting at a nearby party.

Briefly Noted: North Potomac beer party discovered after teens’ suburban crash … MS-13 gang are out in rural Virginia, too … Red-light cameras may go away in Virginia …