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his trial.
• Maj. Nidal Hasan is acting as his own attorney but declined to call any witnesses or give a closing argument. In his opening statement nearly two weeks ago, the 42-year-old said evidence would "clearly show" he was the shooter. Hasan described himself as a soldier who had "switched sides."
• Jurors broke Thursday evening after nearly three and a half hours of deliberations. They asked one question regarding testimony of the police officer who ended the Nov. 5, 2009, attack by shooting Hasan, leaving him paralyzed. Jurors will resume deliberations at 9 a.m. Friday.
• Hasan, an American-born Muslim, faces numerous counts of premeditated murder and attempted premeditated murder in the deadliest attack ever on a U.S. military base. Prosecutors have pushed for the death penalty, and military attorneys assigned to Hasan -- who have remained on standby throughout the trial as he goes it alone -- have suggested he wants to be put to death.
• In order for Hassan to face the death penalty, the jury's 11 men and two women will have to find him unanimously guilty of at least one count of premeditated murder and another charge. The military court system hasn't executed an active-duty U.S. soldier since 1961.
• ___
From tinkerers to engineers, 'Hyperloop' transportation concept gains fans if not backers
• LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk urged the public to polish sketch plans he released last week for a "Hyperloop" that would shoot capsules full of people at the speed of sound through elevated tubes connecting Los Angeles and San Francisco.
• From tinkerers to engineers, the race is on.
• A Utah firm hustled out a model using a 3-D printer. A Pennsylvania company is testing a virtual Hyperloop with sophisticated computer software. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals wants ad space inside capsules, and in San Francisco, enthusiasts interested in "making Hyperloop a reality" will meet over beers.
• Meanwhile, Musk himself has shelved the project and returned to his established future-is-here transportation ventures: luxury electric car maker Tesla Motors Inc. and the rocket-building company SpaceX.
• In principle, the Hyperloop is doable.
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