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Lebanon has 40 days to figure out what to do with Carlos Ghosn

BEIRUT — Lebanon and Japan have about 40 days to decide whether ousted Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn will be extradited to Japan or stand trial in Lebanon, a judicial source and a source close to Ghosn said on Thursday, following his escape from Japan. Ghosn fled to Lebanon, his childhood home, as he was awaiting trial on charges of under-reporting earnings, breach of trust and misappropriation of company funds, all of which he denies. Japan and Lebanon have no extradition agreement, and Lebanon does not typically hand over its nationals. Ghosn's legal team is hoping to hold the trial in Lebanon, where the former auto executive has deep ties and hopes to clear his name. Japan has in recent days asked Lebanon to clarify what files Tokyo needs to send as part of an official extradition request, the two sources said. "They came back and requested a clarification. Today, we sent that to the Japanese," the judicial source said. That communication is significant because, according to Lebanon's rules for dealing with Interpol notices, it triggers a roughly 40-day period by the end of which agreement must be reached between the countries on where and how Ghosn will stand trial, the sources said. Japan must now either send a formal extradition request to Lebanon or send Ghosn's file to Beirut and agree on a process for trying him there, the source close to Ghosn said. An Interpol spokesperson said on Friday the organization did not itself dictate a timeframe or require any action to be taken by countries and such a framework is set locally. Ghosn, who holds Lebanese, French, and Brazilian nationality, was questioned earlier this month by Lebanese prosecutors who confiscated his passport and imposed a travel ban as part of the Interpol arrest warrant process. The source close to Ghosn said the former executive can appeal to Lebanon's prosecutor to drop the ban and return his passport if Japan does not respond within the timeframe. Japanese prosecutors have said they are still pushing for Ghosn to be tried in Japan. Ghosn has struck out at what he has called Japan's unjust judicial system and said the alternative to fleeing would have been to spend the rest of his life languishing in Tokyo without a fair trial. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.     Government/Legal Weird Car News Nissan Renault Carlos Ghosn

Men accused of helping Ghosn escape can be extradited to Japan, federal judge says

This Dec. 30, 2019, security camera image shows Michael L. Taylor, center, at passport control at Istanbul Airport in Turkey, where Carlos Ghosn was smuggled through to Lebanon.   BOSTON — A federal judge in Boston on Thursday rejected a last-ditch effort by two men to avoid being extradited to Japan to face charges they helped former Nissan Motor Co Ltd Chairman Carlos Ghosn flee the country. The ruling by U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani cleared the way for U.S. Army Special Forces veteran Michael Taylor and his son, Peter Taylor, to be handed over to Japan, after the U.S. State Department approved their extradition. Judge Talwani said that "although the prison conditions in Japan may be deplorable," it was not enough to bar extradition. She added the U.S. has "sufficiently established that the actions the Taylors are alleged to have committed amount to an extraditable offense." Nissan and the Japanese embassy in Washington did not immediately comment. The Taylors were arrested in May at Japan's request. Talwani put their extradition on hold on Oct. 29 so she could hear their challenge to the State Department's decision. Prosecutors say the Taylors helped Ghosn flee Japan on Dec. 29, 2019, hidden in a box and on a private jet before reaching his childhood home, Lebanon, which has no extradition treaty with Japan. Ghosn was awaiting trial on charges that he engaged in financial wrongdoing, including understating his compensation in Nissan's financial statements. Ghosn has denied wrongdoing. Prosecutors said the elder Taylor, a private security specialist, and his son received $1.3 million for their services. The Taylors' lawyers argued they could not be prosecuted in Japan for helping someone "bail jump" and that, if extradited, they faced the prospect of relentless interrogations and torture. Ghosn in a court filing sought to support their claim, arguing he faced prolonged detention, mental torture and intimidation in Japan and the Taylors would face "similar or worse conditions."

Nissan Altima plows under Ram pulling trailer in bizarre accident

If you've ever wondered whether it's possible to wedge a Nissan Altima underneath both a Ram pickup and a camper trailer it was towing, well, here's your confirmation. The improbable accident happened earlier this month in Virginia Beach, Va., on westbound Interstate 264. Virginia State Police tell WAVY-TV the 2011 Ram and its four occupants was pulling a travel trailer when the trailer's brakes locked up, stranding them in the second lane of traffic. That reportedly caused traffic to back up on the freeway, with troopers called to the scene for help. But the call was soon updated to a crash situation, and when police arrived on the scene, they found the white 2013 Altima wedged underneath the truck and trailer, right underneath the hitch. Police say the woman driving the Altima was trying to slow down and merge right to avoid the traffic logjam caused by the trailer when she instead rear-ended it and drove underneath it like a wedge. Which is pretty impressive when you think about it — especially since no one was hurt in the crash. The woman was reportedly using a hands-free device on a cellphone call at the time of the crash, WVEC-TV reports. No charges were filed, and she was reportedly able to free herself from the pinned Altima. Roof strength FTW! Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.