Kind to opponents of the Obama Administrations diplomacy with iran. On wednesday, iran freed 10 u. S. Sailors less than 24 hours after theitwo shipentered anian terrorial wars in th persian lf. This comes just days before the Iran Nuclear Deal is set to take effect, easing sanctions and freeing up billions in frozen iranian money. Is this a new era for u. S. Iran ties . Well speak to trita parsi of the National Iranian american council. Then today is day 84 of a runaway natural gas leak above los angeles thats emitted more than 150 Million Pounds of methane. Some call it the nations biggest environmental disaster since the bp oil spill. It is just like in hell. I dont know if i can work, if i can breathe. Amy then, health and environmental experts are cusing t obama ministraon of cang to th meatndustry its newietary guidelin. Whe the guelines rommend consing lessugar, th do not recommend eating less meat. This comes after an intensive lobbying campaign by the Meat Industry and despite recent findings by the World Health Organization that processed meat can cause cancer. All that and more, coming up. Welcome to democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman. The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for a series of explosions that ripped through the indonesian capital jakarta. At least seven people, including five alleged attackers, have died and people were injured in 20 the blasts and ensuing gun battles between police and militants. Four other suspects were arrested. The attack included at least five expsions in downtown jakarta. A Police Traffic post and a starbucks cafe were hit. Indonesian president joko widodo called it an act of terror. We condemn these attacks that of disturbed the peace of society when what to spread his message to the nation and society. I ordered the authorities to catch those responsible for the attacks and even those out there that are involved in this. We as a country, we should not be frightened by what has happened. This act of terror. We should stay calm because anything will stay under control. Amy in turkey, a car bomb blast has killed at least six people and wounded 39 after hitting a Southeastern Police headquarters. No one has taken responsibility fothe atta, but thturkish gornment is blaming kurdistan workers party, known as the pkk. Meanwhile, more than 1000 academics, including noam chomsky, have signed a letter calling for the end to the turkish governments widespread crackdown on kurdish communies amid renewed fighting between the turkish occurred he forces and the pkk. Under the banner academics for peace, the letr states has attacked these settlements with heavy weapons and equipment that would only be mobilized in wartime. This deliberate and planned massacre is in serious violation of turkeys own laws and International Treaties to which turkey is a party. In china, authorities have formally arrested one of the countrys most prominent female human rights lawyers. Wang yu has been held by authorities since july 2015, when china initiated a National Crackdown against human rights attorneys. Her family received a notice of her formal arrest this week. She is accused of inciting subversion and causing a disturbance. In egypt, three journalists and one press freedom activist have been sentenced to prison on charges of belonging to the Muslim Brotherhood and publishing false news. Mohamed adly with the independent newspaper tahrir, Hamdy Mokhtar with the website elshaab eljadeed, freelance journalist sherif ashraf, and press freedom activist Aboubakr Khallaf have all been sentenced to three years behind bars. The committee to protect journalists reports egypt is among the worlds worst jailers of journalists. Meanwhile, in argentina, the renowned radio host Victor Hugo Morales has been ousted from his longrunning Morning Program on radio continental amid a crackdown on press freedom under the new rightwing president mauricio macri. Executives ordered morales off the air monday, saying his contract had been terminated. Speaking on a Colleagues Program minutes later, morales said this takes place amid a suffocating, terrible situation for democracy and for freedom of expression in argentina. Morales firing comes amid massive protests against president macris proposed media reforms, which include repealing a law outlawing monopolies by media companies. Tens of thousands of people demonstrated in buenos aires on tuesday in opposition to macris reforms and in defense of radio host morales. In more media news, Al Jazeera America has announced it will terminate broadcast and digital operations in the United States by the end of april. The u. S. Focused branch of the qatarbased network began in 2012, when al jazeera purchased current tv in 2012 from former Vice President al gore. The tv chann has suffered from loratings nce its unch. Al jazeera says it will continue Al Jazeera English and expand digital operations in the u. S. Pentagon officials have confirmed a new force of u. S. Special operations troops has arrived in iraq. Speaking at fort campbell, kentucky, wednesday, defense secretary ash carter said the new troops are working with iraqi forces to kill and capture members of the selfproclaimed Islamic State. Pentagon officials first announced this new deployment of special operations troops in december, saying they would likely number around 100 soldiers. In pakistan, at least five people have been killed in this years first reported cia drone strike. The attack hit a house in North Waziristan saturday. Akistani Officials SayPakistan Taliban commander was among the dead. The council on americanislamic relations is demanding an fbi hate Crime Investigation into an attack and desecration at a mosque in nebraska. Security footage shows two masked men threw rocks at the glass doors of the Islamic Center of omaha and left bacon wrapped around its doors. Pork is considered forbidden or haram in islam. Its the fourth attack on this omaha mosque within the last year. A recent study finds hate crimes against Muslim Americans and u. S. Mosques have tripled since the attacks in paris and san bernardino. In news from the campaign trail, republican president ial candidate ted cruz is under fire for failing to disclose a Goldman Sachs loan used to finance his 2012 senate bid in texas. The New York Times reports cruzs personal financial records show that in 2012, cruz took out loans from Goldman Sachs and citibank totaling 1 million. Cruzs Senate Campaign did not report either of the loans in its filings with the federal election commission. Candidates are required to disclose the source of money they borrow to finance their campaigns. Cruzs wife, heidi cruz, is currently on leave as a managing director at Goldman Sachs. The revelations come ahead of tonights republican president ial campaign debaten north charleston, south carolina. In other campaign news, the nation magazine has endorsed Bernie Sanders for president. This marks on the third time in the nations 150 year history it has endorsed a candidate in the democratic primary. In flint, michigan, officials confirm at least ten people have died from legionnaires disease amid a surge in infections caused by the waterborne bacteria. The announcement of the uptick in infections and deaths over the last two years comes as flint is already under a state of emergency over leadpoisoned water. The poisoning began after an unelected emergency manager appointed by Governor Snyder switched the citys water source to the corrosive flint river in a bid to save money. Residents have reported Lasting Health impacts, including cognitive impairment. Governor snyder, who is responsible for appointing flints emergency manager, announced the increase in legionnaires disease wednesday. Andver the course of 2014 2015, we saw a spike in legionnaires disease with genesee county. If you go back to the prior years, i believe the numbers for the preceding years before 2014, we had six cases, 11 cases, 13 cases, and eight cases. In 2014, we had 45 cases. And then in 2015, there were 42 cases. Amy officials have stopped short of tying the uptick in legionires cas to the water poisonin citing lack of evence. This ces as the National Guard arrived in flint to distribute clean water and filters. Flint residents are calling for Governor Snyders resignation and a number of calling for his arrest over the water crisis. And in new york, governor Andrew Cuomos state of the state was disrupted wednesday by new york city assemblyman charles barron, who criticized cuomo for failing to address high levels of poverty. Barron represents east new york, a lowincome neighborhood in brooklyn. In a grainy cell phone video shot by an audience member, barron can be heard saying, this is not real. Come to the neighborhoods. This is not real. Come to the neighborhoods. Ok amy and those are some of the headlines. This is democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman with nermeen shaikh. Nermeen welcome to all our listeners and viewers from around the country and around the world. Between the Quick Release of 10 detained u. S. Servicemembers and a nuclear deal set to take effect, this week is not looking kind to opponents of the Obama Administrations diplomacy with iran. On wednesday, iran freed 10 u. S. Sailors less than 24 hours after their two ships entered iranian territorial waters in the persian gulf. The u. S. Initially blamed mechanical error, but have now walkedack thatlaim. The boats were able to leave iran under their own power. Speaking to Iranian State television shortly before they we freed, sailor sd the crew made a mistake. It was a mistake. That was our fault, and we apologize for our mistake. Uranium behavior was fantastic while we were here. We thank you for your hospitality and your assistance. [indiscernible] we had no problems, sir. Amy the sailor made that statement while still in custody. Whatever the reason for the crews entering iranian waters, iran said its accepted the u. S. Explanation. Its quick cooperation came in stark contrast to a storm of panic and outrage among politicians, pundits, and the corporate media. After the sailors were detained, republican senator and president ial candidate marco rubio said iran is testing the boundaries of this administrations resolve while later, frontrunner donald trump posted on twitter, we want our hostages back now even though the sailors had by then been released. Some pundits accused iran of acting hostile, while others wondered if the u. S. And iran were on the verge of a new hostage crisis. But speaking wednesday, secretary of state john kerry thanked iran for the sailors swift release, and said the two countries recent diplomacy has paid off. I think the iranian authorities for their cooperation and quick response. These are always situations, which is everybody here knows, have an ability, if not properly guided, to get out of control. And i am appreciative for the quick and appropriate response of the iranian authorities. All indications suggest or tell us that our sailors were well taken care of, provided with blankets and food and assisted with their return to the fleet earlier today. And i think we can all imagine how a similar situation might have played out three or four years ago. Clear that today, this kind of issue was able to be peacefully resolved and officially resolved, and that is a testament to the Critical Role that diplomacy plays in keeping our countrys safe, secure, and strong. Nermeen kerry and his iranian counterpart, Mohammad Javad zarif, spoke by phone for hours to resolve the sailors detention. The quick resolution also stands in contrast to irans detention of 15 british marines under similar circumstances in 2007. The arrests sparked a 13day international standoff that saw heightened tensions between iran and the west. The u. S. Incident comes just days before a landmark nuclear deal between iran, the u. S. And other world powers is set to take effect. The International AtomicEnergy Agency is expected to report as early as friday that iran has met its initial obligations. That will potentially mean the lifting of sanctions and the unfreezing of at least 50 billion in iranian funds cut off by western governments overseas. Amy taken together, these two developments may signal a new era for u. S. Iran relations, much to the chagrin of those who have favored the path of hostility and war. For more, we are joined by trita parsi, founder and president of the National Iranian american council. The author of the forthcoming, losing an enemy obama, iran, and the legacy of diplomacy. Welcome back to democracy now can you explain what actually happened . The u. S. Immediately said, yes, they had entered iranian waters, the two u. S. Ships. They said because of mechanical problems. But now they seem to be walking that back. Can you explain how it is the sailors ended up in iranian custody . We dont know exactly, but with a sailor said in an interview with the iranian tv was that they actually knew they were entering iranian waters, their instruments did indicate that, but they didnt get out in time, i guess. But the bottom line is, though, it is really fascinating the u. S. From the very outset made clear they had gone into iranian waters by mistake. This is a big difference between what happened this time around and what happened with the british sailors. The british sailors denied theyd entered into iranian waters, and later on a british from injury inquiry established the iranian narrative was correct, they had entered iranian waters. And that took 13 days to resolve and thankfully, resolved peacefully. Amy in 2007. Correct. But what happened here was record time. There were not help her more than 16 hours. The fact the critics of the administration think of anything to stand on to criticize is astonishing. Nermeen could you expect how the incident was resolved so quickly . Everything that happened between the u. S. In a rent in the last 35 years has happened in the context of, honest documentation between the two sides and almost no trust between the two sides. What happened this time around is quite a different context. There is a little bit of trust between the two sides because of the nuclear deal and because of the diplomatic engagement that has taken place in the last two years. And because there was intense communication. The spoke five times during 16 hours to get this resolved. The result is, it was resolved in record time. It is clear indication that engagement works and those who said the nuclear deal would lead to iran becoming more aggressive their face. F egg on we assume the opposite, that things were diffused quickly. Nermeen some republicans have criticized the Obama Administration for the nuclear deal in light of the incident. Republican president ial candidate donald trump described the detention of the sailors as an indication of where the hell were going. He was speaking at a Campaign Rally in iowa. You heard what happened, iran took over two of our boats. They said their going to release them. Isnt that nice. This is in the same country. When i hear that just happen. Just happened. It literally just happened and i think it is not so good. It is just an indication of where the hell were going. Hopefully, they get released and fast, but it seems to be an indication of where were going. That iran is the dumbest deal ive seen. Nermeen even after the sailors were released, trump tweeted iran toys with u. S. Days before we pay them, ridiculously, billions of dollars. Dont release money. We want our hostages back now trita parsi, could you respond to the comments made by republican president ial candidate donald trump . I think what we saw here is the administration did not panic and they did not enter into any bluster. As a result, the issue was resolved peacefully within 16 hours. If the next president of the United States approaches these issues not just with iran but other countries as well in the manner that some of the gop candidates have said him a desk said they would, most likely would the sailors nodded and releases quickly, potentially could have escalated into an actual conflict. With the former chairman of the joint chiefs of staff was leaving his post, he did a tour around the u. S. And was asked what he is most worried about. He said one of the things he is worried about is the were be some sort of incident in the persian gulf between the United States and iran, an accident, but because of the lack of communication, there would be no ability to deescalate matters. And the lack of medication would lead to misjudgments and miscalculations and a small incident would lead to a major escalation in the conflict. Now we have communication and instead of getting into that nine or scenario that might well and was talking about, we got