rest in peace, merle haggard.y said, literally just fell to the floor, can't believe we lost the hag. rip merle haggard. and willie nelson shared this picture of him and merle haggard laughing. it says, he was my brother, my friend, i will miss him. and we obviously don't have that. but he will be missed by all. merle haggard gone at 79 years old. hard to believe this morning. >> it is. really sad. listen to this, it has been one month since peyton manning retired from football, which is crazy. now he's trying out a new career as a karaoke singer. listen. ♪ >> yep. manning surprising the crowd at a nashville bar with a rough sounding cover of rocky top. that is, of course, the fight song of his alma mater, the university of tennessee. he wasn't done there. oh, no. he also sang some johnny cash. ♪ the fact you can't hear very well, that goes in his favor. he may be a better quarterback than a singer but the crowd had a great time. he was a good sport. >> he was. >>> pack your umbrella and your rain boots. it is goi

nice to see you in person. >> we have been asking folks for their favorite merle haggard songs. s the way love goes" is my favorite cousin merle song. ♪ that's the way love goes, baby that's the music i make ♪ ♪ for all the world to sing it's never old, ♪ >> wow, what a legend. sheila writes us on facebook. she says "mama tried" was her favorite song. he was a legend and he will live on. gonna miss him. here's "mama tried." ♪ no one could steer me right, but mama tried, mama tried to raise me better ♪ ♪ but that leaves only me to blame because mama tried ♪ >> that is a classic. so kimberly, i know you are a fan of merle haggard. do you have a favorite? >> i loved "if we make it through december." >> why? >> i just -- you know, when brad and i met, he introduced me to country music because i didn't grow up listening to it and meryl merle was one of my favorites. >> did he have that on the jukebox? >> we have a great vault. here it is. ♪ ♪ if we make it through december everything's gonna be all right i know ♪ ♪ it's the coldest time of winter ♪ >> how many years have you guys been

. >> and honoring an outlaw, the death of country legend merle haggard and the tributes coming in from around the world in music. artist and how his music still stands the test of time. it's thursday, april 7th. ♪ that leaves only me to blame because mama tried ♪ >> announcer: from abc news, this is "world news now." >> good morning. i'm kendis gibson. >> and i'm reena ninan. good tunes. i love country music. >> could you? you like both kinds of music, country and western? >> sure. what do they call it in the meeting, dudes country? >>. >> i'm telling you, you have a bad day, a little yawney cash goes a long way. >> i think a little bourbon goes a long way when you have a bad day. a lot of people were having bad days yesterday because donald trump and hillary clinton coming off a really, really tough loss in wisconsin. and now they're onto the next round. the race for the white house and a new flurry of attacks as those front-runners look to recover from their blowout losses in wisconsin. >> bernie sanders said hillary cl president. clinton slammed sanders for stumbling over his strate

she said, "merle haggard is my dream." >> carrie underwood called him a true entertainer, a legend. there will never be another like good night, everybody. -- ca (laughing) there's nothing like making their day. except making sure their tomorrow is taken care of too. financial guidance while you're mastering life. foalthr w vis.u n'brk .yowaa ecofakouswchs artemasitastoet00egntne usv d onfoju 9. p mthnle. blcat fethe ee ts ic lyioca% >> jeff: previously on "survivor," after the merge... >> congratulation, everyone. >> jeff: ...brain and brawn were trying to court brewty over to their side. >> it's great to have options. >> jeff: debbie waste nod time. >> i want to get in an alliance. >> jeff: aggressively trying to secure the numbers. >> it's a done deal.

john blackstone on the country outlaw who released 71 top ten hits. ♪ ♪ oklahoma, usa >> merle haggardsr to the anti-vietnam war demonstrators and every other facet of the counter culture made him a star in 1969. ♪ i'm proud to be an okie >> reporter: haggard said "even though who've didn't like the sentiment liked the song." sentiment liked the song. >> everybody's proud of where they came from. and i'm proud to be an okie. and somebody else is proud to be something else. but everybody is proud of something. ♪ we still let our hair grow long and saggy ♪ haggard's parents joined the depression era exodus from oklahoma to bakersfield, california where haggard was born in 1937. after his father died when haggard was 9 he started getting into trouble, the inspiration for "mama try." >> mama tried to raise me better. >> reporter: haggard enjoyed his bad boy image when high interviewed him in 2010. he brought a gun. >> right here. stays right here. >> got to be careful with the questions i ask. >> it's unloaded. >> reporter: he spent his teenage years in and out of reform school and prison.

pacific and you can when we come back, we remembe country great merle haggard.magazine called chris van hollen "a hero to environmentalists, education groups, and gun control advocates" for his accomplishments as a young legislator. now a respected leader in congress and key ally of president obama, protecting planned parenthood and social security... chris van hollen is the only candidate who fought the wall street banks and the nra...and won. that's why he's endorsed by the post as the "talented successor" to senator mikulski who will "deliver results." i'm chris van hollen, and i approve this message. >>> plus, colt coldplay's chris martin wishes his son moses happy birthday in the most epic way possible. check it out at etonline.com. >> travel considerations provided by -- >>> as you know, at the end of each show we usually celebrate the birthdays of the stars but it's a little bittersweet this time because merle haggard passed away today on this, his 79th birthday. >> you don't have to be a country music fan to know merle haggard. his stuff is

and excitement ahead of today's masters teeoff and the outpouring for country music legend merle haggard, it continues. "first look" starts right now. >>> good morning, thanks for joining us today. i'm betty nguyen. the hangover are hitting hard, a new war over who's qualified to be president is escalating at a rally in philadelphia over 10,000 supporters were feeling the bern as he made this startling complain. >> she thinks that i'm quote/unquote not qualified to be president. [ audience boos ] i don't think that you are qualified if you get $15 million from wall street through your super pac. i don't think you are qualified if you have voted for the disastrous war in iraq. >> now the remarks came after sanders struggled to explain his plan to break up large banks to the editorial board of "the new york daily news" which clinton was asked about wednesday on msnbc's "morning joe." >> in light of the questions he had problems with, do you believe this morning that bernie sanders is qualified and ready to be president of the united states? >> well, i think the interview raised a lot of re

when we come back, we remembe country great merle haggard. katie mcginty for u.s.e, calling her "a champion for working families." the 9th of 10 kids, her dad's union pension and social security made all the difference. in pennsylvania, mcginty helped implement obamacare and expand coverage. trump and toomey have attacked obamacare and social security. to fight back, president obama wants mcginty in the senate to protect women, families and seniors. vote in the democratic primary, april 26th. mcginty: i'm katie mcginty and i approve this message. >>> plus, colt coldplay's chris martin wishes his son moses happy birthday in the most epic way possible. check it out at etonline.com. >> travel considerations provided by -- >>> as you know, at the end of each show we usually celebrate the birthdays of the stars but it's a little bittersweet this time because merle haggard passed away today on this, his 79th birthday. >> you don't have to be a country music fan to know merle haggard. his stuff is the stuff of legends. he served time in san quentin before he turned to mus

when we come back, we remembe country great merle haggard. wall street. the nra. they're powerful.usually get their way. but not with democrat donna edwards. she won't take cash from wall street banks. and when washington insiders wrote a loophole to let the nra spend dark money to kill gun safety laws, donna edwards said 'no' she's fighting to ban assault weapons because to democrat donna edwards, the special interests aren't special. we are. working for us pac is responsible for the content of this advertising. i drive to the hoop. i drive a racecar. i have a driver. his name is carl. but that's not what we all have in common. we talked to our doctors about treatment with xarelto®. xarelto® is proven to treat and help reduce the risk of dvt and pe blood clots. xarelto® is also proven to reduce the risk of stroke in people with afib, not caused by a heart valve problem. for people with afib currently well managed on warfarin, there is limited information on how xarelto® and warfarin compare in reducing the risk of stroke. you

merle haggard has been a mainstay on the country and rock music scene for more than 50 years. >> he diedn his 79th birthday. it took just moments for music row to reflect on haggard's life and music on social media. >> country singer dirks bentley tweeted, literally just fell to the floor. can't believe we lost the hag. brad paisley weighed in saying there are no words to describe the loss and sorrow felt within all of music with the passing of merle haggard. thank god foris >> nbc's chris clackum takes a look back on a career that spans more than a half century. >> reporter: merle haggard's death comes less than a year after he and willie nelson topped the country music charts with another album together and after haggard had canceled all of his concerts this year due to failing health. born near bakerfield, california, in 1937, shortly after his parents left oklahoma during the depression, merle haggard was a rebellious child after his father's death in 1945. rebellion that lasted well into adulthood. he actually served three years in san quentin following a 1957 arrest for robbery. ♪

we look at the life and career of merle haggard. carrying refugees and migrants has been stopped traveling from turkey to greece under the deal to prevent illegal migration into europe. the last days has seen a drop in those trying to make the crossing. our correspondent reports that some who try never make it to the other side, the island of lesbos. correspondent: the nightly ritual goes on. the desperate in overcrowded .oats aiming for europe these are iraqis putting their faith in life jackets and smugglers. to them, it is too late. the eu has closed its doors with a deal with turkey to expel recent arrivals to the greek islands. at first light a were intercepted. the coast guard halting them and their dreams to a . >> grace does not want to host us. turkey is not allowing us. where should we go? we drown in the sea with our children. correspondent: 63 were picked up by the coast guard and ferried back in larger vessels. fewer are getting through. the determination is still there to take the risk. he wants to go to greece. they b

grow long and skragly ♪ ♪ like the hippies out in san francisco do ♪ >> yeah, that's country star merle haggards famous line. the man lived a life out right here out of a hollywood movie, with california playing a central role in that. eric thomas on haggard's legacy in the bay area. ♪ >> reporter: whether you're old enough to remember merle haggard on vinyl -- ♪ -- or you're a young, up and country singer, you know the music world has lost a treasure. >> he wasn't just a star or a guy that had a number one single, he's a guy that -- he was a true legend. >> reporter: josh abbott performs tonight and said haggard was a huge influence. >> his songs will live on forever. ♪ >> reporter: david kelly is lead singer of the group red meat. they cover a lot of haggard's music. >> every show i ever saw him, he just delivered the goods. >> reporter: baseball star and musician tim flannery got to open for haggard at a gig in arizona. >> he wrote the songs. it almost seems like he lived them, as well. and the pain when he would sing them, you could feel it in your body. >> reporter: haggard was born in con

news. ♪ and i'm proud to be an okie from meskokee ♪ ♪ and have a ball >> country music legend merle haggarderday on his 79th birthday. haggard recorded dozens of number one country hits over his long career. tributes flooded in for the artist including this one from sheryl crow saying he was a voice of reason, good man, and true american artist. from luke bryan, thank you for your contribution to not only country music but all music. merle haggard dead at the age of 79. >>> get excited, you potter fans. the wizarding world of harry potter is opening this morning at universal studios hollywood. a red carpet event featured the l.a. philharmonic. >>> in more potter news, the chair used by j.k. rowling sold at an auction for $394,000 for that one chair. >> do you know how much time she sat in the thing? >>> popular music ads featuring taylor swift has surely made drake happy. sales of his song "jump man" by drake and future jumped 431% after swift sang that in the commercial. >> does make you want to work out to that song though. >>> on today's episode of ellen she addresses the controversial l

>> woodruff: and remembering merle haggard, one of country music's original outlaws, who died today at 79. all that and more, on tonight's pbs newshour. >> major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by: ♪ ♪ moving our economy for 160 years. bnsf, the engine that connects us. >> ♪ love me tender ♪ love me true we can like many, but we can love only a precious few. because it is for those precious few that you have to be willing to do so very much. but you don't have to do it alone.

. >>> and the okie from merle haggard dies on his 79th birthday. tonight we remember a

abc 7 news anchor eric thomas on haggard's legacy in the bay area ♪ >> reporter: this was merle haggard'sg his fans loved. in recent years, performing those songs had become a challenge. >> especially hard to do and not show any signs of age in your voice. >> reporter: haggard was born in 1937, and got into show business in time to help shape the bakersfield sound as a performer and as a writer. >> song after song after song. just continue to write his whole entire career. >> reporter: smelly kelly covered some of haggard's songs in his country western band red meat. >> every show i saw of him,e delivered the goods. >> reporter: tim flannery opened for haggard once in a concert in arizona. >> it's a great loss. he's a legend. he influenced so many people with his music. >> reporter: and it's not just middle-aged country fans who found haggard's music so moving. upand coming performer josh abbott is playing at the roid yo club tonight and he was influenced by haggard, too. >> his songs will live on forever. >> reporter: merle haggard's records were flying off the shelf today at this record

we'll remember the bakersfield sound of merle haggard. ♪ captioning sponsored by cbs this is the "cbsning news" with scott pelley. >> pelley: this is our western edition. the nation is playing wi f

the greatest singer and songwriter of his lifetime and this morning we remember the legendary merle haggard30 on the east coast, 2:30 out west. this is "way too early." >>> hey, there. good morning. it's thursday, april 7th. i'm alex witt. the gloves are off in the race for the democratic nomination and it all got started yesterday on "morning joe" when hillary clinton was asked in light of bernie sanders' latest interview with "the new york daily news" editorial board if he was qualified to be president. >> if you look at bernie sanders would you say this guy is ready for president of the united states? >> well, i think he hadn't done his homework and he'd been talking for more than a year about doing things that he obviously hadn't really studied or understood. and that does raise a lot of questions. and really what it goes to is for voters to ask themselves can he deliver what he's talking about? and i will leave it to voters to decide who of us can do the job that the country needs. who can do all aspects of the job. both on the economic domestic issues and on national security and fore

a look back at the life of merle haggard. >>> hole in one again and again!ee hi history was made at augusta before the masters even teed off. >>> good morning from the studio 57 newsroom at cbs news headquarters here in new york. i'm meg oliver in for anne-marie green. >>> overnight a possible tornado caused significant damage at an alabama trailer park. the trailer park is located in montgomery, the state capital. several trailers were damaged by falling trees. some of the downed trees blocked roads hampering rescue operations but there are no reports of serious injuries. >>> with the now important new york primary under two weeks away, both donald trump and hillary clinton are working to right the ship. both lost in wisconsin. trump is rejiggering his campaign, while clinton is taking a tougher approach to bernie sanders. a just released national poll finds sanders and clinton in a virtual tie and it's not just rhetoric. don championsh is in new york. >> the fight between bernie sanders and hillary clinton continues escalating. riding a wave of momentum la

the legendry merle haggard died on his birthday at 79 after battling pneumonia in recent months. s back at the struggles that made haggard such an authentic icon. ♪ it's a big guy >> reporter: merle haggard was a man whose soul was forged in hard times and prison yards. when he sang, you knew it was the truth. ♪ >> reporter: while quintin, haggard saw johnny cash perform and said that's what i want to do. it's safe to say music saved haggard's life. >> that's what i'm for and that's what i do. i eat, sleep and breathe it, and people around me if they can't handle it, they just have to get away. ♪ that's the way love goes ♪ >> reporter: few performers could cut to the quick of an audience the way haggard could. ♪ that's the way love goes ♪ >> reporter: hard luck, love gone wrong and in 1969 an america that from his perspective had lost its way. ♪ we don't smoke marijuana in muskogee ♪ >> reporter: his songs were coveredp by everyone from the everley brothers and the grateful dead, his influence on generations of country music performers immeasurable. ♪ today i started loving you ♪

merle haggard died today. his 79th birthday. the cause was pneumonia.ohn blackstone now on the country outlaw who released 71 top-ten hits. ♪ oklahoma, u.s.a. >> reporter: merle haggard's answer to anti-vietnam war demonstrators and every other facet of the counter-culture made him a star in 1959. ♪ i'm proud to be an okie from muskogee ♪ haggard said even those who didn't like the sentiment liked the song. >> everybody is proud to be where they came. from i'm prowb to be an somebody else is proud to be something else, but everybody is proud of something. ♪ we used to let our hair grow long and shaggy ♪ >> reporter: haggard's parents john and flossie moved from oklahoma to bakersfield, california, where haggard was born in 1937. after his father died when haggard was nine, he started getting into trouble, the inspiration for "mama tried" ♪ mama tried to raise me better ♪ haggard enjoyed his bad-boy image. when i interviewed him in 2010, he brought a gun. >> right here. it stays right here. >> reporter: i got to be careful with the questions i asked. >>

we'll remember the bakersfield sound of merle haggard. note captioning sponsored by cbs this is the "cbs evening news" with scott pelley. >> pelley: the nation is playing with fire. that was the warning today from the white house budget director, who announced more than half a billion dollars is being rushed into a battle against zika virus. zika is linked to birth defects, and mosquito have spread the virus through most of the western hemisphere. the u.s. could be next. more than 312 cases have been reported in 41 states, but all of those cases are linked to travel outside the u.s. dr. jon lapook is looking at how the money could be spent. >> that's perfect for breeding >> reporter: tropical disease expert dr. peter hotez has been warning for months that poor neighborhoods on the gulf coast, like this one in houston, are similar to poor neighborhoods in brazil, the epicenter of the zika pandemic. broken screens, lack of air conditioning and standing water make for perfect breeding grounds for the hive -- for aedes aegypti mosquitoes that

all blooming. >>> tonight the world of country music is mourning the loss of a giant. >> singer merle haggard died on his 79th birthday. haggard's manager confirmed the singer died from pneumonia at his home in california. he recorded nearly 40 number one country singles. >>> much more as we continue for you on news 4 new york at 5:00. >> the announcement by janet she has suddenly postponed her tour. >>> many strap hangers say it feels like they're waiting longer and longer to catch a subway train. which lines keep subway riders eyeing the clock. >>> also a local pet store owner accused of abusing dozens of puppies confronts local protests. he says the charges against him are bogus. >>> police raid the bar where th chey met. wait until you hear what i hope we have a buyer for the house. me too! what are the neighbors doing here? bill! hey! come in, come in! i didn't know your home wifi could stream so many devices at the same time. dad, it's time warner cable. 300 megs. crazy-fast. and we were right across the street the whole time. the whole time. make your home as connected as possible with

merle haggard said he was inspired to become a musician when he heard johnny cash play at a concert atprison where haggard was an inmate. his manager confirmed, merle haggard died today on his birthday after battling pneumonia for months. the legendary merle haggard was 79. ♪ ♪ when my doctor told me i have age-related macular degeneration, amd we came up with a plan to help reduce my risk of progression. and everywhere i look... i'm reminded to stick to my plan. including preservision areds 2. my doctor said preservision areds 2 has the exact nutrient formula that the national eye institute recommends to help reduce the risk of progression of moderate to advanced amd... after 15 years of clinical studies. preservision areds 2. because my eyes are everything. this just got interesting. why pause to take a pill? or stop to find a bathroom? cialis for daily use is approved to treat both erectile dysfunction and the urinary symptoms of bph, like needing to go frequently, day or night. tell your doctor about all your medical conditions and medicines, and ask if your heart is healthy enough

our harry smith looks back at the struggle that make haggard such an icon. >> reporter: merle haggard was a man whose soul was forged in hard times and prison yards. when he sang, you knew it was the truth. while serving time in san quentin, haggard saw johnny cash perform and said, that's what i want. it's safe to say music saved haggard's life. >> that's what i'm for, that's what i do. i eat, sleep and read it. people around me, if they can't handle it, they just have to get away. >> reporter: few performers would cut to the quick of an audience the way haggard could. hard luck, love gone wrong, and in 1969 an america that from his perspective had lost its way. his songs were covered by everyone from the everly brothers to the grateful dead. his influence on generations of country music performers immeasurable. haggard used to say, i've never been a guy whoould do what people told me. and for that, we are thankful. harry smith, nbc news, new york. >>> we're going to take a break. when we come back, after making history on the court, is the uconn women's team one of the greatest dyna

merle haggard passed away from complications of pneumonia. it was his 79th birthday.ose from poverty in prison and serving time in quintin. he helped popularize the bakersfield sound. josh abbott is playing the rodeo club tonight and was influenced by merle hag -- merle haggard. >> he was a true legend. legends never die. he may not be here with us anymore, but his songs will live on forever and he will always by a main stay in country music. >> no doubt about that. haggard recorded more than three dozen country music hits during a career that spanned six decades. >>> in san francisco it was one of the biggest nights of the year for the explore exploratorium. abc7 news was at the museum's spring gala earlier this evening. the fundraiser supports all of the museum programs throughout the evening. explainers are high school or early college studentsented in science. they wear vests and answer visitor questions at the museum and ideally you learn a lot about yourself in the process. >> being here made me realize that me being with other people is what i want to do no mat

passed away today on this, his 79th bir >> you don't have to be a country mu to know merle haggard. stuff is the stuff of legends. >> still has such admiration from young country music stars. miranda lambert talked the other day after she did the deliberation with bi givens. i said who else do you want to collaborate with? she said, "merle h is my dream." >> carrie underwood called him a true entertainer, aleg >>> "the insider," counting down the biggest stories tracking today. number one, drew barrymore's divorce makes her feel like a failure. >> t always kids and family and husband first. otherwise i fail at everything. >> the inside detai of her sad split from will kopelman including how much money is at stake. >> he has a huge business empire with her flower cotts mettics and her wine. >> then gwyneth crash's coldpshow, but what event brought them together? >>> and number three. meet the hollywood rep most powerful people in media. >> it's riding a bits e ing ing. >> which stars are changing the

courts have ruled in favor of >>> country music legend merle haggard is being remembered tonight. ♪ [usic ] ♪ [ music ] >> the iconic guitarist, singer and songwriter died today, of pneumonia, in california. today also his 79th birthday. haggard was a mainstay of outlaw country for 40 years. he had dozens of albums and number 1 hits, including mama tried, working man blues and okie from the skokie. >>> trending tonight on facebook. three crewmembers for greg almond's band suffered minor injuries when their tour bus crashed in west virginia. the 68-year-old singer was not on the bus. it was traveling when it crossed into the northbound lanes, went through a guardrail and over an embankment before coming to the crew was heading for charleston. and that show is still on. >> come on. >> get in. hurry up. >> come on. >> move. >> oh, my gosh. talk about a close call there. a heavy equipment operator, jumped into a news crew vehicle, when flames from a wildfire swallowed his road grader. they got out of there as quickly as they could. no one was hurt. the wildfire has consumed nearly twalt,0

merle haggard passed away from complications of pneumonia. it was his 79th birthday.ty in prison and serving time in quintin. he helped popularize the bakersfield sound. josh abbott is playing the rodeo club tonight and was influenced by merle hag -- merle haggard. >> he was a true legend. legends never die. he may not be here with us anymore, but his songs will live on forever and he will always by a main stay in country music. >> no doubt about that. haggard recorded more than three dozen country music hits during a career that spanned six decades. >>> in san francisco it was one of the biggest nights of the year for the explore exploratorium. abc7 news was at the museum's spring gala earlier this evening. the fundraiser supports all of the museum programs throughout the evening. explainers are high school or early college studentsented in science. they wear vests and answer visitor questions at the museum and ideally you learn a lot about yourself in the process. >> being here made me realize that me being with other people is what i want to do no matter what. >> i

. >>> and remembering merle haggard.s pouring in overnight for the country music legend. . are you? nope animated attack. takata. great, mind if i have another taste? not at all mmm you're all right bud? never better i don't know if he likes that. yeah part of the complete breakfast hey sweetie, how was your first week? long. it'll get better. i'm at the edward jones office, like sue suggested. thanks for doing this, dad. so i thought it might be time to talk about a financial strategy. (laughing) you mean pay him back? knowing your future is about more than just you. so let's start talking about your long-term goals... multiplied by 13,000 financial advisors. it's a big deal. and it's how edward jones makes sense of investing. to you, they're more than just a pet. so protect them with k9 advantix ii. it kills fleas, ticks and mosquitoes. k9 advantix ii. for the love of dog. she's noticing a real difference in her joint comfort... karen: "she's single." ...and high levels of humiliation in her daughter. in just 7 days, y

. >>> and the tributes are pouring in for country music legend merle haggard.rday, which was also his birthday. dolly parton calling him one of the greatest writers and singers of all time. those are some of our top stories on this thursday, april 7th. >> announcer: from abc news, this is "world news now." >> good morning. we're going to get started this half hour with the president's uphill battle to get a hearing on capitol hill for supreme court nominee merrick garland. >> today he will argue his case at an old stomping ground in chicago while republicans on capitol hill step up their stonewalling strategy. abc's arlette saenz has details. >> reporter: president obama hits the road today to make a supreme court sales pitch. the president will travel to the university of chicago, where he taught constitutional law for over a decade. that's where he'll make his case for confirming merrick garland. three weeks after nominating him to the nation's highest court. >> i ask that they confirm merrick garland now to the supreme court. he is the right man for the job.

singing merle haggard passes away at the age of 79. ge of 79. >>> welcome back. you're watching al jazeera live from doha. the syrian army and its allies have launched a major offensive against rebels south of aleppo. it is the biggest government operation in the area since a partial ceasefire came into effect in labour february. in bangladesh a law student who expressed secular views on line has been killed in the capital. the 28 year old was hacked with machetes by four men and then shot dead. dutch voters have rejected an e.u.-ukraine trade pact in a referendum. it is a victory for groups in the netherlands and across europe. to iraq where the army has only been able to seize a few villages in its three-week long offensive to recapture the city of mosul from i.s.i.l. the operation is on hold until more forces arrive. >> reporter: the iraqi army has been trying to advance in mosul, the largest stronghold for i.s.i.l. in iraq. after three weeks, the offensive is on hold. soldiers manage to capture a few small villages. they're now waiting for the arrival of poli

split comes on friendly terms. >>> sadness in bakersfield today over the death of hometown boy merle haggardis morning on his 79th birthday. haggard really grew up in oil dale across the kern river from bakersfield. his father converted a train car into a home for the family but died when pearl was just 9 years old. he had a troubled life spending his 21st birthday in san quentin. he became one of country music's defining outlaw voices. >> he was legendary. >>> a close call for a napa driver all caught on camera. we'll show you, next. we si >>> tonight at 6:00, were sir richard branson's hands really tied? that's what he said about the alaska airlines takeover of virgin atlanta. >>> the napa police department posting this video of a car -- ooh. >> oh. >> nearly getting into a crash because of slick roads. police say this happened during a recent stretch of rain a few weeks ago. so the bottom line, just be careful because i understand, peggy, do we have some rain in the forecast. >> we do. i would definitely slow down at those intersections. that never would have happened. >> yes, we'll have

merle haggard's lyrics reflecting a rebellious life that included three years at san quinton where haggardaid a johnny cash concert changed the course of his life. >> i saw him capture that entire audience and gave me a lesson that i will never went on to have 38 hits on the country music chart. haggard told jenna bush haguer that despite numerous health issues he would never stop making music. >> when a man quits work he never gives up on anything. >> reporter: his long time friend willie nelson posted a simple black and white photo calling him, quote, my brother, my friend. dolly parton said his heart was as tender as his love ballad. lu luke -- >> justin timberlake tweeted out this picture. timberlake said his grand father was also a huge fan and haggard took the audience to church during that show. he kept a friend called him two weeks before he passed and he said buddy, i got another song. up until the end he was writing. >> you said something. you hear from young country stars mourning the death of merle haggard, country music stars really get their history. >> if you look at the lis

last year's merle haggard and is ho willie nelson released the album jangling me scduled to go on touraid he wasn't just a count singer. he was the best country singer that ever lived. nicole: w look at the latest in the world of sports. after three seasons of draft picks, the 70 sixerseneral manager sam hinchey said down. philadelphia has boasted the league's worst record at 47 and 195. pinky also wrote a farewell letter to the groroup reportedly spent 13 pages of the week will announce additional self-imposed sanctions after an escort allegation. the school for reduced scholarships for the 2017th report in 19 season as well as ficial recruiting visit in recruiting opportunities for the staff. louisville previously announced a postseason banack on february 5th. a wiki made history for colorado rockies last night. 23-year-old rookie trevor story became the first player to hit a homerun and each of his three major league games. the stories also the first layer in baseball history to hit a homerun at each of its his first four heads. they helped lead the rockets to afford-3 victory over

plus a look back at the life and career of country music legend merle haggard. haggard. >> the underground economy in fake goods is growing exponentially. law enforcement is cracking down on this illegal trade. dina demetrius reports. >> a midday raid in downtown los angeles by l.a. county sheriff's deputies, not for drugs or guns but for fake designer labels. >> we are going to have a group come in from abercrombie and fitch. identifying the illegal product and seizing it all. >> reporter: investigators say 10% of all manufactured products are counterfeit. while buying knock off designer labels may seem harmless enough, fate can seem helpless. >> it failed two of the three tests, one for crash resistance and one for impact resistance. this helmet are to me is a wall piece. >> hundreds of meticulous of counterfeit items that have been seized. gucci, louis vuitton. rolex. they head for county incinerator. crack downs are on the rise in southern california. more than 80% of counterfeits come from china and hong kong. making the port of los angeles the marketplace

funeral services for the great merle haggard are being held today as we mourn his passing.w hero died this week on his birthday at the age of 79. so many are paying tribute to the life and legacy including our good friend and country legend himself larry gatlin. larry joins us live from nashville. welcome. great to have you on board today. i know this is a sad day because we're talking about the passing of a legend. he was the son of dust bowl refugees from oklahoma living in a home his dad fashioned from an abandoned refrigerated train car. his life was tough, spending time in those early days in prison for a botched burglary. but it was his life experience that helped him create songs that helped define the xhachalle of the common man. what do you think made him touch so many people with his music? >> like you said, he was from the dirt. merle was -- you know, kind of in a joking manner i wrote a song about him and willie nelson and kris kristofferson about two months ago when i was in england. i said they're just country music cockroaches. you just can't kill 'em. i thin