Film critic Roger Ebert dies at 70 of cancer

Renowned American film critic Roger Ebert has died at 70 after a long battle with cancer, BBC reports.

Ebert, known for his thumbs-up or down reviews on a television programme with partner and friend Gene Siskel, became a film critic for the Sun-Times in 1967 and later won the Pulitzer Prize.

He was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 2002, losing his jaw and his ability to speak in a subsequent surgery.

But he later resumed writing full-time and also returned to television.

On Tuesday, Ebert revealed on his popular blog that he faced a fresh bout with cancer and was taking a "leave of presence", writing fewer reviews.

He suffered a hip fracture in December that he said "had recently been revealed to be a cancer".

"It is being treated with radiation, which has made it impossible for me to attend as many movies as I used to," he wrote. But Ebert vowed to continue his work.