Defiantly giving a middle finger salute, this poignant photo of three British icons has tugged at the heart strings of fans after being mocked up as a message to cancer following Alan Rickman"s death.
It features the Harry Potter and Robin Hood actor alongside glam rock legend David Bowie and rock star LemmyKilmister - all of whom have passed away from cancer within the space of just 18 days.
The image has so far been shared more than 10,000 times following the announcement of Golden Globe winner Rickman"s death earlier today.
Defiant: Offering a one-finger salute, this poignant photo of British icons Lemmy Kilmister, David Bowie and Alan Rickman has tugged at the heart strings of fans after being mocked up as a message to cancer
It sparked a flurry of responses from fans, many of whom posted their own defiant messages on Twitter
His secret battle with the disease was revealed just days after it emerged Bowie had kept his own liver cancer fight private before passing away on Sunday.
A picture of Rickman sticking his middle finger up on the set of 1999 film Dogma was posted alongside similar ones of Bowie and Motrhead frontman Lemmy, who died 48 hours after being told he had an aggressive form of cancer.
The heavy metal icon had celebrated his 70th birthday just four days earlier.
The image was tweeted by the music website Gigwise.
It sparked a flurry of responses from fans, many of whom posted their own defiant messages.
One, using the Twitter @rocky-styles, posted: "f*** cancer", while Jessica Humphreys wrote: "Brilliant. Heart, broken."
Another user tweeted: "It"s ridiculous find a cure."
In the wake of the deaths of both Alan Rickman and David Bowie this week, cancer charities have said that as people live longer, deaths from the disease will rise.
It features Harry Potter actor Alan Rickman (left) alongside glam rock legend David Bowie (right) and rock star Lemmy Kilmister - all of whom have passed away from cancer within the space of three weeks
Motrhead frontman Lemmy (pictured) died last month after being told he had an aggressive form of cancer
John Newlands, senior Macmillan cancer information nurse said: "We"re very sad to hear the news about Alan Rickman and David Bowie. Our thoughts are with their family and friends.
"Sadly the number of people with cancer in the UK is growing rapidly and half of us will face a cancer diagnosis at some point in our lives.
"But the reality is also that more people than ever before are living much longer with cancer.
"It has never been more important that everyone gets the emotional, practical, physical and financial support they need throughout their experience of cancer.
"Macmillan offers a range of support for anyone affected by cancer including through our website or free support line."
In the wake of the deaths of both Alan Rickman and David Bowie this week, cancer charities have said that as people live longer, deaths from the disease will rise. Cancer Research UK also tweeted their condolences
Cancer Research UK said that more than four in ten cancer cases could be prevented through a change in lifestyle.
Dr Claire Knight, Cancer Research UK"s health information manager, said: "An increasing number of people are being diagnosed with cancer, mainly because the disease is more common as we get older and we"re all living much longer than we used to.
"Around 160,900 people die from cancer each year in the UK, but the good news is that research, earlier diagnosis and better treatments have helped to double survival over the last 40 years.
"More than four in ten cases of cancer in the UK could be prevented largely through lifestyle changes.
"Not smoking, keeping a healthy weight, enjoying a healthy balanced diet and cutting back on alcohol can all help lower the risk of developing cancer - they"re not a guarantee you won"t develop cancer, but they help stack the odds in your favour."
Chip Kelly is the new head coach of the San Francisco 49ers - "The Herd"
RENO, Nev. (MyNews4.com & KRNV) -- The 49ers have reportedly hired Chip Kelly as their head coach, according to a tweet and statement sent out by the Bay Area franchise Thursday morning.
Kelly will become the 20th head coach in franchise history and carries with him 26 years of professional and collegiate coaching experience, 49ers representatives said.
Here"s a snapshot of Kelly"s career:
Offensive Coordinator at the University of New Hampshire (1999-2006)
Offensive Coordinator (2007-08),Head Coach(2009-12)at the University of Oregon
Head Coach of the Philadelphia Eagles (2013-2015)
The Eagles released Kelly as head coach in late December of last year.
ALAN Rickman revealed hemarried his partner of 50 years Rima Horton shortly before his death.
It was announced today that the Harry Potter actor has tragically lost his battle with cancer.
Alan Rickman and long-term partner Rima Horton [Getty]
A family statement read: "The actor and director Alan Rickman has died from cancer at the age of 69. He was surrounded by family and friends."
The much-loved actor revealed he"d wed his long-term partner in a secret private ceremony last year, 50 years after they first started dating.
Related article: Alan Rickman dies aged 69
Related article: Alan Rickman marries girlfriend of 50 years!
In an interview with Bild, last year, the Snape actor said: "We are married. Just recently. It was great, because no one was there. After the wedding in New York we walked across the Brooklyn Bridge and ate lunch."
He jokinglytold the mag he bought his wife a $200 dollar ring "that she never wears."
The couple were last pictured in August at Goodwood Festival [Getty]
The couple met in 1965 when Rickman was 19 and Rima was 18.
They lived together from 1977 until his untimely death.
Rima served as a Labour Party councillor from 1986-2006 and worked as an economics lecturer at Kingston University.
Video Detik-Detik Ledakan Bom Di Pos Polisi Sarinah Jakarta
Body bags cover victims outside a traffic police outpost as officers secure the area after a series of explosions hit central Jakarta on January 14, 2016. (Credit: Romeo Gacad/AFP/Getty Images)
Jakarta Attacks: At Least 4 Dead in Gun and Bomb Attacks in IndonesianCapital
Body bags cover victims outside a traffic police outpost as officers secure the area after a series of explosions hit central Jakarta on January 14, 2016. (Credit: Romeo Gacad/AFP/Getty Images)
At least four people, including a policeman, are dead after militants carried out a series of apparently coordinated gun and bomb attacks in the heart of the Indonesian capital of Jakarta.
Authorities fear the toll will rise.
There have so far been no claims of responsibility, but one analyst likened the timed attacks to the Paris massacre where ISIS struck several locations at the same time.
The attack is the first major one in Jakarta since the 2009 simultaneous attacks on the J.W. Marriott and Ritz Carlton hotels, which killed seven.
With the operation to contain the attackers still going on, several things were unclear: Exactly how many gunmen were involved, and how many locations they struck.
Embassy advisory
The U.S. Embassy in Jakarta asked Americans to stay away from the area, saying the situation continues to unfold.
One of the targets of the Thursday attacks was a police station, next to a busy shopping center, the Sarinah Thamrin Plaza.
Gunmen used grenades and engaged in a firefight with officers, Indonesian National Police spokesman Anton Charliyan said.
The dead comprised of an officer and three civilians, police said.
A Starbucks coffee shop in the nearby Skyline Building appeared to have been another target. The windows of the cafe had been blown out.
Amateur video, posted on Twitter, appears to have caught one of the explosions outside the shop.
Ongoing situation
Police poured into the Skyline Building, looking for other gunmen.
You couldnt get much more central in Jakarta if you tried. Its basically right smack dab in the central business area, said Jeremy Douglas, who works in the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime, located in the area.
If you wanted to make an impact, and get visibility for what youre trying to do, this is the place to do it.
Christian Hubel, a witness, told CNN he and his colleagues heard five or six explosions in succession. Their office building was locked down.
It looks like the whole street, the whole location is still locked down. Nobodys moving to the scene, he said. A lot of police, rescue cars are parked there. But nobodys moving, so it seems as if its still going on.
Echoes of Paris
CNN security analyst Bob Baer, said the attack bears the signature of ISIS.
It sounds like the Paris attack to me, Baer said. A lot of these fighters are getting combat experience in Iraq and Syria, many of whom have experience handling and detonating explosives, he said.
Indonesia is the most populous Muslim country in the world but it has a secular government. That has made it a ripe target for extremists. And ISIS high-profile extremism has gained it a small following there.
The biggest worry is Indonesians fighting in Syria and Iraq will return home with the training and combat experience
In recent weeks, police have been on high alert, while military operations focus on hitting the East Indonesian Mujahadeen, which has pledged support for ISIS.
On Thursday, Indonesian President Joko Widodo said the nation will remain unbowed after the attacks.
We should not be afraid and defeated by acts of terror like this, he said.
ABC Family officially transitioned to Freeform on Tuesday night with continued strong ratings for the winter premiere of Pretty Little Liars and a promising start for new drama Shadowhunters, which seemed to benefit from facing the wall-to-wall coverage of the State of the Union on the broadcast networks in much of the country.
The network will release live plus-3 estimates next week, but in same-night Nielsen estimates, Pretty Little Liars opened things for Freeform as the nights No. 1 cable program in adults 18-49 (1.06 rating), up a bit from last years midseason premiere (0.95). Its 2.25 million total viewers was also up vs. last year (2.01 million). The show, which fast-forwarded its storyline by five years, had finished last summers season especially strong, hitting a nearly two-year high in 18-49 (1.39) and a 19-month high in total viewers (3.12 million).
Liars stood as Tuesdays No. 1 telecast in adults 18-34 (963,000/1.4 rating), women 18-34 (758,000/2.2 rating), viewers 12-34 (1.45 million/1.6 rating) and females 12-34 (1.20 million/2.6 rating).
See More:Pretty Little Liars Premiere: Clues on Uber A, Whos Dead in Season 6B
It was followed by the debut of Shadowhunters (0.76 rating in 18-49, 1.82 million viewers overall), which retained a good 72% of its Liars lead-in among adults 18-49. The fantasy drama about a human-angel hybrid who hunts demos also out-rated other recent premieres behind Pretty Little Liars including Stitchers last June (0.53 in 18-49, 1.28 million) and Twisted in 2013 (0.52 in 18-49, 1.60 million).
Shadowhunters (pictured) didnt hold as much of Pretty Little Liars in the 18-34 age group (55%, 0.78 vs. 1.41), but its rating in the demo makes it the No. 4-rated scripted cable launch of the past 12 months behind only AMCs Fear the Walking Dead, Better Call Saul and Into the Badlands.
It also brought more men and older adults to the network. In fact, Shadowhunters actually built on its veteran Liars lead-in among men 25-54 (0.54 vs. 0.49).
See More:Shadowhunters Star Katherine McNamara Talks Edgier, Darker Freeform Series
ABC Family opted for the name change to cultivate a fresh, hipper brand, network president Tom Ascheim told reportersat this months TCA tour stop in Pasadena.
The social media-savvy network celebrated its transition with a daylong virtual event and partnerships including a Social DNA Project with Twitter; a live stream of events via Periscope; a Vine booth; a BuzzFeed Facebook Live chat and a custom Pretty Little Liars Facebook icon; Instagram content and talent takeovers; and a Pretty Little Liars Snapchat filter.
Freeform was the most talked about TV network across social media Tuesday, garnering more than one-quarter on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google + and Tumbler (26.9%) and delivering. It also delivered the top two most-social entertainment series across Facebook, Instagram, Tumblr and Twitter with Pretty Little Liars (5.8 million engagements) and Shadowhunters (1.1 million engagements).
Shadowhunters Sneak Peek 1 | Coming 2016 to ABC Family
Nicki Minaj has never been big on apologies but she might have to get one ready if she wants to keep her new TV show.
Last year ABC Family announced they had greenlit a new comedy series based on Nickis life. The untitled project, which Nicki will executive produce and appear in, focuseson her life growing up in Queens after immigrating from Trinidad andher rise to stardom.
But will ABC executives have a problem with Nickis latest controversy?
The foul-mouth feud started over the weekend when apparently Nicki was watching a Teen Mom marathon and then took to her social media platform to share her thoughts.
Was using the C word really necessary, Nicki?
Well, Farrah didnt think so and she fired back quickly
Farrah went for the knockout punch by retweeting a post discussingNickis own family drama.
Ouch
And if that werent enough Farrah then posted a video of her young daughter calling Nicki a total loser!
Getting into a Twitter disagreementis par for the course for celebs these days but this back-and-forth between Nicki and Farrah clearly crossed some lines.
Stay tuned to see if the family-oriented network wants to continue with Nickis series.
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This year marks the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service, and there are plenty of commemorations planned at the 407 national parks. Emerald Pool hot spring is one of Yellowstone National Park"s 10,000 or so geysers, mudpots, steamvents and hot springs.(Photo: Karen Bleier, AFP/Getty Images)
2015 was a tumultuous year in which world events turned beloved travel destinations like Paris into temporary battlegrounds.
Will that keep U.S. travelers from venturing abroad in 2016?
The signs are pointing towards a resilient traveling public.
TripAdvisor, the travel review site, surveyed 2,250 U.S. travelers in the wake of the Paris attacks at cafes and a concert venue and found that 90% were not planning to change their 2016 travel plans as a result. Of the 10% who said they would change their plans, 61% said they would avoid specific destinations and 35% said they would stick to domestic travel.
Anthony Roman, president and founder of a global investigation and risk management firm, Roman and Associates, says travelers shouldn"t be discouraged from seeing the world. But they should be cautious. His advice: When on a trip, vary your daily routine, remain unassuming, use common sense, be alert and have a plan in mind should something go wrong.
"We can"t ignore the new reality, but we shouldn"t stop living either," he says.
So where do the experts think U.S. travelers should head to this year?
Brazil has been much buzzed about in the last few years because of its turn as host of the 2014 World Cup and this summer"s Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
But Lonely Planet looked even further ahead on the sports calendar when determining its Best in Travel 2016 winners and named Japan the No. 2 country to visit. (No. 1 was Botswana.)
"Tokyo"s successful bid to host the Olympics in 2020 has raised the temperature of a feverish city amid a blur of new development," the guidebook declared, "but beyond the suburbs Japan remains as elegant and enticing as its graceful wooden temples."
Cuba will continue to entice travelers this year as the cold war with the USA thaws.
The U.S Tour Operators Association named Cuba its top emerging and off-the-beaten path destination followed by Myanmar, Icelandand Colombia. Ethiopia and Japan tied for fifth.
It"s been more than a year since President Obama began normalizing relations with the island nation. While traveling there as a tourist is still banned, those who fall under 12 U.S.-approved categories, which include people-to-people trips and humanitarian missions, can go via a complicated charter flight process.
It could soon get easier to travel to Cuba. At the end of 2015, the USA reached an agreement to allow regularly scheduled commercial flights between the two nations.
About 34% of the Tour Operators Association members already offer programs in Cuba. Of that number, more than half plan to increase their offerings in the next few years, says Terry Dale, president and CEO of the association.
"With Cuba making headlines this year, it"s no surprise that it took the first spot in the list of emerging destinations," says Dale.
Farther down south, Ecuador made several industry lists, including Fodor"s. The Latin American country has the benefit of having the U.S. dollar as its currency and the Galapagos Islands as its most famous attraction. But the capital city Quito is becoming a hot destination with its culinary renaissance. The government has made efforts to boost tourism by redeveloping blighted areas into commercial districts and increasing security in high trafficked areas.
Iceland made both the Tour Operators and Lonely Planet lists. What"s the appeal? Think glaciers, volcanoes, hot springs, northern lights, and all sorts of other natural wonders. Add to that the ease with which to visit thanks to an Icelandair Stopover promotion that lets travelers spend up to seven nights in Reykjavik en route to their final destination at no additional airfare. And Iceland-based low-cost carrier WOW Airlines continues to expand in North America (see below).
U.S. hotel companies are also starting to see opportunities in Iceland, with Hilton introducing its new lifestyle brand Canopy in Reykjavik this year.
Stateside, there are plenty of up-and-coming as well as longstanding popular destinations.
This year marks the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service, and there are plenty of commemorations planned at the 407 national parks leading up to the Aug. 25th birthday. One notable celebration will take place at the new Arch Park at Yellowstone National Park, which provides views of the Roosevelt Arch, named for Theodore Roosevelt, a seminal figure in the creation of America"s national parks. Last year the Park Service launched a Find Your park public awareness and education campaign to celebrate the centennial.
Tour Operators named New York and California top destinations in a tie. Second place was also a tie between Arizona and Hawaii.
Hawaii, specifically the island of Maui and the city of Honolulu, also earned high marks among Travel Leaders Group, a top U.S. travel agency.
This year marks the 75th anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack on the island of Oahu. On Dec. 7, the National Park Service and the U.S. Navy will host a commemoration ceremony.
Nashville is one U.S. city that is attracting new interest not just for its long-established music scene but because of the influx of new bright minds in the technology and health care industries. Hotel companies are also descending upon the city. Marriott is planning a new MOXY hotel aimed at Millennial travelers, those in their 20s and early 30s. Hilton will open a Canopy there. Virgin Hotels, a new chain that debuted last year, also plans a property there.
Some other travel trends that USA TODAY is keeping an eye on in 2016:
Bigger is better
Airlines completed their mergers in 2015, with American and US Airways finalizing their union to become the largest airline in the world. Now it"s time for hotel companies to consolidate. Marriott this year will complete its merger with Starwood Hotels and Resorts, becoming the largest hotel company in the world. AccorHotels recently announced its purchase of Fairmont, Rafflesand Swissotels.
Share and share alike
Uber and AirBnB continued their rise to dominance in 2015, despite regulatory and competitive challenges. Expect to see travelers continue to choose these alternatives. And the sharing economy is seeping into other industries. Last year, several companies such as Wheels Up and Beacon developed ride-sharing apps or subscription services that made private jets accessible to more travelers. Even chefs are embracing the concept, with websites such as EatWith.com developing to bring travelers together at the table at people"s homes so they can eat like locals.
Virtual reality, the new reality
In 2015, Marriott Hotels launched a trial of what it called "VRoom Service," allowing guests at select properties to order Samsung Gear VR headsets enabled by Oculus Rift for 24 hours. The devices were pre-loaded with videos of three destinations which Marriott called VR postcards so that the guest could have a 360-degree experience of each place. Qantas also experimented with virtual reality goggles in first-class cabins as a way to promote destinations and in-flight products and show movies. Hawaiian Airlines used Oculus Rift to visually announce the rollout of its new lie-flat seats later thisyear. "The ability to give someone like a travel agent in Japan the ability to experience it--we think that"s really powerful," says Avi Mannis, senior vice president of marketing for Hawaiian Airlines. "It"s becoming quite clear that"s going to become one of the new trends in consumer technology."
Low-cost carriers emerge
European low-cost carrier Norwegian Air Shuttle is rapidly expanding, beginning new nonstop service from Oakland to London Gatwick in May. Iceland-based WOW airlines is also adding more flights to Europe. What does this mean for the legacy carriers? George Hobica, founder of AirfareWatchdog.com, has not seen the airlines match the low-cost fares dollar for dollar. But he has seen some slightly lower fares to London on Virgin Atlantic and British Airways. The lower price of fuel is another factor that could keep fares steady. "I do think we are seeing the effect in addition as more airlines deploy fuel-efficient jets like the 787 and Airbus A350," Hobica says. "But it all depends on supply and demand. With employment picking up in the U.S., we"ll see more demand and that is a wild card for airfares."
