WALT DISNEY - JOBS CLAIMS HIS HEALTH IS GOOD

Steve Jobs has been telling close associates in recent days that rampant rumors about his health have been greatly exaggerated, Bloomberg News reported Wednesday. The rumors have reportedly been responsible for a downturn in Apple's stock. Thus far, they do not appear to have affected shares of the Walt Disney Co. where Jobs is the largest stockholder and arguably the most influential board member. Bloomberg reported that Jobs told one industry executive recently that he had run a high fever for a week prior to his presentation at an Apple conference last month, where he unveiled the latest version of the company's iPhone. The illness had been primarily responsible for his noticeable weight loss that had spurred the rumors, he indicated. But in an article appearing on the Forbes magazine website today, an Apple employee blamed Jobs's "extreme" vegetarian diet for his health issues.

24/07/2008