Los Angeles - Hollywood legend Paul Newman has donated 120 million dollars to charity, gossip columnist Roger Friedman reported on Fox News Wednesday. The report came as the 83-year-old actor's agent denied rumours that he was dying of untreatable lung cancer, even as a less strenuous denial by a spokesman for Newman raised fears about his health.

The report said that Newman had moved gradually to transfer his entire stake in his food company Newman's Own to charity since 2005. The report said the gift was unprecedented in Hollywood. But Friedman said that Newman's gift was not prompted by cancer fears since he set up his foundation before he was diagnosed with cancer.

Reports of Newman's deteriorating condition have increased this week. But Newman's agent Toni Howard told E! News that the reports that he had terminal cancer were "not true." However a statement from Newman's spokesman - Jeff Sanderson - failed to directly address the issue. "He says he's doing nicely, and this is the statement I wanted to share with you, and that's what I have," Sanderson said.

Fears about Newman's health spiraled last month when he backed out as director of Our Town at the playhouse in his hometown of Westport, Connecticut, citing an unspecified illness. Unconfirmed reports say Newman is undergoing treatment for cancer at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York. dpa ag mfNewZealand-Accidents/ 15 million pieces of flambe kiwifruit =

Wellington (dpa) - About 15 million pieces of kiwifruit destined for export were roasted in a fire that destroyed a packing house in Katikati, near Tauranga, reports said on Thursday.

Cause of Wednesday night's blaze, which came days after the local harvest finished and the fruit was packed ready for shipping, was not immediately known. (dpa)