Philosopher with a venomous world-view

Sir: Your correspondent M A Lees (letter, 29 January) is right to point out that a retreat from globalisation and attendant economic contraction is a necessary condition of averting catastrophic climate change. But to suggest that "the cure is almost as bad as the disease" is very misleading.

Digby Jones urges public sector pension reform

Nestlé, the world's largest coffee producer, is set for a head-to-head battle with the Fairtrade Foundation as it prepares to launch an "ethical" coffee product in the UK.

As the extracts on these pages show, the work of Alistair Cooke spanned some of the most dramatic moments in modern American history. Rupert Cornwell pays tribute

Sir: As the millennium closes, our contemplations must inevitably compare the last few centuries with the next.

Outlook: Stock Exchange

THE INTERNATIONAL Monetary Fund is likely to raise its forecast for world growth in 1999, according to its deputy director of research. Fleming Larsen, speaking in a personal capacity, said: "It is apparent that our global growth forecast for 1999, which was estimated at 2.3 per cent as recently as ... the end of April, may be too pessimistic. I expect our next projections to show a somewhat higher growth rate."

Duty free