Costa Rica gets forest fund boost

The US and conservation groups will cut $26m (£12.8m) from Costa Rican debt in return for the country spending the same sum on forest protection.

Costa Rica will spend the money over the next 16 years on large swathes of its tropical forest.

It hopes to help conserve such endangered species as the jaguar, squirrel monkey and scarlet macaw.

Areas targeted include the Talamanca Highlands that contain the country's largest untouched tract of rainforest.