Former Argentinian president cleared

A judge dismissed manslaughter charges against former Argentinian President Fernando de la Rua for five deaths during street protests in 2001, saying an eight-year investigation failed to find evidence of his responsibility.

The judge, in a ruling published on a Supreme Court website, said the probe disproved charges that Mr de la Rua ordered a police crackdown on the violent protests, which came amid an economic meltdown and debt default that sunk thousands of Argentinians into poverty.