Taylor Meyer, the 17-year-old Plainville girl who was found dead Monday after she wandered from a Friday night drinking party in Norfolk, appears to have drowned in the swamp where she was found, the Norfolk district attorney's office said yesterday.

Investigators do not suspect foul play. Meyer suffered no trauma before she died, according to preliminary autopsy results. The official cause of death has not yet been determined, and more medical tests will be conducted.

Police have not specifically said Meyer was drinking at the party. A toxicology test will be performed.

Source: http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2008/10/23/teen_who_left_party_apparently_drowned/

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Nine suspected Somali pirates have been captured by the French navy and handed over to regional officials in northern Somalia, the authorities there say.

Patrolling French marines arrested the pirates in the Gulf of Aden after intercepting two boats on Wednesday, officials in Puntland said.

It comes as the International Maritime Bureau said the waters off Somalia were the world's worst for pirate attacks.

Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7686806.stm

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The Republican National Committee has spent more than $150,000 to clothe and accessorize vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin and her family since her surprise pick by John McCain in late August.

According to financial disclosure records, the accessorizing began in early September and included bills from Saks Fifth Avenue in St. Louis and New York for a combined $49,425.74.

The RNC also spent $4,716.49 on hair and makeup through September after reporting no such costs in August.

The cash expenditures immediately raised questions among campaign finance experts about their legality under the Federal Election Commission's long-standing advisory opinions on using campaign cash to purchase items for personal use.

"It was always the intent that the clothing go to a charitable purpose after the campaign," said spokeswoman Tracey Schmitt.

A review of similar records for the campaign of Democrat Barack Obama and the Democratic National Committee turned up no similar spending.

Source: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1008/14805.html