1.   Public officials tied to religious cults.

2.   SBA officials tied the decline in the number of loans nationally and in Georgia to a slowdown in the economy and more banks making direct loans.

3.   U.S. law-enforcement officials have since tied him to the Qaida terrorist network.

4.   A Finance Ministry official tied the sharp climb in the yen import value to higher average crude oil prices in the month from the year-ago level.

5.   Meanwhile, U.S. officials learned that Country A had received the documents and officials tied them to Regan, according to the affidavit.

6.   Officials also tied a wire around his testicles and repeatedly tightened it.

7.   Saturday morning, Palestinian officials tied Makawi to a stake in a courtyard at police headquarters in Gaza City, and blindfolded him.

8.   Tang said the Chinese government made clear to Pretoria any official ties with Taiwan were out.

9.   The Islamic-led government and its junior coalition partner which controls the interior ministry have been criticized for not moving against security officials allegedly tied to the underworld.

10.   But he declined to identify the country or countries he wants to visit, or whether these nations maintain official ties with Taiwan.