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The US embassy in Mali said on Friday the fee had been introduced to reinforce Washington's "commitment to protecting America's borders and safeguarding US national security".

Mali's foreign ministry said on Sunday the bond had been imposed unilaterally, and it had decided to "establish an identical visa programme" for US citizens.

Medical sources said 19 Dughmush clan members and eight Hamas fighters had been killed since fighting began on Saturday.

The Dughmush family, one of Gaza's most prominent clans, has long had a tense relationship with Hamas, and its armed members have clashed with the group on several occasions in the past.

The three-match T20 series between New Zealand and England starts in Christchurch on Saturday, 18 October.