Mali imposes $10,000 visa bond on US visitors in tit-for-tat move

Mali imposes $10,000 visa bond on US visitors in tit-for-tat move, responding to a similar requirement imposed by the Trump administration on Malian citizens. This new policy aims to reinforce border security and national security, despite recent efforts to enhance diplomatic relations between the countries. The move comes amid a shifting geopolitical landscape in West Africa following a coup in Mali and subsequent changes in alliances, including a pivot towards Russia and disputes over refugee deportations between the US and Burkina Faso.