Afghan pavilion at Dubai world fair stays shut after Taliban takeover

A view shows the Afghanistan pavilion at the Dubai 2020 Expo world fair, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, October 1, 2021. REUTERS/Alexander Cornwell

DUBAI (Reuters) - Hours after the world expo fair opened in Dubai on Friday, Afghanistan's exhibition remained closed to visitors in a sign of the challenges facing the country's new Taliban rulers.

Afghanistan is one of nearly 200 nations participating in the six-month fair that was awarded to Dubai eight years ago and faced a year-long delay to the start due to the pandemic.