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Pilot killed in crash with Beijing's tallest building, local government says13 others, who were not on board, being treated for injuriesA ‌light aircraft crash into Beijing's tallest building on Friday killed the pilot and injured ​13 people who were not ‌on board, the local government said following the unusual accident for the ‌Chinese capital, where airspace ⁠is heavily restricted.Those ‌injured are receiving medical treatment and authorities are ‌investigating the incident, Chaoyang district government said in a statement Saturday."A single-engine, two-seat light ⁠sport aircraft collided with a high-rise building while flying near the East third ring road in Chaoyang, at 5:55pm on June 26," said the statement, which was posted on social media."There was only one person on board, the pilot, who died," the statement added, without giving any further details of the possible cause of the crash.Damage to the exterior of the skyscraper appeared to be limited to a hole caused by ​the loss of two large glass panels. The gap had been temporarily boarded up as of Saturday.The 528m-high building, known as CITIC Tower or China Zun, is in Beijing's Central Business District, about ‌6 km (3.7 miles) from the Forbidden City, ⁠which is visited ​by thousands of tourists each day.It is also near Zhongnanhai, a compound that ​houses the offices of China's top political leadership. The last aircraft crash in Beijing was in 2022, when a tourist helicopter crashed during a flight between the Changping and Fangshan districts, killing the two pilots on board.Pictures posted on social media in China in the aftermath of Friday's crash showed debris from the plane and the identifier B-12PP. Reuters could not immediately verify the images.Data from global flight tracking service provider Flightradar24 reviewed by Reuters showed an aircraft with registration number B-12PP was in the air at around 5:30pm on Friday in Beijing's northeastern suburbs.It flew in a ‌wide circle before heading in ‌the direction of downtown Beijing, about 50⁠km away, the Flightradar24 data showed. Tracking then stopped at 0955 GMT, with coordinates showing it ⁠already in the downtown Chaoyang district.The ⁠aircraft was a small two-seat, single-engine light-sport Aurora SA60L made by China's Sunward, Flightradar24 data shows.An aircraft matching the registration number was shown as being owned and operated by Beijing-based Dongshi Shuangyue General Aviation, a promotional video published by the company in 2024 on Chinese social media showed.The Financial Times, citing a person with knowledge of the incident, reported that the aircraft belonged ​to the company.Reuters could not immediately ascertain if the company owned and operated the aircraft when the crash occurred or if the pilot involved was affiliated with the company.A Dongshi Shuangyue General Aviation employee contacted by Reuters Saturday said she was not sure whether B-12PP belonged to the company, without providing further information.The company video, which was removed from the social media account on Friday evening, said a 30-minute sightseeing tour out of the small Shifuosi airport would cost 880 yuan ($129).The company offers low-altitude sightseeing flights, hands-on flight experience programs and ‌aviation training in the suburban ​Pinggu district, about 50km from downtown Beijing. 

Qatar Museums (QM) and the National Museum of Qatar (NMoQ) announced the launch of the NMoQ Metaverse Pilot Project, marking a major step in digital cultural innovation.This initiative, developed in collaboration with Cisco, and in turn, with Web3 implementation partner droppGroup, presents a live and intelligent museum experience that integrates immersive 3D environments, augmented and extended reality, and artificial intelligence.The project aims to place Qatar at the forefront of integrating metaverse and AI technologies to enhance museum engagement, while exploring new technologies intended to promote access to culture.By embracing innovation, QM demonstrates its role as a pioneer in cultural transformation and experimentation while supporting the objectives of Qatar National Vision 2030.The platform also introduces new opportunities for accessibility and remote learning, allowing students, researchers, and educators to engage with Qatar’s cultural heritage in new ways.In a press statement, NMoQ director Sheikh Abdulaziz al-Thani said: “With the NMoQ Metaverse Pilot Project, we are extending this mission into the digital realm, allowing audiences everywhere to walk through our galleries, engage with our collections, and encounter Qatar’s history in immersive and interactive new ways.“This initiative ensures that NMoQ continues to be not only a guardian of heritage, but also a frontrunner in shaping how museums engage with the world.”QM noted that this project is part of Cisco's Country Digital Acceleration (CDA) programme in Qatar. Active in Qatar since 2019, CDA is Cisco’s strategic programme designed to accelerate the nation's digitalisation agenda and generate new value for its citizens, businesses, and the country as a whole.Through public and private partnerships, the programme focuses on leveraging innovative digital solutions to address national challenges across key sectors such as national infrastructure, education, and smart communities.Through the pilot, visitors can explore digital twins of three galleries: The Archaeology of Qatar, The People of Qatar, and Life in Al Barr (The Desert). Twenty-two curated objects are presented with interactive augmented reality features, detailed descriptions, and direct links to the museum’s online collection.The experience is enhanced by Murjana, NMoQ’s customised digital mascot, who provides bilingual narration in Arabic and English with intelligent, personalised guidance. Accessible on mobile devices, desktops, tablets, and VR headsets, the platform also introduces new opportunities for remote learning, allowing students and educators to engage with Qatar’s cultural heritage in new ways.“QM has consistently demonstrated strategic vision in leveraging technology to advance cultural preservation and global engagement, in alignment with Qatar's national digital ambitions. This initiative is a direct testament to that forward-thinking approach,” said Cisco Qatar general manager Hasan Khan.