Lebanon Army Offers Tourists Helicopter Joyrides

Lebanese Army Commander Gen. Joseph Aoun at a handover ceremony of four A-29 Super Tucano aircraft given by the US, June 12, 2018. (AFP)
Lebanese Army Commander Gen. Joseph Aoun at a handover ceremony of four A-29 Super Tucano aircraft given by the US, June 12, 2018. (AFP)
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Lebanon Army Offers Tourists Helicopter Joyrides

Lebanese Army Commander Gen. Joseph Aoun at a handover ceremony of four A-29 Super Tucano aircraft given by the US, June 12, 2018. (AFP)
Lebanese Army Commander Gen. Joseph Aoun at a handover ceremony of four A-29 Super Tucano aircraft given by the US, June 12, 2018. (AFP)

The Lebanese army will start offering tourists helicopter joyrides this week in a bid to boost the coffers of one of the crisis-hit country’s key institutions.

An economic crisis that the World Bank describes as likely one of the world’s worst since the 1850s has hit the Lebanese military hard, leaving it struggling to pay troops enough to live on.

In an announcement on its website, the army said it would be offering civilians the chance to see “Lebanon... from above” with 15-minute flights.

The joyrides on board the army’s Robinson R44 Raven helicopters would start on Thursday and would be open to passengers aged three and above, AFP reported.

Up to three people would be allowed aboard per flight, which costs about $150 and is to be paid in cash.

The aim is “to encourage Lebanese tourism in a new way, in addition to supporting the air force,” a military source told AFP.

The economic crisis has eaten away at the value of soldiers’ salaries and slashed the military’s budget for maintenance and equipment.

Toward the middle of last year, the army said it had scrapped meat from the meals offered to on-duty soldiers, due to rising food prices.

Lebanon has been without a functioning government since a massive blast in Beirut in August last year killed more than 200 people and ravaged swathes of the Mediterranean port city.

Politicians have failed to agree on a new cabinet line-up even as foreign currency cash reserves plummet, causing fuel, electricity and medicine shortages.

Earlier this month, France hosted a donor conference at which 20 nations agreed to provide emergency aid to Lebanon’s military.



Djokovic’s 11-Year-Old Son, Stefan, Is Getting Wimbledon Players’ Autographs. But Not Dad’s

 Serbia's Novak Djokovic serves to Australia's Alex de Minaur during a fourth round men's singles match at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Monday, July 7, 2025. (AP)
Serbia's Novak Djokovic serves to Australia's Alex de Minaur during a fourth round men's singles match at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Monday, July 7, 2025. (AP)
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Djokovic’s 11-Year-Old Son, Stefan, Is Getting Wimbledon Players’ Autographs. But Not Dad’s

 Serbia's Novak Djokovic serves to Australia's Alex de Minaur during a fourth round men's singles match at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Monday, July 7, 2025. (AP)
Serbia's Novak Djokovic serves to Australia's Alex de Minaur during a fourth round men's singles match at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Monday, July 7, 2025. (AP)

Novak Djokovic's 11-year-old son, Stefan, seems to be having the time of his life at Wimbledon, where he has been wearing a white hat with autographs of several players.

One valuable signature he's missing? His father's.

Djokovic said after his 1-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 victory over Alex de Minaur in the fourth round Monday that his kid did most of the work himself to gather the names scribbled on the cap.

“It was himself, independently of me, approaching and asking for autographs,” the 24-time Grand Slam champion said. “I think I might have asked only Jannik (Sinner) or someone, but everyone else he’s approached.”

Stefan is even having fun on the court, hitting recently with Flavio Cobolli, the 22nd-seeded Italian who will take on Djokovic in the quarterfinals.

“He’s over the moon. Obviously, he loves tennis. Yeah, he has everyone’s signature, except mine,” Dad said. “But that’s OK. I’ll accept that.”

Djokovic and his wife, Jelena, also have a daughter, 7-year-old Tara, who got attention earlier in the tournament by doing a post-match dance.