The Monocle Minute

It is wretchedly easy to lose track of Lebanon’s misfortunes. A little more than four years ago, a warehouse stacked with 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate erupted in Beirut’s port in what might have been the most colossal non-nuclear, non-volcanic explosion in history. Within 48 hours, France’s president, Emmanuel Macron, descended grandly upon the shattered city, promising international assistance and declaring that Lebanon required a new political order. More recently, Lebanon has endured a different kind of calamity. While Macron’s 2020 visit turned out to be more theatrical than practical, what he said was not wrong. And there has never been a better time to help Lebanon create a new political order than right now.

Whether or not one agrees with Israel’s decapitation of Hezbollah or the means by which it has gone about it, an opportunity has been created. The Party of God might not have been altogether vanquished but it has been reduced. Onlookers with an interest in a more peaceful, stable Middle East – which you’d like to think would be everyone – should act swiftly to rebuild Lebanon before Hezbollah rebuilds itself.

The Marshall Plan, under which the US spent big to help reconstruct Europe after the Second World War, was not an act of charity. Secretary of state George Marshall himself cheerfully acknowledged that his mission was to tackle “hunger, poverty, desperation and chaos”, but not just for ethical reasons. “Aside from the demoralising effect on the world at large,” he said, “the consequences to the economy of the United States should be apparent to all.” Which prompts the thought that a major contributor to any similar endeavour to rescue Lebanon should be its neighbour to the south. Israel might never get a better chance to buy itself some peace and quiet.

Andrew Mueller is Monocle’s contributing editor and host of ‘The Foreign Desk’ on Monocle Radio.

For his first international trip since his election earlier this year, Taiwan’s president, Lai Ching-te, is visiting Tuvalu, the Marshall Islands and Palau. The three Pacific Island nations are among the 12 countries that maintain diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Lai is also taking the controversial step of stopping over in the US territories of Guam and Hawaii for meetings with “old friends” and think-tank members.

The president’s willingness to challenge the status quo has proved divisive at home. Younger Taiwanese who have known nothing but de facto independence and democracy are broadly in favour of his actions. Older citizens, however, are less convinced. “They feel uneasy about the ruling party’s desire to highlight Taiwan’s unique identity and its separation from China,” Taipei-based journalist William Yang tells The Foreign Desk on Monocle Radio.

Vienna’s Würstelstände have been granted Unesco intangible-cultural-heritage status, joining the city’s coffee houses and wine taverns on the list. Mayor Michael Ludwig applauded the decision, describing the sausage stands as a “living symbol of the Viennese lifestyle”. And rightly so: they’re a cherished symbol of the city’s urban life, reflecting its history, culture and evolving tastes. Dating back to the Austro-Hungarian empire, the kiosks originally cropped up as a way for war veterans to earn a living. Every stand is unique, from opera-goers’ favourite Bitzinger near the Albertina to the bright-yellow Bad Dog by Belvedere Palace.

The Würstelstände have modernised over the years, with many now offering organic options and contemporary designs. Yet some traditional stalwarts endure, such as Würstelstand Leo, which has been operating since 1928 in the ninth district. Down-to-earth and unpretentious, these stands attract everyone from tourists to politicians, illustrating how unplanned urban elements can define a city’s character better than any grand design – and all for less than €10.

Read more about Vienna’s ‘Würstelstände’ inMonocle’s December/January issue, which is on newsstands today.

This week on The Stack, we speak to Spencer Bailey, who is in charge of five-volume book series The Leading Hotels of the World, celebrating the global luxury hospitality collection. Plus, we discuss the success of Brazilian publishing house Afluente with Julius Wiedemann.