In 2020, the sale of alcoholic beverages at bars and restaurants, normally a crucial part of producers’ revenue, cratered because of the coronavirus—and kosher wine was no exception. Yet kosher wineries have for the most part survived. Joshua London explains how:

Last week, Russia negotiated a ceasefire between the Syrian government and rebel forces in the city of Daraa, where the initial protests that sparked the uprising against Bashar al-Assad began. The agreement ended a 75-day assault on the city, located near the country’s southwestern border, by Russian, Iranian, and Syrian forces. Jonathan Spyer explains the significance of these events: