A new government report has cast doubts on the actual level of oil production in Syria.

A Jordanian official has said that his government would consider an opening of a new border crossing with Syria, potentially enabling a resumption of trade ties between the two countries.

The Kurdish-controlled self-declared autonomous region of northeastern Syria passed last week a labour law that replaces the government’s own regulations, in one of many similar moves by the Kurds in the past few years.

An important Russian delegation promising economic aid to Damascus visited Syria this week, although the scope and size of this aid seems again unclear.