Arabic press review: One Dubai flat, not quite built, yours for $28m

Syrian war has cost $327bn 

To date, the Syrian war – now in its seventh year – has cost $327.5bn, according to the Saudi daily newspaper al-Sharq al-Awsat. Quoting figures from the UN’s National Agenda for the Future of Syria Programme.

This figure includes $227bn due to lost opportunities and other $100bn for the cost of destruction.

The housing sector in Syria has suffered the most, representing 30 percent of total losses. The industrial sector destruction rate was close to 18 percent.

But these figures do not even cover the destruction in the cities of Raqqa and Deir Ezzor, which are still partly held by the Islamic State group.        

Saudi Arabia pursues arrest campaigns 

Saudi Arabia has launched a mobile phone application that allows its users to report people conducting opposition activities on social media and authorities have urged Saudis to use it to report online activists, according to the London-based newspaper al-Quds al-Arabi.

The arrest campaign targeting opponents of the government has continued, as Saudi dissidents living in exile have called for demonstrations, the paper adds.  

The number of new prisoners has risen to around 30, according to al-Quds al-Arabi, including those with no clear ties to Islamism or with no history of opposition.

Jordanian arrested for protesting against high prices

A man has been arrested in Jordan after a video of him breaking the electricity and water meters in his house in protest at rising prices went viral.

A Jordanian security source said that the man, who appeared in the video insulting Prime Minister Hani al-Mulki and breaking the water and electricity meters at his home, "will be transmitted to court in order to take legal proceedings against him," according to the Jordanian newspaper Al-Sabeel.

Gulf investor buys most expensive apartment in the world

A Gulf investor has bought what has been described as the world’s most expensive penthouse apartment, still under construction, for a reported 102m UAE dirhams ($27.7m).

The investor registered the sale on the second day of Cityscape Global, a property event currently being held in Dubai, according to the report of the Kuwaiti newspaper al-Anba.

The Dubai Land Department confirmed the transaction and issued the title to the investor. The flat is located at "The One at Palm Jumeirah".