Rice went up again at Pei Ho. Six years to the day since the security law landed, and 394 arrests later, the anniversary tally reads like a bank statement nobody asked for. On July 1, 2026, the police confirmed the six-year total. Same week, bookshop owners got swept up over what they had on the shelves, per the Free Speech Union. Meanwhile the Monetary Authority is still quoting HK$219 for a big bag of Thai fragrant. Nobody at the counter is talking about the arrests. They're talking about the rice.

That's the split now. One number tracks who got taken in. The other tracks what the auntie charges you for dinner. Both go up every year, and nobody in Central is connecting them out loud. The Mandatory Provident Fund watchdog, MPFA, says its own oversight systems are "dysfunctional," which is a hell of a thing to admit about the fund that holds your retirement. Next flat-selection deadline for Wang Fuk is this week, per RTHK. So: pick your flat, mind your bookshop, and check your MPF statement. Good luck with all three.