Maritime Safety Shake-Up: House Speaker Puan Maharani urged stricter maritime safety and security after Indonesia’s ferry disasters, pointing to discrepancies between passenger counts and manifests following the Aug 2 Mutiara Sentosa II fire off Madura that left 5 dead and dozens missing. Ferry Fire Update: Reuters reports rescuers evacuated 233 of 238 people trapped on the burning KM Mutiara Sentosa 2, while investigators continue probing the cause and authorities say searches may restart if families report missing relatives. Bali Airport Threat Denied: I Gusti Ngurah Rai Airport said a bomb threat was a hoax after investigation and searches, with flights and operations returning to normal and officials asking travellers not to spread unverified info. Indonesia–Thailand Tourism Boost: Prabowo and Thai PM Anutin announced new direct routes (Jakarta–Bangkok and Denpasar–Phuket) plus Phuket–Bali services, backed by a tourism MoU, targeting wellness, cruise and MICE travel. Human Trafficking Prevention: Indonesia strengthened risk-based monitoring at departure points, preventing 8,827 at-risk Indonesians from leaving Jan–Jul 2026 and rejecting 9,349 suspicious passport applications. Halal Rules for Travelers & Trade: Indonesia and the EU discussed readiness for mandatory halal certification starting Oct 2026, aiming to align global stakeholders ahead of implementation. Travel Tech for Pilgrims: Tune Talk offered complimentary Saudi e-roaming on selected prepaid plans for Hajj/Umrah travellers. Airport Drug Case: Malaysian police identified a KLIA staff member as a person of interest in how a drug-smuggling pilot passed screening without baggage being flagged, and they’re pushing for tighter checks.