TASK DEFINITION: Given a travel related situation, and given a specific question about the situation, summarize the question into a title
PROBLEM: I'd like to go visit Istanbul in one of the next weeks; I'm not scared by it (I mean, things can happen anywhere), just concerned about possible consequences of taking photos.

I've heard a few third-hand reports about police -- before the coup -- being a bit harsh on photographers. Is it still the same, or even worse than that? Perhaps it has never been like that and those reports has just being exaggerated? I can evaluate how much risk I am prepared to take if I can get access to current information about the police.

I'd obviously avoid sensitive targets (policemen, military personnel and buildings). But I like to take photos of common places, too, so while I'll probably take photos of famous buildings I could take shots of common houses, telephone boots, generic skyscraper...everything that can make a good shot. But then, I've heard (from a friend of a friend of a friend...) that you can get in trouble with police if they think you are shooting things that they think are not interesting and thus you are not supposed to take photos of.


SOLUTION: Can photographs be taken in Istanbul as of August/September 2016?

PROBLEM: I have a 75 hour trip to Beijing (PEK) coming up in October. I shall enter at PEK on a flight from London, arriving at 0930 and continue onwards by air to Hong Kong three days later at 1230, and I shall be travelling on an ordinary British passport.

I understand that the 72 hour transit visa on arrival actually begins the midnight after my arrival (and not immediately after arrival). The relevant text from TIMATIC is
Visa required, except for Holders of British passports
endorsed  British Citizen  holding confirmed onward airline
tickets to a third country, if arriving in and departing from
the same city:
- at Beijing (PEK), Chengdu (CTU), Chongqing (CKG), Dalian
(DLC), Guangzhou (CAN), Hangzhou (HGH), Shanghai Hongqiao
(SHA), Shanghai Pudong (PVG), Tianjin (TSN), Wuhan (WUH),
Xi'an (XIY) or Xiamen (XMN) for a max. transit time of 72
hours, starting from 00:01 on the day following the day of
entry.
- at Guilin (KWL), Harbin (HRB), Kunming (KMG) or Shenyang
(SHE) for a max. transit time of 72 hours;


However, although several non-official sources substantiate this distinction, I cannot find any official confirmation of this. Does anyone have any experience in doing this kind of transit?


SOLUTION: Chinese 72 hour transit visa rule: exact start time of period

PROBLEM: When I was in Morocco, I was disappointed to find out non-Muslims, in general, aren't permitted in mosques in the country, but I heard this isn't the case in some other countries. I'm headed to Malaysia soon and might want to step inside some mosques when I'm there.

Are non-Muslims permitted to enter mosques in Malaysia?


SOLUTION:
Are non-Muslims allowed to enter mosques in Malaysia?