We’ve got everything from the sensational to the practical from the past week. Apple continues to face legal battles, pandas and the British are more intertwined than you’d think, outlandish crime and health scares grab attention, and there are some public services in Beijing we’ve just heard about.

Apple
Apple may have settled with Proview last week for a hefty sum, but their legal problems aren’t over yet. Two more suits have been filed by Chinese companies. One is Snow Leopard Chemical, who are bringing a trademark case against Apple’s Snow Leopard operating system. The other is an infringement case against Apple’s Siri, brought by voice assistant developer Zhizhen Network Technology, who hold a “patent for ‘a type of instant messaging chat bot system’ called Xiaoi Bot.” The good news: Apple can now release the new iPad, set to come to China on July 27.

Pandas
Beijing Cream clued us into this video last week for “Panda Taxi.” We're not sure why the Chengdu government decided on a campaign which portrays a bickering Queen Elizabeth II, Prince William and Kate Middleton when there are so many other funny or cute options.

While the ad has apparently angered some Britons, they still seem to love their pandas. Last week was Panda Awareness Week and London was overrun by hordes of the black-and-white bears. This would have made a great Panda Taxi commercial. What do you think: Are the bickering royals funny or not? What would have been a better idea?

Crime
Last week’s post featured the nude hit-and-driver, this week it’s a female thief in Changchun who resorted to stripping down while in a standoff with the police. We're not clear on why women think nudity will keep people away.

Taobao has recently teamed up with Zhejiang courts to auction off cars seized from convicted criminals – with other items to follow.

Health
Beijing primary schools plan on offering TCM classes next semester in order to popularize the culture of traditional medicine. Classes will not be compulsory so it remains to be seen how much interest there is in the Eastern practice. Want more information in TCM yourself? Check out the July issue of the Beijinger. Our Ecology feature (p55) looks into the use of bear bile and farming for medicines. If that depresses you, go drown your sadness in some TCM-cooling cocktails (p32).

It used to be that athletes got into trouble when they tested positive for clenbuterol after consuming the chemical when eating tainted meat. Now, in an effort to not get disqualified, Chinese athletes are keeping away from meat, but now are blaming their poor performances in the Olympic trials on their vegetarian diet.

A 1998 ban on lesbians donating blood has been lifted. Gay men are still not allowed to donate.

Around Town
Are bottle collectors out of a job now that reverse vending machines are starting to pop up within Beijing's Fourth Ring. Users can exchange plastic bottles for money on their subway cards.

Several subway stations in Beijing provide slippers for passengers who have lost a shoe. Don't get too excited – they're just the standard plastic slippers that you can find in any supermarket. And don't get too fond of them, either – you have to return them to Beijing Subway.

Want more pandas? Here you go.