Alex Ritson

I mean, even when the anti-corruption crackdown started, when Xi Jinping first came into power, there was a feeling that, sure, corruption has been a huge problem here.

But really, all of these senior figures are in some way or another corrupt.

The real question is, who's he taking out and why?

And there are people who've been loyal to him, who've avoided the blade swinging.

But even those who seemed like they were very close to Xi, like Zhang Yuxia, he was the head of the military, number two only to Xi Jinping.

He was taken down in the last round before this round of purges.

And so it doesn't matter how senior you are, you can...

you can go down.

And in fact, in some ways, if you become more senior, it's even more dangerous.

Stephen McDonald in Beijing.

After nearly a month of a full oil blockade of Cuba, the US has said it will ease the ban if the oil is sent to the island's small private sector and not the government.

Since US forces removed its close ally, Nicolas Maduro, from power in Venezuela, Cuba has lost its most important source of crude oil.

And as Will Grant reports from Havana, the effects of the US blockade are having huge consequences.

With Washington in control of Venezuela's oil industry and President Trump threatening tariffs against any nation which sends Cuba fuel, Reyni Hernandez has to chop driftwood he found on the beach.

Gas hasn't been delivered in months to their huddle of flimsy homes in a Havana suburb, so the construction worker has no choice but to cook with firewood.

His daughter went to school with no breakfast this morning.

Every day is the same hunger, the same misery, says Brainy, stirring a pot of rice.

Hopefully I can get enough money together in the next couple of days for a packet of hot dogs or three or four eggs.

The situation has worsened since the US imposed a total fuel blockade on Cuba.

Yet Brainy doesn't direct his ire at Washington.