The debate over whether or not Joe Biden is too old to be president is getting heated. 
 He has struggled to collect his thoughts, mumbled incoherently at press conferences, referenced recent conversations with long-dead politicians, and recently, had to be reminded of Hamas' name. 
 It’s not a good look for any president. But it’s especially bad for the presumed Democratic nominee during an election year. 
 Today, CBC Washington senior correspondent Paul Hunter explains why an 81-year-old with memory lapses might be the only option the Democrats have.

The Joe Biden age problem

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Unless it was dismantled last night after we put this podcast to bed, the pro-Palestinian encampment at McGill University is now entering into its 11th day. It's just one of several across Canada, and one of many more across North America. 
 So last Tuesday, we headed to Montreal to check out the McGill encampment for ourselves.  
 We went to speak to students there about their central demand: divestment. We wanted to learn more about what it means, why the students are calling for it, and why the broader push that “divestment” is part of — the movement known as BDS — is so controversial. 
 For transcripts of Front Burner, please visit: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/frontburner/transcripts  
 Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

At the McGill encampment: Calls to divest from Israel

On May 1st, the people behind a subreddit called r/loblawsisoutofcontrol launched a nationwide boycott of Loblaw-owned stores for the month. 
 The very same day the boycott began, Loblaw Companies Limited released its first quarter earnings numbers. Its profits went up by almost 10%, and its revenue by over $13-billion. 
 Today on Front Burner, why did Loblaw become the primary target of Canadians’ grocery anger? Can something like a boycott or more competition really keep it in check? And should we think of Loblaw less like a retailer, and more like Amazon? 
 Vass Bednar is our guest. She's the executive director of McMaster University's Master of Public Policy and Digital Society program.

How Loblaw inspires anger, boycott

A long-simmering feud between Toronto's Drake and Compton's Kendrick Lamar has finally erupted into open lyrical warfare. The bars being traded on diss tracks like "Push Ups" and "Euphoria" bring to mind some of the most iconic rap beefs in history — and it's far from the first time the 6 God has found himself in the crosshairs. 
 Shadrach Kabango — you may know him as the rapper Shad — weighs in on the feud, and the role of big-name beefs in hip hop culture.

When Drake and Kendrick beef, who wins?

In April, a hospital memo was released by the British Columbia’s official opposition party. It was from July 2023, a few months after the possession of small amounts of certain hard drugs were decriminalized in the province under a three-year pilot project. 
 And it advised nurses to not impede patients using illicit drugs within the hospital. 
 The province said the advice in the memo had been walked back. But it became another example used by the plan’s critics for why progressive drug policies were failing. 
 Then, last week, B.C. Premier David Eby asked Health Canada to recriminalize the use of hard drugs in public spaces, such as hospitals and restaurants. 
 So how did growing backlash from residents, health-care workers, police and conservative politicians end a key component of decriminalization? 
 Today, we unpack those questions with CBC British Columbia reporter Moira Wyton.

Backlash and walk backs: BC reverses drug policy

In early April, after Israeli troops withdrew from the area surrounding the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis, Palestinian recovery teams were able to assess the destruction. And just last week, mass graves were uncovered on the hospital grounds. There’s been similar reports at Al-Shifa hospital in Northern Gaza as well. 
 United Nations officials are calling for independent investigations into the matter. A statement by the Israeli Defence Forces has said accusations that they had buried the bodies were "baseless and unfounded". 
 Freelance journalist Akram Al-Sattari has been reporting from the grounds of the Nasser Medical Complex. He spoke to Front Burner about what he witnessed.

The Joe Biden age problem

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