The Kremlin says Alexei Navalny died Friday in an Arctic prison. After surviving a poisoning and still making the decision to return to Russia, President Vladimir Putin's most significant opposition figure was serving 19 years on extremism charges. 
 What do we know about how Navalny died? 
 Amid accusations that he was murdered, what motivations would Navalny's enemies have for acting against him now?  
 Not long after a number of Western commentators predicted Putin's demise over the Ukraine war, what does Navalny's death mean for Putin's tightening grip on Russia? 
 CBC's Briar Stewart explains.

With Navalny dead, is Putin absolute?

Your essential daily news podcast. We take you deep into the stories shaping Canada and the world. Hosted by Jayme Poisson. Every morning, Monday to Friday. 
 Visit https://www.cbc.ca/radio/frontburner for show descriptions, links, and transcripts. 
 Subscribe&nbsp;to Sounds Good: CBC's Podcasts newsletter&nbsp;for the&nbsp;finest podcast recommendations and behind-the-scenes exclusives.&nbsp;

News

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.

Mass graves uncovered at Gaza hospitals

When Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre visited a convoy camp on the border between New Brunswick and Nova Scotia last week, he was filmed in front of a “F--k Trudeau” flag. 
 It was another moment of visibility for a slogan that’s encroached on the mainstream, appearing on bumper stickers and flags scattered across the country. 
 So when did this visible hate for the Prime Minister start? What’s the relationship between extremist groups and mainstream anger? And is there any way for Justin Trudeau – or his opposition – to heal the divisions? 
 Journalist Justin Ling has spent many hours listening to groups who profess hatred for Trudeau. He’s the author of Bug-Eyed and Shameless on Substack, and he recently spoke to the Prime Minister about these divisions.

With Navalny dead, is Putin absolute?

Download our free app to listen on your phone