The Diet may be out of session but a new battle is already underway at Liberal Democratic Party headquarters.

The power struggle has Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Finance Minister Taro Aso and former trade minister Akira Amari standing in one corner and LDP Secretary-General Toshihiro Nikai in the other. Each side has eyes on the partys leadership contest before a Lower House election in the fall.

The fight is manifesting itself in a number of recently formed parliamentary groups, with the two sides vying to install as many of their faction members as possible to LDP executive posts, and the position of secretary-general is the top prize.

At least on the surface, the party is united in backing Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga ahead of the partys leadership election in September. Approval ratings for his Cabinet and the LDP still hover around the mid-30% range, whereas support for opposition parties is in the single digits. No rival candidates are exploring runs to replace Suga in the leadership contest. But the intraparty fight could leave Suga, who lacks a solid support base despite being the partys president, in a shaky position and that could destabilize the LDP and affect the general election.

The LDP is starting to think its leadership contest is more important than the general election, said Jun Iio, a professor of Japanese politics at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies.

The trio of Abe, Aso and Amari, along with Suga, then-chief Cabinet secretary, were a key platoon during the early stages of the second Abe administration. When Abe resigned last September, Nikai keen to stay on as secretary-general filled the void and became the first major faction leader to endorse Suga as Abes successor.

Nikais swift, calculated move made Suga a front-runner and demonstrated his appetite to further expand his factions authority and influence within the party.

That has left Nikais 47-member group with an outsized influence in the party and has the two largest factions Hiroyuki Hosodas 96-member faction, of which Abe is a de facto leader, and Asos 53-member faction irritated.

LDP Secretary-General Toshihiro Nikai speaks at a parliamentary group on advancing the Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy, next to former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, at the Liberal Democratic Party headquarters on June 15. | KYODO

The influence held by factions was suppressed when Abe was in charge, with LDP lawmakers almost universally backing him and satisfied that party unity was Abes top priority. After his departure, they have been revived to play their role in deciding key party posts and even Cabinet ministers.

Nikais camp emerged as the fourth largest within the party, as it actively accepted newcomers to the LDP from opposition parties.

He is also flexible in throwing support behind a wide variety of lawmakers, even those considered dark horses. At one point, he praised former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba, a vocal critic of Abe, as being well-versed in policies and expressed his support for Seiko Noda, who does not belong to a faction, running for the LDP leadership. Nikai appointed her to be a party executive.

The opening bell of the LDP fight was struck on May 21 at a meeting of a parliamentary group focused on semiconductors. The group was set up to advise the Suga administration as it looked to beef up its strategy on economic security.

But the caucuss lineup Abe and Aso as senior advisers and Amari as president promptly raised speculation that they were reuniting in a potential bid to seize leadership of the party. Aso and Amari were close Abe allies during his administration, along with Suga. The tight-knit group was given a nickname stemming from the initials of their family names: 3A + S.

Roughly 60 LDP lawmakers from the factions of Hosoda, Aso, Wataru Takeshita and Fumio Kishida participated in the meeting, but notably absent was a significant contingent from the Nikai faction.

Legislators often form a coalition on specific issues as part of policymaking and submit a proposal to the Prime Ministers Office. But a caucus is also an important ingredient in party politics that helps members build a relationship with lawmakers in other factions. It can also test their loyalty to specific executives.

Aso rattled off a joke about the lineup.

The three of us gathering here signals something is up in terms of a power struggle, so there are lots of newspaper reporters here who seem to have no connection with semiconductors at all, Aso noted, eliciting laughter from lawmakers in the room. You will be disappointed.

Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Finance Minister Taro Aso attend a meeting of a parliamentary group on semiconductors at the Diet on May 28. | KYODO

This was not the only time the three heavyweights have gathered in the same place in recent months. They all became advisers to the Japan-Australia Parliamentary Association to facilitate cooperation between the two nations on national security and economic issues amid Chinas rise.

Since the Diet session ended, LDP members interests have turned to a potential shake-up in the partys executive lineup, which is expected sometime after the LDP leadership contest or the general election, depending on whichever comes first.

For many, their greatest concern is whether the 82-year-old Nikai who has been secretary-general since August 2016, the longest run in the post in the partys history will keep his title beyond the fall. The secretary-generals term is one year, but there are no limits on reappointment. The person in the powerful role can decide which candidate to officially endorse in an election and has discretion on party finances and personnel, including the partys division heads and deputy heads.

When Abe decided to step down for health reasons in September last year, Suga, who was considering a run to be the partys next leader, first turned to Nikai for support.

Suga and Nikai, who both started as local assembly members, developed a close bond during the Abe administration. In return for his support, Suga kept Nikai on as secretary-general.

Under the Suga administration, Nikais faction members secured the crucial posts of internal affairs minister as well as another Cabinet position, a satisfactory result for Nikai.

Former trade minister Akira Amari (left) attends a meeting of a parliamentary group on semiconductors, with Motoo Hayashi, an executive acting secretary-general, at the Liberal Democratic Party headquarters on June 15. | KYODO

Aso, who delayed throwing his support behind Suga last September, is seeking to rally his troops. The finance minister is rumored to be seeking to push Amari, a member of his faction, as Nikais replacement in the next reshuffle.

Wary of being driven into a corner, Nikai has attempted to drive a wedge into the 3A alliance. The secretary-general asked Abe to be a senior adviser of a parliamentary group that he had established aimed at advancing the countrys Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy. Because the strategy was originally pushed by Abe, the former prime minister had no choice but to accept the offer.

In response, Amari openly criticized Nikai for founding the parliamentary group, especially because the secretary-general is known for his close ties to China.

I wonder whether itd be OK for Mr. Nikai to preside over the group on the strategy that touches the sorest spot for China, Amari said during a TBS program aired on June 11.

Nikai and Amari had clashed openly before over a vote-buying scandal involving former Justice Minister Katsuyuki Kawai and his wife, former Upper House lawmaker Anri Kawai. While Nikai denied knowledge of or participation in the distribution of 150 million in party funds to Anri Kawai in 2019, Motoo Hayashi, an executive acting secretary-general and Nikais top aide, implied during a news conference on May 17 that Amari was in charge.

Amari, who was an election strategy committee chairman, shot back by saying, I was not involved even a micrometer.

In response, Nikai modified his response and said the partys president and the secretary-general at that time were responsible for party decisions, dragging Abe into the controversy once again.

Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga during a news conference in May in Tokyo | POOL / VIA REUTERS

What is concerning for the LDP is that powerful skirmishes could damage the party as a whole. When Abe was prime minister, he was particularly mindful of party unity, wrote Koji Nakakita, a Japanese politics professor at Hitotsubashi University, in his book on the LDP.

Abe was not hesitant to pick rivals such as Ishiba and former Finance Minister Sadakazu Tanigaki to fill the secretary-general role and tap leading figures of individual factions to Cabinet posts, thereby maintaining solidarity and high intraparty support. Election victories and high approval ratings also spurred him on.

The rationale for boosting rivals, Nakakita explained in the book, was rooted in a conviction that disarray within the party in 2009, in which LDP lawmakers had pressed Aso to step down as prime minister, caused the party to lose power.

Learning from that mistake, the LDP is united in backing Suga ahead of the general election. However, unlike Abe, Suga has neither a track record of winning national elections the LDP has lost three by-elections so far this year nor a strong faction that serves as a reliable support base, a crucial component to surviving an uphill battle in party politics.

Ishiba, who ran against Suga last year, cast doubt on whether the power struggle was worth it for anyone but the contestants.

I dont reject the power struggle itself, Ishiba said during a TV Asahi program appearance on Wednesday. What matters is for what purpose does one seek to acquire power? If people are competing for job posts while that objective is not clear, I wonder whether that serves the countrys best interest.

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LDP's infighting tests Suga and party unity ahead of election season - The Japan Times

It "may well be approaching the time" to scrap the problematic Isle of Wight floating bridge and replace it with a new one, the councillor responsible for the vessel has told Isle of Wight Radio.

Cllr Phil Jordan says"there comes a time when the mend and make do approachcomes to an end", and has hinted that the council may be nearing that.

Having been elected to the role of Cabinet member for Infrastructure and Transport around eight weeks ago, Cllr Jordansaysit is too early to say for definite how the local authority will fixthe chain ferry.

However, speaking to Isle of Wight Radio, he said it's clear there are only two viable options. He said:

"I'm looking forward. Every time we look back, this is what preventsus from looking forward.

"What we've got is what we've got. We have to either make that work and I would have to be convinced that we can make that work bymodifications or whatever ittakes or we would have to replaceit. One of the other.

"If we are being confronted with sums of money that are extensive we have to weigh that up against the possibility of putting that expenditure into a new replacement vessel."

WhenFloating Bridge 6 was commissioned, the council paid out around 3.2 million for its design and construction.

It came into service in May 2017, but has beenplagued with problems ever since. Just last year,Isle of Wight Radio reportedhow the chain ferry recorded a loss of more than 400,000.

Asked how the council would fund another multi-million pound vessel, if the current one is scrapped, Cllr Jordan said:

"There are operational revenues from it, if it works efficiently. Secondly, there may be income from an agreement with the designers and builders of the bridge, that may be an income for us.

"And then we would borrow the money over 25 years or maybe even longer over 25, 30 yearsand we would pay for that loan out of the income and revenue that we don't appear to be getting at the moment."

County Hall's previous Conservative administration had started legal action against the manufacturers of the vessel, but Cllr Jordan would not confirm whether that has reached a conclusion.

Going forward, he says the current vessel has a number of issues that need to be addressed, including the prow and rams.

He said:

"The issues that we see of the chain depth is problematic. The shape of the prow is problematicand I think because of the shape of the prow we have failing rams, because of the angle they have to push up and down.

"So I think essentially, operationally, as far as I'm aware that's where the issues are."

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Isle Of Wight Floating Bridge: "If We Have To Scrap It, We Will" Says Councillor - Isle of Wight Radio

Tandens selection to run the OMB was always viewed as a risky one for Biden, given her bare-knuckled approach to dealing with Republicans and particularly inflammatory Twitter account. But after Democrats took control of the Senate, Biden allies believed the president would get her confirmed.

Manchin, a moderate Democrat, likely blew up those plans Friday afternoon.

I believe her overtly partisan statements will have a toxic and detrimental impact on the important working relationship between members of Congress and the next director of the Office of Management and Budget, he said in a statement. For this reason, I cannot support her nomination.

The White House said it had no intention from withdrawing Tandens nomination, with the president telling reporters after a trip to Michigan that, I think were going to find the votes to get her confirmed. Democrats believe its critical the Biden administration does not quickly relent on Tanden after Manchins opposition, if only to demonstrate they will not cower immediately to any opposition, including from within the party.

But with no Republicans signaling they would support Tanden, activists and allies are already scrambling for the potential opening.

Sperling, whose potential bid was mentioned in a Friday night article in The American Prospect, has boosters through the party owing to his service in the Clinton and Obama administrations and the relationships hes built both with Bidens top economic advisers and within progressive intellectual circles.

Bidens orbit believes he would be easily confirmed if nominated. But there are concerns about Sperlings potential ascension because of the presidents stated commitment to build a diverse cabinet. Tanden is an Indian American woman, one of only two women of Asian descent nominated for the cabinet other than Vice President Kamala Harris.

Its difficult for them not to put a woman in the job because of the commitments the president made to having a balanced cabinet, said one former Obama official.

Reached for comment, Sperling praised Tandens nomination to OMB.

I have worked with Neera for over 20 years and have never stopped being impressed by the breadth of her policy expertise, her work ethic and commitment to helping Americans in need, Sperling said. She is supremely qualified to be OMB Director. I have been and remain 100% supportive of her confirmation.

OLeary is a longtime Democratic policymaker with close ties to top Biden aides in particular, White House chief of staff Ron Klain owing to her years of experience in Clintonworld. She worked in the Clinton White House and then joined Hillary Clintons Senate office as legislative director. She later served as a top policy adviser on Clintons 2016 campaign, along with Jake Sullivan, now Bidens national security adviser.

Her policy work has been widely praised by Democrats, but her chances at the slot may be bogged down by her most recent stint in the Newsom administration.

OLeary served for two years as Newsoms chief of staff, and it was well-known in Democratic circles that she was angling for a job in the Biden administration. But she left Newsoms staff before she landed a job. Her departure came around the time the governor began to face a recall effort over criticism of how he has handled the Covid-19 pandemic. People in Newsoms camp felt OLeary was not the right person to lead the governor through the turbulence of a recall.

Does the White House want to have Senate hearings that are going to examine the Gavin Newsom administration in California? Thats the baggage, the Obama alum said. Theres a lot of concern.

OLeary and the White House declined to comment, but after this story published, O'Leary tweeted her support for Tanden's nomination.

"For years, Ive worked side-by-side with my dear friend @neeratanden fighting for more inclusive and equitable economic policies," she wrote. "Yes, shes a tough cookie, but its because shes fighting so hard for the most vulnerable. @POTUS is going to get her confirmed and Ill be cheering!"

Given the concerns surrounding Sperling and OLeary, the White House could decide to elevate Shalanda Young, who has been nominated to serve as deputy OMB director. Young, a Black woman, is widely respected by both parties on the Hill, where she has worked as the staff director for House Democrats on the Appropriations Committee.

Still, the White House is insistent they will continue to push for Tandens confirmation, touting her more than 35 meetings with senators from both parties, her outreach to Asian American and Pacific Islander organizations and the business community and bipartisan support she earned outside the Beltway, including from former OMB Director Mitch Daniels, a Republican.

Neera Tanden is an accomplished policy expert who would be an excellent budget director and we look forward to the committee votes next week and to continuing to work toward her confirmation through engagement with both parties, Jen Psaki, the White House press secretary, said in a statement Friday night.

While most Democrats argue its too early to completely desert Tanden, they also worry about waiting too long to fill the top post at OMB, especially as the administration is expected to produce a budget in the coming weeks or months.

I wouldnt want to go another month without an OMB director, the former Obama official said. Its an incredibly important time. Either lets get Neera confirmed, or youre going to have to move quickly.

Kevin Yamamura contributed to this report.

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The jockeying to replace Neera Tanden has begun - POLITICO

Hearthstone's new Year of the Gryphon is about to begin and it will launch with the Forged in the Barrens expansion.

BlizzConline continues on with what's next for Hearthstone. Blizzard's collectible card game is in a unique place for this latest BlizzCon, because a new Standard year is about to begin. That Standard year will be known as the Year of the Gryphon. And it will kick off with the game's latest expansion, Forged in the Barrens.

Forged in the Barrens will feature 135 new cards inspired by the beloved World of Warcraft setting. The latest keyword is Frenzy, but the biggest feature is ten new Legendary Mercenary minions, each representing one of the game's classes. The Mercenary stories will play out throughout the Year of the Gryphon, culminating with a new single-player roguelike game mode called Hearthstone Mercenaries. More information on Hearthstone Mercenaries is expected in the future.

The Year of the Gryphon promises to shake up Hearthstone in ways never imagined. For one thing, the new Core set will replace the Classic set, shaking up the foundation of the game as everyone knows it. This includes taking Classic cards and reimagining some of them entirely. The Core set will be ready for the start of the new Standard year, as will the new expansion.

The Core set will include reimaginings for three of the game's Legendary Dragons, including:

For those who think this is too much change, players will have an option to turn back the clock with a special Hearthstone Classic mode. This features the Basic and Classic sets as they were in 2014, complete with all cards having their nerfs and buffs erased. Classic will be available for play alongside Standard and Wild and will feature its own rewards and rankings.

We'll have a lot more to say about Hearthstone's upcoming year in the days ahead. Stay tuned to Shacknews for the latest on BlizzConline.

Ozzie has been playing video games since picking up his first NES controller at age 5. He has been into games ever since, only briefly stepping away during his college years. But he was pulled back in after spending years in QA circles for both THQ and Activision, mostly spending time helping to push forward the Guitar Hero series at its peak. Ozzie has become a big fan of platformers, puzzle games, shooters, and RPGs, just to name a few genres, but hes also a huge sucker for anything with a good, compelling narrative behind it. Because what are video games if you can't enjoy a good story with a fresh Cherry Coke?

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Hearthstone's Year of the Gryphon will start with Forged in the Barrens expansion - Shacknews

Danny Trejo faces down an army in World War I in a hilarious video that replaces Gal Gadot with the Machete star as DC's Wonder Woman.

It seems like everybody and their grandmother is making funny Deepfake videos these days. It's almost gotten to the point where the novelty has worn off due to it basically being the same joke told over and over. But sometimes an idea comes along that impresses due to its sheer absurdity and Wonder Woman is the latest subject of such an unusual concept.

YouTube user Pooj's Variety Hour apparently looked at the dramatic "no man's land" scene from 2017'sWonder Woman and decided to put their own twist on it. Rather than simply replacing the face of Amazonian hero Diana with someone who looks like her, like theDeepfake video of Sebastian Stan as Luke Skywalker, they decided to go several steps further by instead inserting the face of legendary scowler Danny Trejo. The results are somehow both exactly as expected and also still very much worth watching.

RELATED:Star Wars Deepfake Puts A Young Harrison Ford In Solo

While nothing else about the scene is changed, the face replacement alone is enough to draw attention. Seeing Trejo wordlessly deflect bullets and mortar shells is more than worth the effort put in, and based on how technically complicated Deepfakes tend to be, there was likely a good amount of effort behind this video. It perhaps wasn't quite as involved as theStar WarsDeepfake that tried to outdoThe Mandalorian, but it's still impressive in its own right.

This particular scene is notable as the being first time Diana (a.k.a Wonder Woman) truly acts as a hero, walking out into the middle of a battlefield to draw the enemy's fire and give the soldiers a fighting chance. Even though she hadn't exactly lived a sheltered life up until that point, she had lived an isolated one, making her decision to fight for a cause like this all the more significant. It's dramatic, epic, and really takes on a whole new vibe when the face of Machete himself unexpectedly shows up on the screen. Apparently,Wonder Woman is a popular target for spoof videos.

It's almost as if the scene itself was tailor-made for this sort of comedy, as the first few shots refrain from showing Wonder Woman's face. This effectively builds up anticipation and makes it so the video could easily catch someone unaware that it involves a Deepfake, quite possibly resulting in a spectacular double-take when Trejo's face appears for the first time. It's just a flash at first, but that's enough to make any unsuspecting viewer think, "wait, what?"

Videos like this really make this seem like a technological future, and the proficiency will only get more and more precise as time goes on. So look forward to the next few years, when it likely won't be surprising to see something like Trejo, an avid gamer himself, inserted perfectly into something likeGrand Theft Auto.

Wonder Woman 1984 is now playing in select theaters.

MORE:Heath Ledger's Joker & 9 Other Memorable Movie Villains

Source: Pooj's Variety Hour/YouTube

WandaVision Behind-The-Scenes Photos Reveal [Spoiler]'s Corpse

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Wonder Woman Deepfake Replaces The Superhero With Danny Trejo - GameRant

A new rumor makes the shocking claim that Call of Duty: Warzone could very well be removing its Verdansk battle royale map from the game.

Call of Duty: Warzone first debuted in March of 2020, and it was a massive success right away. A free-to-play battle royale using the popularCall of Duty: Modern Warfare as its foundation,Call of Duty: Warzonehas earned mostly positive reviews from critics and fans alike, even though it has admittedly struggled with balancing issues and technical problems. Over the past year,Call of Duty fans have spent countless hours exploringWarzone's Verdansk map, but a new rumor suggests that Verdansk may actually be leaving the game.

The rumor stems from the Twitter account WarzoneNewz, who claims trusted sources have said that the "end" of Verdansk is coming on March 11. March 11 is a Thursday, and that's whenCall of Duty: Warzone updates come, so the dates line up, though WarzoneNewz did not provide any concrete evidence to back up their claims. It seems unlikely thatCall of Duty: Warzone will be getting rid of Verdansk, but then again, it could be a way to give the game a serious shot in the arm for its one year anniversary.

RELATED: Study Determines Which Games Have the Most Hackers

SinceCall of Duty: Warzone launched, Verdansk has been the only large-scale map in the game. The much smaller Rebirth Island map was added a couple of months ago, but it is a much different experience than what's found in Verdansk. With the one year anniversary ofCall of Duty: Warzone coming up, maybe the developers will be removing Verdansk to replace it with the long-rumored new map that's supposedly be in the works for some time.

It seems like a safer bet would be to simply add the new map along with Verdansk. Whatever the case may be, there have been rumors for some time now thatCall of Duty: Warzone would be adding a new map. Typically, the claim has been that the new map will be based onCall of Duty: Black Ops Cold War Fireteam maps, similarly to how Verdansk is based onCall of Duty: Modern Warfare Ground War maps.

While it's certainly possible thatCall of Duty: Warzone could remove Verdansk from the game and replace it with a brand new one (other battle royales have done something similar), it seems highly unlikely. After all,Call of Duty: Warzone is adding a new Cargo Tanker location next week, and it seems strange for the developers to keep adding new content to a map just to remove the entire thing.

If a newCall of Duty: Warzone map is coming, the likelier scenario is that it will be added alongside Verdansk instead of replacing it outright. For now, though, fans should take all of this information with a massive grain of salt and wait for something official from Activision.

Call of Duty: Warzone is out now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.

MORE:Call of Duty: Warzone KSP 45 Submachine Gun Loadout

WWE Video Game Tier List

Dalton Cooper is an editor for Game Rant who has been writing about video games professionally since 2011. Having written thousands of game reviews and articles over the course of his career, Dalton considers himself a video game historian and strives to play as many games as possible. Dalton covers the latest breaking news for Game Rant, as well as writes reviews, guide content, and more.

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Rumor: Call of Duty Warzone Verdansk Map Could Be Coming to an 'End' - GameRant

BORIS Johnson could reshuffle his Cabinet as soon as May, The Sun can reveal.

The Prime Minister is being urged by allies to rejig his top team after the local elections.

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It would coincide with a major speech Mr Johnson has started to write to herald an era of recovery after the pandemic.

One scenario discussed in No10 would see Matt Hancock move to Education and Michael Gove replace him at Health.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson could be on his way out, sources say.

Allies also claim that Mr Johnson was furious with reports that he has lost faith in Minister for the Cabinet Office Mr Gove and instead wants to see a reformer in his prime be handed a major new challenge.

Insiders say the major efforts in extending the school year and pupil catch-up mean a new broom is needed after relations between Mr Williamson and the Education sector hit rock bottom.

One Whitehall source said: Gavin has lost the teachers, the unions, the parents and frankly the trust of the PM to be able to fix this.

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The insiders are split on whether his four-year Cabinet career would end, or whether he would be demoted to a more backroom role where he has previously thrived.

Another scenario would see Mr Gove take over at the Home Office should Priti Patel have to fall on her sword over legal action around bullying claims.

But Mr Johnson is said to be not keen on changing any of the Great Offices of State jobs.

There is also mounting tension between his aides, with Brexit talks veteran Oliver Lewis quitting after just two weeks in charge of the SNP-fighting Union unit.

Sources say he had threatened to walk multiple times since the departure of mentor Dominic Cummings.

And some inside No10 are not impressed with Mr Cummingss replacement as head adviser.

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BIG STEP 4WARDPM's four-step plan to ease lockdown as he ditches hated regional tiers

OPE FOR THE BESTRoyals told to hide behind the sofa for Harry & Meghans Oprah chat

KNIFED TO DEATHBoy, 15, charged over murder of cabbie stabbed to death by passenger

COVID TRAGEDYTeen, 16, with no underlying health conditions dies after Covid infection

FAMILY'S AGONYGirl, 9, dies of blood clot on heart days after GP sent her home with Calpol

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FAMILY CRISISCharles shows strain as he visits ill father Philip a day after Megxit drama

One said ex-Treasury official Dan Rosenfeld was obsessed with process and paperwork rather than politics and people.

A colleague claimed: It seems he wants to be the Chief of Stuff rather than the Chief of Staff.

Another compared Mr Rosenfelds management style to David Brent from TVs The Office.

GOT a story? RING The Sun on 0207 782 4104 or WHATSAPP on 07423720250 or EMAILexclusive@the-sun.co.uk

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Boris Johnson urged to reshuffle Cabinet with Michael Gove, Matt Hancock and Gavin Williamson facing job - The Sun

Its starting over, Mr. Harrison said in an interview, noting that conservative radio consumers can simply switch to other popular Limbaugh-like hosts, including Mr. Hannity, Glenn Beck and Mark Levin. (iHeartMedia might not mind: It also syndicates Mr. Beck and Mr. Hannity.)

Mr. Limbaughs success may have ensured his shows eventual obsolescence.

He was the first conservative icon in national media, bringing an ideology more closely associated with elite organs like National Review to a mass audience. His shock-jock antics infuriated Democratic presidents and endeared himself to Republican ones; as early as 1992, President George Bush invited him to spend a night in the Lincoln Bedroom.

Before Fox News and the MAGA internet, Mr. Limbaughs program was the only megaphone for his divisive, hyperpartisan brand of commentary. Theres something magical about the intimacy of radio that younger readers simply cannot possibly appreciate, the commentator Matt Lewis wrote in The Daily Beast after Mr. Limbaughs death, echoing other conservatives who reminisced about childhood listening sessions.

There is no doubt his show remained influential with the Slightly Less Online set, particularly among working-class listeners whose jobs might not afford nonstop access to a social media platform during the business day. Mr. Limbaugh even scored some headlines in December when he mused that the nation might be trending toward secession.

But Mr. Limbaughs latter-day commentary while still ribald and unrepentant was often indistinguishable from that of dozens of other pundits.

He created the genre, which then flooded the market with competitors, some less talented, some more, said Ann Coulter, the conservative provocateur. Only one person can be the pioneer but after that, its dog-eat-dog. (Even Fox News, which long enjoyed a monopoly on conservative TV, has now been forced to contend with upstart rivals, like Newsmax, that appeal to far-right viewers.)

Because he depended on a publicly traded conglomerate for his paycheck, Mr. Limbaugh was also beholden to the kinds of corporate guidelines that fringier online platforms could happily ignore. After the election, Mr. Limbaugh defended President Trumps lies about voter fraud and as late as Inauguration Day insisted that Joseph R. Biden Jr. didnt win this thing fair and square but he stopped short of explicitly calling for violence. It was a guest on The Alex Jones Show who explicitly called for supporters to occupy the Capitol.

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Where Will Rush Limbaughs 15 Million Listeners Go Now? - The New York Times

VIDEO: Click to watch the MarsX Portrait in action.

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Advanced technologyMarsX Portrait boasts a wealth of advanced technology that creates a more intuitive and fun gaming experience. Gen9 components drive MarsX Portrait's ability to spin fast, and the action plays out on the 43" curved ultra high-definition monitor, tall enough to allow for exciting growing reels action. And while the action may be hot, the MarsX Portrait never is, thanks to a specially designed chimney that redirects heat quietly away from both the player and critical components.

Technology for playersMarsX Portrait gives players an experience they have been craving. The curved screen is a 4k display capable of showing 16.7 billion colors for unsurpassed visuals. Sight meets sound with MarsX Portrait's 4.1 Spatial KineticSound that creates a perfect soundscape for every game's unique journey. A virtual button deck has a dynamic bash button and wireless USB charging. Players will also love the portrait's game action, including growing reels, Cash on Reels, Hold & Spin, and multiple jackpot levels.

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Innovative new game libraryAristocrat created a new games library specifically for the MarsX Portrait, leading with three new game families. The Cash Across family was created for core players who thrill to the excitement of big wins, reel expansion, and jackpot potential. Launch titles are Horses of Helios and Savanna Lion.

The player-favorite Fu Dai Lian Lian gets an added persistent boost mode to enhance the fun in FU DAI LIAN LIAN BOOST PEACOCK and FU DAI LIAN LIAN BOOST TIGER.

The fun and excitement is tripled in the new Triple Grand Fortunes family of games with game titles Triple Grand Fortunes Fu Grand, Triple Grand Fortunes Lu Grand, and Triple Grand Fortunes Shou Grand.

For more information on the MarsX Portrait and its library of launch titles, visit http://www.aristocratgaming.com.

ABOUT ARISTOCRAT TECHNOLOGIES INC.Aristocrat Technologies Inc. is a subsidiary of Aristocrat Leisure Limited (ASX: ALL), a global games leader with more than 6,000 employees. The company is licensed in over 300 gaming jurisdictions, operates in more than 90 countries, and offers a unique blend of products and services. The company is the leading designer, manufacturer, and distributor of Class III games as well as Class II Innovations for Native American casinos and emerging markets. The company's mission is to bring joy to life through the power of play. Its values are rooted in creativity and technology, and the company has a rich history of innovation that has shaped the gaming industry over many decades. For further information, visit the company's website at http://www.aristocratgaming.com.

Media Contacts:Paul Speirs-Hernandez, [emailprotected]Meghan Sleik, [emailprotected]

SOURCE Aristocrat Technologies Inc.

http://www.aristocratgaming.com

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Aristocrat Gaming's New MarsX Portrait Cabinet is the Picture of Innovation - PRNewswire

In December, the US Navy released its 30-year ship-building plan, which called for building 404 new vessels to reach a 541-ship fleet by 2051, with 304 current vessels retired over that period.

Fourteen of the vessels to be retired are nuclear-powered and thus need to be recycled as part of the Navy's Ship-Submarine Recycling Program to ensure safe disposal of their nuclear reactors and fuel.

Those ships include the first-in-class aircraft carrier USS Nimitz and 13 nuclear submarines: 11 Los Angeles-class attack subs and two Ohio-class cruise-missile submarines, known as SSGNs.

USS Ohio, lead ship of the class, will be one of the two SSGNs recycled. It will be the end of a four-decade career for the first sub of its kind.

USS Ohio was commissioned in November 1981. Ohio and the boats that followed were ballistic-missile submarines, classified as SSBNs, and meant to replace the aging boats of the five previous SSBN classes, known as the "41 for Freedom," which were commissioned between 1959 and 1967.

The SALT I and SALT II treaties between the US and the Soviet Union put limitations on their nuclear forces, including the number of submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBMs) silos each could possess. As a result, a number of SSBNs were retired or refitted and reclassified as attack subs to make room for Ohio-class subs to enter service.

As the newest SSBN in the Navy, Ohio was a considerable upgrade. At 560 feet long and 42 feet wide, Ohio and its follow-on boats are the largest submarines in US history. It was originally armed with four torpedo tubes and 24 missile silos eight more than its predecessors capable of firing UGM-96 Trident I SLBMs.

Its nuclear reactor enabled Ohio, like other SSBNs, to stay submerged for months at a time. It also gave Ohio the ability to dive deeper than diesel-electric submarines and allowed it to have a virtually unlimited range, restricted only by its food supply.

At Ohio's commissioning, then-Vice President George Bush said the vessel was "a new dimension in our nation's strategic deterrence," while Adm. Hyman G. Rickover, known as the "father of the nuclear Navy," said Ohio should "strike fear in the hearts of our enemies."

All but one of the Ohio-class boats were named after US states, a tradition the Navy previously reserved for battleships and cruisers.

After training and shakedown operations, Ohio was transferred to the Pacific Fleet, arriving at its homeport of Bangor, Washington, in August 1982. In October that year, Ohio began its first strategic deterrent patrol, the first such patrol with a Trident I SLBM, which lasted 70 days.

Ohio would conduct strategic deterrent patrols out of Bangor for the next 20 years and did a number of Trident test launches in that time. After a brief overhaul from 1993 to 1994, Ohio returned to patrol duties in 1995.

In 1994, the Nuclear Posture review determined that the Navy only needed 14 of its 18 SSBNs. As a result, the first four Ohio-class submarines were to be converted to SSGNs to assist ground operations in a more tactical role.

Ohio's conversion lasted from 2002 to 2005. Ohio and its fellow SSGNs are now equipped with 22 Vertical Launching System tubes, giving them the ability to fire up to 154 Tomahawk land-attack cruise missiles.

The four SSGNs have more than half of the US Navy's submarine vertical-launch payload capacity, with Ohio alone carrying more Tomahawks than a single Arleigh Burke-class destroyer.

The remaining two missile tubes were converted into swimmer lockout chambers, which, combined with its ability to carry a dry deck shelter, allows the Ohio to deploy up to 66 Navy Seals or Force Reconnaissance Marines for special operations.

Returning to active service in 2006, Ohio continued to conduct patrols in the Pacific and participated in a number of exercises with the US's Asian allies. In 2010, Ohio and two other SSGNs surfaced simultaneously in the Western Pacific in response to Chinese missile tests in the East China Sea.

In April 2017, Ohio entered a two-year refit, which upgraded most of its onboard systems, and returned to service in August 2019.

To ensure continuous operation at peak performance, Ohio is operated by two rotating 155-man crews, dubbed Blue and Gold. Each crew deploys for 70 to 90 days before returning to port to swap places with the other.

Ohio is currently operating in the Pacific with the US 7th Fleet. It recently conducted an exercise with Force Reconnaissance Marines from the III Marine Expeditionary Force in Okinawa, who practiced deployments via submarine and rubber raiding craft.

Ohio is expected to enter the recycling process in 2026, along with sister boat USS Florida. For submarines, the process has four stages: inactivation, missile compartment dismantlement, reactor compartment disposal, and recycling.

Inactivation begins after the sub has been disarmed and put into a dry dock. The reactor is shut down and completely de-fueled. The main storage battery is then removed.

The submarine is cut open to allow easy access to the reactor. The fuel is moved to a shielded transfer container that is placed in a specially designed shipping container before being sent to the Naval Reactors Facility in Idaho.

After this, the missile launchers are removed from the submarine and cut apart to ensure their destruction in accordance with the terms of the SALT II Treaty.

When this is done, the rector is thoroughly cleaned, sealed in a protective case, and removed by crane to be sent to the Department of Energy's Hanford waste disposal site in eastern Washington.

Any remaining parts of the submarine that can be used in active subs is removed and stored. The hull is then scrapped.

Eventually, all Ohio-class SSBNs will be replaced by the Columbia class. The four SSGNs, meanwhile, will be replaced by the Virginia-class nuclear attack submarine, which will have vertical-launch systems capable of firing 12 to 40 Tomahawks or Harpoon anti-ship missiles.

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After 45 years, the Navy is planning to 'recycle' a first-of-its-kind missile submarine - Business Insider